Title: Couple days ago I got stopped by a cop

Question: So I was walking someone’s bike home with them, We needed to cross the street. It was 11:Something at night and there were no cars at this crosswalk so I walk without pressing the button. Out of the dark pulls up a cop and stops me for walking on a green light(to be 100% clear I’m not sure if it was green or not and this street light has been buggy for years). He wrote down my name, birthdate, and address and gave it to dispatch(or whoever they talk to in their walkie talkie thing) then gave me permission to go. I got his car number, badge, and name before he left. Been a couple days, nothing happened yet, Should I still be stressed?

Answer:
 No. It's common procedure for cops to ask for all that information. They want to make sure you don't have a warrant and aren't up to anything suspicious.

It's most likely that was just a warning.


Title: Hospital infection liability (Tennessee)

Question: [deleted]

Answer: If the hospital doesn't place or change casts your mother walked into the hospital wearing for an unrelated medical reason, then it doesn't do casts. She needs to call the orthopedist's office and discuss a backup plan. In my opinion (as a doctor, not an orthopedist, not your mother's doctor, and not a lawyer) it's unacceptable for someone with postoperative patients to be on vacation without a colleague on call or any sort of backup. I expect that is not truly the case. The second resort might be to call another orthopedist's office and explain that the cast and wound are badly soiled and see if they are willing to help you with a cast change.


Title: Threatened with Charges for a narc.

Question: Anon was involved in an armed robbery of pills. Anon was hanging out with their friend and didn't know they were on the way to armed robbery of pills. Police came for anon to answer questions and anon doesn't know where the place of the robbery was and can really give no information. Police are threatening anon with charges of armed robbery, hindering a prosecution, and aggravated assault. Can they actually do this? What measures can anon take to NOT go to jail.

Answer:
 You need an attorney. Full stop on everything. Don't talk to anyone but your attorneyAnswer #2: You can lawyer up and refuse to speak to the police without your lawyer present.Answer #3: I would ask you questions... but you shouldn't answer them.

Get an attorney.  If the police contact you before you get an attorney, politely decline to answer their questions until you get an attorney.


Title: Urgent Need of Legal Advice

Question:
Desperate need of legal advice for 10 year acquisitive prescription (Louisiana) and/or restraining order

My neighbor sued me over a tree in my yard, he demanded it be cut down because a branch fell into his yard.  This occurred over a year ago.  I told him if the tree survived after the branch fell I was not going to cut the tree down, I offered to help him remove the branch.  It's my only tree, shades my house, I sit under it everyday, I planted a shade garden under it, it provides wildlife habitat, and one of the reasons I bought the house.

He decided to try to gain ownership through a survey. His surveyor broke into my yard making it accessible to anyone,  jeopardizing my dog's life and my home and he also damaged my property.  Afterwards he said the tree belongs to him outright, he would tear down the fence and cut the tree and grind it to the ground...  But the tree does not belong to him outright.   I retained my own surveyor who concluded that although the boundary line just so happens to be off, the tree remains a boundary tree, and he was willing to sign an affidavit stating so.  So this has become a borderline dispute + cutting down the tree issue.

I hired a lawyer who just happened to take another job during discovery and the new replacement lawyer only looked at the case two days before the trial and admitted she had another really big case she had to worry about... The trial is over, and I lost. My lawyer said we lost due to lack of evidence, which I have, an repeatedly told them to submit like the affidavit from the surveyor and she even said, yeah that probably would have stopped the MSJ from being granted.  Also I could have potentially kept the land in question by 10 year acquisitive prescription through the previous owners who they didn't bother to contact.  The lawyer admitted the judge said they didn't do their job and we would not be granted an extension.

 I've spent a great deal of time, money, and mental anguish on this and I do not want to give up.  I purchased the land as is, I was never told the boundary line was off, the neighbor removed the fence ten years ago and put it back in the same wrong spot. My neighbor never cared about the tree or boundary line until the branch fell.

I don't know if I should start a new trial, can't retrial anything that should have been done during discovery. I don't believe I can claim boundary tree if the judge ordered its removal regardless.  Or, somehow file some kind of restraining order from anyone accessing my property, but if a judge has granted them permission to change the boundary line and cut down the tree, would a restraining order work?  I can't do adverse possession need 30 years and it is interrupted because he had previous owners sign affidavits stating they never touched that part of the land and knew it did not belong to them..

Any experience with this kind of situation or advice would be greatly appreciated.  I just read the 10 year acquisitive prescription ruling in LA and I believe I have it.  If more information is needed I can provide it.  I have little time to decide before the judge signs off on the MSJ.

Thanks,

PHM

Answer:
 You need an attorney. Like right now. Regardless if judge has signed off on it, if the judge ruled thats the ruling. You possibly need to take a suspensive appeal for which you need to file something asap.

Otherwise, the 10 year prescription is something that should have been raised at the rule on the MSJ. That time as passed.

You need an attorney. Fast. Answer #2: If all else fails, it seems like your attorney has admitted to a whole lot of malpractice.  Although it may not get you your tree back, you will likely be able to get enough from a settlement to have an arborist put in another tree, this time fully on your property.

One other thing to aware of- was this a full judge or a magistrate judge/commissioner?  It is not uncommon for you to be able to appeal magistrate judge/commissioner rulings more easily than it is for you to appeal a Judge.

That said, LA is part common and part civil law so it's so much of a mess that I hesitate to say anything more than what everyone else is saying- hire a new lawyer ASAP and make sure that lawyer is comfortable with a rush job, potentially filing an appeal, and potentially filing a malpractice claim against your former lawyer.


Title: What is my Legal Recourse when Dr Refuses To Fill out FMLA paperwork properly?

Question:
Alright, so buckle up. I got an ear infection, right? I went to the doctor on the 26th. He gave me the 26th/27th off. I had to go back on the 30th (second missed day) He wasn't there. The Nurse Practitioner that was there saw me and refused to fill out the FMLA paperwork. Told me to come back tomorrow and maybe the doctor that saw me on the 26th would be willing to fill it out. F\*ck. Okay so I come back in the 1st (third missed day) the front desk fights me, the nurses fight me. Doctor doesn't like I filled out my portion before he filled out his. I had to go home, reprint it, bring it back, THEN he filled it out. Nurse faxed it off, I have a copy to work, and took my copy home.

&#x200B;

Time goes by, I check on my status because I have to give my AOM the confirmation code to get SIX points removed. 6/26 showed as a no call no show even though I was there for the morning half of my shift, and reported an early out on the portal. Sedgwick denied the claim. Why? Because the doctor filled out the paperwork incorrectly. Fun. this is going to be B.S. too.

&#x200B;

So I call the urgent care where I was seen all three days. He doesn't work there. He was only helping out. I need to call his primary location. Phone# 1- he doesn't start here until the first week of August. So I call the Urgent Care back.  They said maybe I should call around to all of the Northwest Hospitals to see which one he is doing rounds at.

&#x200B;

Call the urgent care back the next day, talk to a different person. Didn't tell them what Phone# 1 said, just asked to speak with the Dr. They gave me Phone# 2. I call over there. He already graduated. He will start with Northwest's network. I don't know what facility he will be at.

&#x200B;

Call urgent care back. They give me Phone# 3. I call them. He is not in our hospital. The phone number that is listed for his office is Phone# 1. Well, they said he doesn't start for 3 weeks but I was seen at urgent care on 26th and 1st by him. I need to find him to get this paperwork filled out.

&#x200B;

So they transferred me to Phone# 4. They said they have no idea what facility he would be at or when, even though they are medical staff services. They promised me a call back from her or the doctor.

&#x200B;

I have not received a call back. My boyfriend is P\*SSED. He talked to his sister and she said we have grounds to sue for negligence and malpractice if they don't get this paperwork filled out correctly. They are required to fill it out before we leave the office, the day we are seen. 95% of the staff at the urgent care said "We don't do FMLA paperwork for urgent care. You have to go to a primary care doctor for that." What are my options?

Answer: You don’t have any right to force a doctor to fill out paperwork.  Moreover, 2 days is unlikely to qualify for FMLA.Answer #2: There is no legal obligation for doctors to fill out the paperwork. As such, there is no legal recourse if they refuse. There is also no recourse against the doctor if they fill it out improperly. All you can do is ask them to fix ir, or bring your records to another doctor and ask if they will help.


Title: How can penndot (PA dept of transportation) not accept cash for services?

Question:
I always wondered this since I was 16. They make you pay with a check or money order. I understand the no credit cards thing but is it legal to not accept cash?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 > I understand the no credit cards thing but is it legal to not accept cash?

Yes.  "Legal Tender" doesn't mean that anyone is required to accept it.  It only means that the cash **can** be used for payment.


Title: Hardship drivers permit in OR. License suspended.

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: Perhaps UberX would be a better option for you. It's probably cheaper than getting insurance with that sort of record, and if your accident was bad enough to get you a 1-year suspension (DUI?), the rest of the world is likely better off with you not driving.


Title: [NC] Neighbor had AT&T Uverse installed. The technician ran a buried line across my back yard to a green box on the edge of my property labeled "AT&T underground cable." I wasn't asked permission, nor did he have the city mark the property beforehand. What recourse do I have, if any?

Answer: If you are in a newish subdivision, the subdivision plat will probably show utility easements.  If you are in a town/city, you could check to see if the ordinances say anything.  The utility company itself should have information on their own easements, so you could ask them about it directly.


Title: [Illinois] Smoking a cigarette in my car on break, cop comes claims probable cause tears up my car and finds drugs, arrests me

Question:
I am at work, on break, in the parking lot. I have my windows down and I am listening to some music while I smoke a cigarette, Newport 100's.

A police officer comes up to my car, and tells me my vehicle is suspicious and asked if I was smoking weed, I tell him no this is a cigarette. He looks into my car and sees a dollar bill sitting in my cup holder, it is in the shape of a loose cylinder and asks why its like that. I said I didn't know.

Then he sees a bag, empty, and says that he now has probable cause to search the car. I am put into handcuffs, and they find 1/8th of a xanax pill (which is not prescribed to me) and adderall (which is)

I am arrested, taken to the police station processed questioned somewhat and then sign a paper and I leave, but they tell me my car is impounded. What the hell happened?

Answer: Well, for starters, it sounds like you were arrested for possession of a controlled substance. That's what happened.


Title: My drug addict sister refuses to leave my mother's home after my mom has asked her to leave multiple times. (California)

Question:
My sister moved into my mom's home two years ago with her 3 year old after breaking up with her boyfriend. My mom allowed her to come back for 3 months only to allow her to get her life in order and get a job to take care of her son. Instead, my sister hasn't done anything in two years. She lives off welfare, takes methadone daily (and probably other drugs), and verbally and emotionally abuses my mother on a daily basis. My mom has told her to leave multiple times, and my sister basically tells her she can't kick her out and she has rights.

So my question is, what can my mother do to make my sister leave? I'm not worried about my nephew because he can stay with his dad and would probably be better off. My sister doesn't contribute anything financially. If my mom were to move out of her apartment, would she be responsible for my sister refusing to leave? Can we get cops to escort her away?

Thank you.

Answer: Your mom can follow the actual eviction process : http://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-eviction.htm


Title: If a trespassing sign (for example) doesn't state that penalties apply, do penalties apply?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Do you mean civil penalties or criminal fines?

If you ignore a trespassing sign then you are trespassing and you can be arrested and fined.

It's the same with speed limits: They are just posted. There is no "penalties apply", you get a ticket.


Title: Student using my name in social media profile

Question:
I am a High a school teacher in a suburb of Illinois in my third year. I have had interactions with a very emotionally unstable and needy student for the past two years. She has overstepped boundaries with teachers in the past and tends to get very attached to anyone who shows her compassion. Her social worker put her in my class, as it is a performing arts class, to give her an outlet. She took to it right away, but pretty quickly became obsessed with me. It’s been a long two years of explaining to her, along with her social worker, that she needs to keep a respectable distance with me and not overstep boundaries of the teacher/ student relationship.
This afternoon, I received a message on Facebook from a former student asking if I knew who a person was and they included a screen shot of a profile who has friend requested them. The Facebook profile was a random first name with my last name. I told the student that I do not know who it is and let it go. (Keep in mind, I have an extremely rare last name in the US. My husband is Danish and our last name even contains an ø that I simplified to “o” when in the US)
Soon after, I received an email from a current student asking if I knew who this person was, as they had also received a friend request from this person with my last name.
I decided to look at the profile, and there is very little information. They have one post that reflects the language patterns of the emotionally distressed student and the birthdate of the page matches the student’s birth date. I truly believe this student has created an alter ego for herself using my last name. (I know this is not a native Danish person, as the pronunciation guide uses the Americanized pronunciation that I use at school... not the native way of pronouncing the name)

I have emailed screenshots to her social worker and the school psychologist asking what can be done. While I cannot at this moment prove that it is the student, all signs point to “yes.”
As far as using my name, it does makes my exceptionally uncomfortable. This student is struggling with her sexuality and her one post is to the effect of “I am looking for a lesbian relationship”. The fact that this profile is requesting many of the students at the school I teach at makes me very uncomfortable.
What do I do next? I see the student every day, but I am hoping to speak to her social worker and the school psychologist first thing tomorrow.
Part of me wants to reach out to her and say “delete this immediately” but I am wondering if I have any leverage to get her even more separated from me and my classes.
Do I have any legal leverage here? As far as a restraining order or something similar?
Any information that can be provided will be really helpful.

Answer:
 Report this to your administration, ask if she can be removed from your classes, at least while this is being sorted out. If they won't, ask for another adult to be in your classes to protect you from any allegations that may be made.

I'm a teaching assistant in the UK and have had to deal with something similar, I had a SEN student writing love notes and telling other students she was going to have sex with me. Luckily she had a history of this and the administration quickly stopped her, but I was reassigned to a different class just in caseAnswer #2: Did you try reporting the profile to Facebook? Don’t just do it once. Do it every day.


Title: 14 Year old son accused of raping ex-girlfriend. What steps should I take?

Question:
Some time ago (probably at least a year ago) my son "dated" a girl a year younger than him when they were both in middle school. She wasn't allowed to date, so I don't think her parents ever knew. My son did go meet up with her a few times in her neighborhood. Each time either I drove him or he rode his bike. He is very honest and open with me and I believe him when he told me he never did anything but kiss her, with her consent.

&#x200B;

They were dating for a relatively short period of time, and she broke up with him. Since the time that she broke up with him, she has constantly harassed him by phone and social media. I advised him to block her, which he has. But she keeps finding ways to reach him through mutual friends and new media accounts.

&#x200B;

My question is, how do I handle this? These are kids and I want to do the right thing.

Answer: Retain all communications and block her without response if you are messaged. Unless she presses charges there is nothing to be done as far as I see it.


Title: [GA] Estimated $50,000 stolen by a 'friend' of the family from my grandpa's bank account, police say they can't do anything

Question:
Since September of last year a 'friend' of the family volunteered to help care for my dying grandma and help my grandpa out around the house after my grandmother passed. This included paying bills for him, helping with laundry/cooking, etc. 3 weeks ago my grandpa suddenly started getting his debit card rejected when he tried to buy gas/food, and when he checked out his account he discovered it was empty. After checking bank statements that he had previously ignored (my grandma used to take care of all their finances) he discovered that $1000-1500 was being withdrawn weekly for credit card payments, or to pay to other individuals. They're still waiting on the credit card company to mail older statements but right now they think it was somewhere between $25k-50k withdrawn or charged without his knowledge. The writing on the checks was clearly not his (including someone signing my grandmother's name after she died), and after they called the police to come look at the bank statements and other records they originally said that this was 'obvious' and that it would be 'no problem' to get it fixed.

Today rolls around and now the police are saying that they can't do anything about it. And since the police can't do anything about it the bank is saying they can't give my grandpa the money back. As of now my grandpa doesn't have a lawyer because he was told by the police to not worry about it, they'd get it taken care of. Obviously he needs a lawyer, everyone's told him to get one, and that's being worked on. My questions:

* Are there any reasons the police legitimately couldn't do anything about this? This seems so blatant, is it just because my grandpa had agreed to let the 'friend' help with paying bills for him or some other legal loophole?

* If this is something that can be fixed and the local police aren't being helpful, who should we try to contact? Would the GBI care about this or is it just something we should let the lawyer handle?

* Is there anything I should know about that could speed up the process of getting this taken care of?

I live out of state so all of my information about this is secondhand. If there's something important I've left out that might influence the situation please ask and I'll answer it if I can, I'm just distraught someone would do this to my grandpa right after my grandma died and the police are saying they can't do anything about it.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Unfortunately, it sounds as though this is a civil issue, not a criminal one.

The individual was GIVEN access to the bank account, and then abused that access in a way that they weren't permitted to do. Typically, the police aren't allowed to look into this kind of issue, as they aren't equipped to even begin to sort the matter out. Its really a contract dispute.

What you absolutely can do, is sue the pants off of this individual. Gather up all of the statements, and figure out exactly which transactions were done by the individual, and which transactions of those are done improperly.

Using that info, get a lawyer and get your money back.


Title: If my band decided to call a song "Street Fighter" and release it on streaming services. Would that be copyright infringement?

Question: [Norway] Any thoughts? Street Fighter is a registered trademark to Capcom. Would this be something we would have to take into consideration when naming the song?

Answer:
 It would never be copyright infringement since you can't copyright titles. It might be trademark infringement depending on how likely someone is to confuse your song with Capcom's IP.

If the song isn't about the game and you don't market the song in a way where people might think it's somehow connected to Capcom then you're probably fine.


Title: Getting a cheating girlfriend to move out

Question:
So as the title states, I just found out that my girlfriend of 4 years was cheating. Everything feels numb.

We were living together, but she is not on a lease of any kind. Since we've both lived at my residence for a year I am assuming I need to treat this like a tenant situation, is that correct?

Am I allowed to say something along the lines of " you need move out as soon as possible." And if she does leave on her own will, can I then change the locks and all of that stuff? Or does it need to be a 30 day written notice from the start? I live in The U.S, Illinois.

As for her belongings I was going to just box her up and keep them ready for when she can take them out of here.

This sucks. Happy Christmas Eve

Answer:
 Don't change the locks. That is illegal without a court order.

Giver her proper written notice to vacate. If she doesn't leave then you file for eviction in courtAnswer #2: > Am I allowed to say something along the lines of " you need move out as soon as possible." And if she does leave on her own will, can I then change the locks and all of that stuff? Or does it need to be a 30 day written notice from the start? I live in The U.S, Illinois.

Yes you can ask her to leave.  You can even tell her to leave, but you can not physically force her to leave or lock her out before she has vacated.

Yes, if she moves out and vacates the place of her own free will then you can change the locks and all that stuff.

You do not have to provide notice if she vacates of her own free will.  You only have to do the legal stuff if she refuses to vacate.  And if she refuses to move out then you still have to take her to court for eviction and follow other legal procedures to evict her, just giving her the notice only does not give you the right to do a self eviction after the 30 days is up.


Title: I submitted a character reference for my brother-in-laws immigration review and it may not be factual. What do I do?

Question:
Thanks for taking the time to read this, my wife and I are in an uncomfortable situation.  Back in April we were asked by my wife's sister and her husband to submit a character reference to help with his attempt to be come a legal US citizen.  He is from mexico and is currently here on a work visa and has been here for a long time.  They got married about a year prior but have been together for about 5 years and have a kid together.

Of course we were happy to write a character reference as he is a stand up dude, hard working, and a good father.  We were both at their wedding and talked about how in love they seemed in the letters we wrote.  The majority of both of our letters harped on their relationship and how he was a good father.

Fast forward to last month.  We find out my wife's sister has been meeting up with an old boyfriend "platonically".  Sure enough, this isnt the truth and they have been sleeping together.  Besides the complication of her cheating on her husband with a known meth head (which means she is possibly using), she is intent on pretending the marriage is fine to keep up with the naturalization process.  My brother in law is obviously distraught and scared about what is going to happen and what will happen if he is deported for some reason.

My question is two fold, what is my responsibility with the letters my wife and I wrote?  We would be happy to write a second set about his character but not about their marriage given our new knowledge.  The original letters have already been given to their lawyer to use in his case.

This brings me to my next question. At the moment their lawyer has no idea about the marital issues and is proceeding as if everything is fine.  In my opinion, this is a terrible idea but what are the possible ramifications to their actions and how could it effect me and my wife?  Should we contact their lawyer directly?

Happy to clarify any questions yall have.

Location is GA.

Answer: Stay out of it. At the time you wrote the letters, what you stated was all true to the best of your knowledge. That's all you need to worry about. Answer #2: You stated the facts as you knew them at the time. You can hardly be blamed for that. Now, stop stating the facts as you know them, simple eject out of it. If they want to use the letters, that's fine, but if they want something more, stay out of it.Answer #3: You stated the facts as you knew them at the time. You can hardly be blamed for that. Now, stop stating the facts as you know them, simple eject out of it. If they want to use the letters, that's fine, but if they want something more, stay out of it.


Title: I think my SIL and BIL are getting bad advice from their lawyer. (TX)

Question:
So my SIL and BIL decided to grow their family a few years ago through fostering/adoption. They quickly got an adorable 2yo girl that was in the foster care system as her mom and dad were in jail for drugs and abusing the children. The mom ended up only being charge for the drugs and only got a 9 month sentence. The "father" was sentenced for both phisical and sexual abuse of the 2yo and her 4yo sister and is away for a long time. (The sister is not in the system because she has a different father and the paternal grandparents wanted her but not her 2yo sister) So my SIL and BIL have this little girl for almost a year and they were about to be able to adopt her when the mom got out of jail.

Now that the mom was out she was given a CPS lawyer and she started the process to try and get the 2yo back. (Apparently she wasn't interested in the 4yo). This started a nearly 2 year long custody battle that my SIL and BIL had to go through. The bio mom was doing very little to try and keep clean and find a job. She also missed a majority of her schedule supervised visits but was somehow still progressing through and was being deemed 'acceptable' to live with.

So my SIL and BIL hired this bad ass lawyer who really went above and beyond, really a kick ass lawyer. It was hard fought but my BIL and SIL were eventually awarded primary custody with the bio mom getting a few hours on Thursday and an occasional holiday weekend. Now this agreement has been in place for over a year now and the bio mom still a hot mess and is still suspected of being on drugs. The lawyer has recommended that my SIL and BIL start restricting the bio mom's access to the child. He even recommend possibly fabricating some stuff to try and get full custody. I'm worried this is going to bite my SIL and BIL in the ass and they might loose custody. I mean can that even happen? I know going against a traditional custody agreement can have very serious consequences. I don't think the lawyer is trying to be negligent, I think they have gotten very invested over the years and really wants to see this girl in a safe and happy environment. What should I do? My concerns seem to be falling on deaf ears right now.

Answer:
 If their lawyer has suggested that they fabricate evidence and present it to the court, then one of two things has happened.

(1) Your relatives misunderstood the lawyer who never really meant that.

(2) The lawyer is a dangerous scumbag who should lose his license to practice law.

I'm guessing that (1) is more likely. If it is actually (2), then in theory the best course of action is to immediately get a new lawyer and ask them how to proceed.

I would try telling the lawyer you may have misunderstood and asking him to clarify (perhaps in writing). Then if still in doubt, get a consultation with another lawyer and see what they say.

Safely dealing with crooked but effective lawyers is well beyond the scope of what a free internet forum like this can advise you on.


Title: What is the next legal step if an apartment parking dispute escalates [MS]?

Question:
Two days ago, I moved into an apartment complex in Mississippi that has 8 units and 7 actual "parking spaces". It's a stupid cheap complex with no identifying sign nor onsite management. Two quadplexes would be a more appropriate description of the property.

The remainder of the parking lot is large, so residents often park in the back or along the side of the lot. However, if you don't park in a space, your car has a much more likely chance of being hit by another car. There is no assigned parking in the complex.

Yesterday, I noticed a car parked directly behind me, but there was enough space for me to maneuver around. Whatever, I gotta get to work.

Today, the same car was parked behind me, much closer this time. A neighbor told me whose unit the car belonged to, so I knock on the door, and after 5 minutes some half naked, glassy eyed Bubba appears. It's 7:50 AM so whatever.

I tell him he needs to move his car so I can get out. He drags his feet a good 5-10 minutes before reappearing to move his car. Before he does, he asserts that the space is his space. I tell him that there is no assigned parking and if he blocks me in again, I'll have his car towed. He doesn't take this news very well. Stupid arguments ensue.

By now I'm late for work and ticked off. Whatever, I want to make it clear that I'm not going to stand for this behavior, if I happen to take the last available "parking space" in the complex.

I have the following legal questions:

1) Is it legal for me to have his car towed if he is blocking me in?

2) If he continues to block me in, would that constitute some form of harassment?

3) What legal measures are available to me to protect myself if this argument continues to escalate?

4) If I park in that spot, and my car is vandalized, am I shit out of luck?

EDIT: checking the lease tonight, but assuming its a typical parking liability waiver + no assigned parking, I'm still unsure about the questions above.

Answer: Not sure I can help you with this as I'm still searching for my magnifying glass. I'll just leave this [right here](http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/1mdsr8/opened_liquor_bottles_in_trunk_fl/cc8c3ho).


Title: Pedestrian hit by car in no fault state

Question:
So, I was hit by a car. I was in the cross walk, I had the right of way, they were totally at fault, they got a ticket, etc. etc. There's no disputing that part of it.

I went to the hospital, got some xrays and pain meds and was released. I was hit in my thigh area and when I hit the ground I hurt my hand.

It hurt like crazy, I limped around with a cane for a 2 months, saw an orthopedic doctor and eventually was fine.

My question is this: All of this happened in DC, a no fault state/district. Normally with car accidents in no fault places, everyone is responsible for their own thing. Does this apply to cars who hit pedestrians? I am not a vehicle and could not claim my bills on my own car insurance.

I did use my personal medical insurance and they paid most of it, but I'm wondering if my settlement should also include lost wages and compensatory damages. (Or if my settlement even *can* include those in a no-fault state).

*Edited for typo

Answer: I was under the impression that no fault covered cars and didn't apply to car vs person. As for the other stuff, you may want to talk to an attorney. Be careful, some have aggressive billing practices so you may not see any of your settlement.


Title: [Michigan] How should I handle an MIP?

Question: Last night me and a friend were given MIPs. When the officer asked if I had anything to drink I foolishly told him I had a couple of beers. I denied a PBT, and was driven home by the officer. Should I contact a lawyer and how fucked am I?

Answer:
 This advice is wrong. An MIP is a misdemeanor in Michigan, not a civil infraction. If you're in a college town, they have local ordinances that will make the offense a non-public record after completing a specified amount of probation and an alcohol education course.

I repeat, an MIP is a misdemeanor. Not a civil infraction. Get an attorney and keep this off your record.


Title: My GFs dad is a fugitive living under a fake identity. What do I need to do to protect my family?

Question:
This is a throwaway account cause I don't won't this tired to my normal account...

This is in the United States in the state of North Carolina

Anyways, due to circumstances and against my wishes, my girlfriend (Sarah) and kid had to move in with her step-mom (Samatha) and her dad (Jeff)...but her dad is an on the run fugitive with a fake identity. He had escaped from a half way house and disappeared for a couple years to return again to Samatha, who took him in again. She knows he's a fugitive and knows he's living under a fake name.

Anyways, I probably wouldn't care as much but now my kid is living under the same roof as this guy and I feel that at any time police are going to come asking for Jeff. Every body knows what he's doing but no one seems to think there's anything wrong. Could anything bad happen, legally, to me, my girl, or my son if the police do come?

Is there anyway I can report him anonymously? I kinda want this guy gone cause he's an unsavory character and has caused lots of pain to Sarah... I don't know where his warrants are or how much time he had left...would that stuff be on PACER?

Answer:
 > Could anything bad happen, legally, to me, my girl, or my son if the police do come?

Anyone helping him to hide, which could include your girlfriend, her mother, and you, could be on the hook for aiding a fugitive.

Additionally, being around a fugitive runs the risk of being involved in a warrant execution for his arrest, which can be unpleasant at best.Answer #2: You can call the police.  If he's on the run the warrants won't ever go away.


Title: Movers want to charge us for their billing mistake months after the move [Massachusetts, Michigan, Kentucky]

Question:
I booked with [removed] moving company based in Kentucky for my Massachusetts to Michigan move. We received binding estimates up front and paid the amount charged when the move was complete. Everything seemed great.

My employer offered to reimburse moving expenses, but wanted all receipts at one time. So we waited a month to ensure that nothing else would come up, submitted the receipts, and were reimbursed for the move.

Now, 2.5 months after the move, the moving company is telling us that they forgot to charge us for the shuttle service (a smaller van to pick up from my apartment since the large van could not legally park in my neighborhood), and they want to charge us $500+ now. I had asked for this shuttle service, knowing the accompanying fee beforehand, but had assumed it was included in the total that I had paid upon delivery.

Apparently the employee who made the clerical error left the company, and me and another customer are now being charged for her mistake. And since they waited so long, I can't be reimbursed for this charge by my employer.

I'm wondering: Should I be expected to make this payment? Is this something insurance (theirs? my renters insurance? my credit card policy insurance?) can cover? Is this a situation for the BBB? I don't have the money or time to sue, but I'm eager to hear any advice you may have. Thank you!

**Update with more information: The shuttle service was listed as a possibility in our binding estimate with a price. The estimate was a "not to exceed" estimate that over-estimated the weight of our shipment, so we were not surprised when the (unitemized) receipt came back less than estimated. We were not told the actual weight of our shipment. Our credit card information was given prior to arrival and billed upon arrival. We were sent an unitemized receipt at that time.

Thank you for your advice! Based on the discussion, I think my next step will be to ask for the actual weight of my shipment. Without knowing that, there is no way to know if I was charged for the shuttle service.
Topic:
Contracts

Answer: You were billed and paid for a service that you received. The deal is done. They can't add charges onto the other end months later. Tell them the billing error was their fault and you can't be expected to pay for it.


Title: [KY/CA]Brother is being a pain in the ass and records me on our VOIP without my consent, as KY is a 1 party state, is there anything I can do to make it stop? Can I legally record him?

Question: Pretty much that. Him and I will get into arguments so he will then take snipits of shit he may have recorded, take them out of context and proceed to threaten to "air my dirty laundry" to important people in my life. Aside from the obvious "stop talking" is there anything that can be done? The VOIP is not used for business/confidentiality just for playing games and chatting

Answer: Since one of you is in California which is a two party state. He can't record you since the state with the high consent laws takes precedence. You can't legally record him however.


Title: [CA] Prank Went Wrong and I Punched Someone

Question:
At 4 in the morning, when going to the toilet, my 2 drunk flatmates decided it would be funny to hide (we have this perfectly places hole sort of thing, hard to describe) and leap out at my. I reacted fairly instinctively and may have broken her jaw slightly. Is the fact that I was acting on instinct and not malice a defence here? The victim doesn't want to involve the police and blames herself, but paramedics had to be called so a report was filed and she may not have a say in this.

I can't afford a lawyer so would have to wait to be charged to get a PD, until then I'm guessing it's be silent. What sort of trouble could I be in here?

Answer: Someone deliberately surprised you at 4 in the morning and you reacted appropriately. I don't think that the police will go after you. But in the off chance that they do, don't speak to them without your attorney present.


Title: ADA and 504 in Court

Question: Why hasn’t the ADA and 504 been implemented more so in the courts? If I ask for accommodations through a public school, it’s no big deal. If I ask for similar accommodations in a court proceeding (at least in Florida,) it’s a seemingly Herculean task.

Answer: What specifically are you asking to be accommodated?


Title: Being fired for CBD use/failed drug test

Question: I was referred here by another subreddit page. I am in Tennessee. I work for my city's parks and recreation department. For the past month I had been trying a few different brands of CBD oil to help with tremors and anxiety. In my research and after asking multiple people I was told the amount I was taking would not cause any issue with a drug test. But even if it did, CBD is legal in my state. I bought it in a local store. It is a large, reputable brand with great reviews online. My drug test was no surprise. I was up for a promotion so I knew the drug screen was coming, but because of the above mentioned reasons I was not the least bit concerned. My boss even knew I was taking the CBD, and she takes it as well. I was even told I had received the new position/promotion and as given a start date and everything. But then today I was informed I actually failed my drug test. The screen says I tested positive for 50 ml of marijuana. Because they have a zero tolerance drug policy I am being fired. My only option was to submit a request for a retest at a different lab, which I am doing. But unless that comes back differently than the first results I am fired or I can resign. I have been in this position for 3 years. I took a 100% legal substance that I bought over-the-counter from a store. I realize all they have to go on is a failed test, but shouldn't the source of the THC matter? How can I be fired when I didn't do anything illegal?

Answer: Yes, you can be fired for failing a drug test (or for almost any other reason). It does not matter why you failed.


Title: Can I leave my parents as a minor?

Question:
[USA/ND]

Right now I live with my 0 income, constantly yelling parents. I'm 16, and I'm a junior in high school. I want to know if there's a way I can legally leave them without having to come back to them. We currently are homeless and are somehow living in a hotel.

Being around them like this for the majority of the day is taking a toll on my mental health. I've hurt myself in an attempt to not come back, but that clearly hasn't worked. I'm in what I think is a depression, but I don't know because they won't let me see a doctor, but we couldn't afford it anyway. Please let me know.

**Edit: I guess when I go to school tomorrow, I will talk to someone about getting some help to get out of my situation. All I have right now are clothes and my phone, so I won't have a lot to take if I go anywhere. I appreciate the help.**
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 If you feel unsafe around your parents call CPS. If you don't know the number for CPS call the police.

Go to a counselor at school or a teacher and tell them.

You have options. Don't give up on yourself.Answer #2: I guess when I go to school tomorrow, I will talk to someone about getting some help to get out of my situation. All I have right now are clothes and my phone, so I won't have a lot to take if I go anywhere. I appreciate the help. Answer #3: You can find contact information for your county Social Services office [here](https://www.nd.gov/dhs/locations/countysocialserv/). Contact them, explain your position, and ask them for help. You can also ask a teacher or guidance counselor for help contacting a social worker. Tell them that you're depressed, that your family is a mess, and that you've been self-harming. They can get you help, including alternate living arrangements.


Title: Can my old landlord bill me for "maintenance" after my lease is over and the inspection has been done?

Question:
Location: Waco, TX

The lease ended on 7/31/15 and before that date, my roommates and I coordinated a formal walk through with a representative from management. They said that everything was "normal wear and tear" (their words) except for the living room carpet, which they claimed needed replacement. Fine, whatever, we split it between us and they emailed us each a formal move-out bill.

This morning (two weeks after lease ended), we each received a "revised" bill which now includes carpet replacement in each of our bedrooms. Barring the contradiction between "normal wear and tear" and "suddenly needs replacement", do they even have a legal basis for sending us this bill after our lease has ended and a formal move-out bill was already sent?

Thanks for any advice, and URLs I can reference. They will not accept calls, only written exchange.

**Edit: thanks for all the help! They dropped the excess charges.**
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Huh, this is interesting because I also live and work in Waco. Anyways, Chapter 92 of the Texas Property Code covers residential landlord-tenant relationships and laws. You can start there if you want to do your own research. In short, landlords have up to 30 days after the lease ends and they receive written notification of a forwarding address to provide you with a return of your security deposit, or to send you an itemized list of deductions from your deposit. Landlords have no right to deduct for normal wear and tear in a rented apartment/house/etc. Within the itemized list of deductions the landlord should have included a description of why the carpet needed replacement beyond normal wear and tear. There is a whole litany of case law on what constitutes "normal wear and tear" and what does not. Often the best course of action is to send a letter in response to what they told you. Feel free to PM me for more info or to talk.

BTW, I am not your lawyer nor do I represent you. This is my personal opinion and should not be taken as legal advice. If you want legal advice, hire a lawyer.

TL;DR: Don't let a landlord streamroll you, you have rights and can fight back.


Title: My Math teacher is extorting me (and my class)

Question: My math teacher is selling out homework passes to students for $1 per assignment you want excused. He assigns on average 2 front and back sheets for homework every day. Multiple students bought the homework pass from him directly during the class period. Is that allowed?

Answer:
 Extortion : the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats.

What you're describing is not extortion. He's not forcing you to pay anything, it's an option to not have to do work. Just do your work and you don't have to pay anything.

Now is the practice illegal in some other way? Certainly possible. Answer #2: It's for a pizza party,  relax.


Title: Landlord won't protect our backyard parking

Question:
I am currently renting a single-family house in Iowa with several roommates.  It is owned by a local university, who contracts the management out.  This house faces a street and has parking in the rear, on gravel.  The university owns all the houses on the block, and has poured a ton of gravel into the whole interior of the lot, with no separation between houses.  The lease only states that we have to park in compliance with local ordinances.

However, a vehicle shows up one day, parked behind our house.  It's left there for a few days, and we ask our landlord about it.  We learn that it belongs to a neighbor, who is also renting from the university.  Our property manager says they'll remind the tenant not to park behind our house.

A few days go by, vehicle doesn't move.  So I leave a polite note asking them to move it.  The owner then shows up and *explodes* at me - very aggressive, huge douche, "how dare I touch their vehicle".

A long, angry email later shows up, asking the landlord why I would dare to leave a note on someone's car.  I think that's pretty normal thing to do, especially if it's parked on land that I'm pretty sure I have some say over, as it's a part of the property that I'm renting, right?

Several emails back and forth with the property management, where I cite the local ordinances saying that, specifically, lessees of a property decide who is parking legally and illegally on non-owner-occuped residential property.  The property manager says that the university owns the property and that the "parking lot" is designated for all their tenants' use.

My lease only says that parking has to be done legally, as far as local ordinances go.  The property I'm renting (property-line wise) contains the area where we usually park our cars.  If I'm renting a house from someone, is the backyard included? Can a landlord impose rules that aren't on the lease? Should I just contact our local parking law department and ask them to sort it out? I can't help but feel like I'm missing something.

Answer: We're gonna need an MS paint drawing here


Title: Possible HIPPA violation by coworker but leaving company in a week. What to do?

Question:
This is a throwaway account for obvious reasons.

I am currently working at a large laboratory in the Southwest but I am preparing to leave the company for a new one on the East coast.

While working at this company I became enemies with the ringleader (whom I will call B) of the histology lab gossip mill - I believe it was a result of jealousy on her part because I am extremely efficient in my work and received many accolades to that affect. About a month after my start date with this company I dealt with harassment from her and her clique. A work friend took it to my manager and my manager came to me to discuss it. In turn, because B and her clique had been previously accused of bullying another member of the department almost a year before I started (ie which resulted in numerous mediation meetings to resolve partially), my manager took my complaint seriously, investigated, and then we all had a sit down meeting.

The meeting went well and I felt like my concerns with the group were listened to and following that my interactions with the clique got better.

A few weeks ago a damaging rumor about myself made the rounds through the lab. I ignored it at the time because I knew it to be untrue. However, after putting up with sly remarks from my colleagues about this rumor and ruminating on the situation for some time, I made the mistake of stirring the pot and taped a sign (in secret but they know who did it) essentially defending myself. The rumor involved me and B.

Now, in the final week of my employment and because this B has a clique of individuals to defend her (she spreads gossip but never does the actual dirty work of physically or verbally harassing me), a subset of my colleagues have decided to reveal openly their disdain for me and perform small acts of maliciousness.

Since I am on the way out, I am ignoring their behavior because I don't want to further cause disruption and risk burning a bridge on my way out. (And I realize that having responded to the rumor in the way I did was in poor taste, but I can't take it back now).

I am trying to use up my insurance benefits before I leave, which means I have had multiple doctor visits and specimens sent out for lab work. It so happens that all the doctors I have visited send their specimens to the company I currently work for.

This past Friday I was late for work as a result of having blood drawn. A member of the clique (I will call her S) asked why I was wearing medical tape on my arm and I, unthinkingly, told her about the blood coming to be tested. Following my short conversation with them, S and B disappeared into another part of the lab toward the Heme department.

S has recently become engaged to her long time boyfriend who works in blood/urology analysis section at our lab. I am concerned that B may have persuaded S's fiance or one of his friends to access my test results and/or medical record. Or, that after I leave the company they will access my records. The behaviors in the past lead me to believe B is more than capable of doing such a thing.

I don't want to cause further disruption at work but I think I should talk to a HIPPA person to investigate whether my record has been looked at or that it should be monitored in case it is looked at after I leave.

Unfortuantely I don't believe that section of the lab has security cameras so if they have already looked at my medical files through a peers account (ie S's finace or fiance's friend), I don't think I can prove it since they'll need to enter my account to input data.

What should I do?

**** TLDR**** Coworker may or may not have viewed my medical records at my current company violating HIPPA and my privacy. I have a week left with the company and trying to leave on a good note. How do I bring up my concerns with a HR or HIPPA officer?

Phoenix, Arizona

Answer:
 To correct a couple other posters - "snooping" is explicitly forbidden within HIPAA.  Even though employees have access, they are only allowed to use that access to perform their job.  Any other use is a violation.

If I suspected any of my coworkers of this type of behavior, I would contact a HR/Privacy/Compliance officer.  You may not have proof, but a valid suspicion is enough to at least bring it to the attention of someone.Answer #2: If you plan on filing a complaint somewhere, you better figure out what's relevant from this wall of text.


Title: IA - City may plant trees in public right of way in front of my house. How does this work legally?

Question:
I received a letter indicating that the city I live in is going to have volunteers plant trees in the space between the sidewalk and curb.

I am curious how this works legally. Can the city be held responsible for trimming if it goes low over the sidewalk, or taking care of expenses like a major branch falling in a storm and having to have someone cut it up and haul it off? What happens when it does and needs to be removed?

They indicated in the letter that I should water it for at least two to four years. Doors that make me responsible for it surviving in general? What if it doesn't?

I do plan to ask these questions of the city but I'm curious about the legal standpoint of it all.

For the record, I have no problem with trees, I'll just curious. Being responsible for trees in the public right of way is more concerning because branches dipping low or falling affect sidewalks and roadways and I'll curious about my liabilities and interests involved.

Answer:
 Just to flip this on the head, a good mature tree on your property can raise your property values by several thousand dollars. So you've got that going for you, which is nice. Answer #2: > They indicated in the letter that I should water it for at least two to four years.

Does this mean that by four years the tree can be expected to survive only on rainfall?  Or does that mean the city will take over regular waterings?  Sorry if this is a stupid question, I'm from AZ and trees just growing wild and thriving on their own is something I've still not quite wrapped my brain around :D


Title: Committed armed robbery at 15 a month before turning 16, can I be tried as an adult if the trial takes until I'm 18?

Question: Charged with masked with intent (of committing crime), pointing a firearm, and armed robbery, served few days at jail let out on bail, on house arrest, 16 now. Living in Canada, Ontario. Can I be tried as an adult when I turn 18 if the trial hasn't happened yet, or will it stay in juvenile court. If not does that mean I'm facing a possible 5+ years?

Answer:
 Ok, people are answering the question wrong. they are not reading it right.

To answer your question.

If you committed a crime at 15 and the trial does not start till you are 18 then no the trial does not get transferred to adult court because of the age at which you are tried.

Now for how people are answering this.

Being under 18 does not mean automatically that you get tried as a youth. Depending on the crime, the prosecution and the circumstances there is prerogative for the prosecution to petition to the court to have you tried as an adult based on the crime even if under age so yes you could be charged as an adult.

This is not what people are making clear to you. To give a TL:DR to your question. No you can not be tried as an adult if you turn 18 during the trial but before the trial starts if they determine that your crime was serious enough they can charge you as an adult based on the crime.

So what you have here is that it is up to your lawyer to argue against adult charges if they try to press them for the seriousness of the crime. If they keep the charges as youth you don't have to worry about turning 18 during or before the trial, but if you are convicted and you are given sentence then you would serve that sentence at age appropriate adult jail.


Title: I didn't do it is a common defense in the legal system, but what if there is a chance that you really didn't do it?

Question: Suspected criminal activity in Polk County, Iowa caused the Des Moines, Iowa police department to seek and receive a search warrant and go to the place to search the suspected house, which satisfied them enough to decide to have the owner of the house arrested for possible drug manufacturing. During this search they also found a drivers license inside the house with my name on if, and so I was arrested as co-defendant.  I did not live at the house, and only occasionally visited the people who lived there, but I did have a missing drivers license and so, was willing to wait for "my day in court."  While in jail waiting for trial date to arrive, my dad became severely ill and so I requested and received opportunity to plead guilty to a felony charge of possession of precursor and so was released before the date of my dads heart surgery so I could be there (by the way, he died that day).  5 years later i still wondered of the whole thing and so went to the polk county district court house and requested a copy of the entire record.  Upon examining this record i discovered that the original arrest documents had my social security number, birthdate, address, and physical description incorrectly recorded, which again brought up suspicions of identity theft and the question of whether they had actually found my lost license at all or if someone else had gotten one with my name on it.  And so, i have wanted to request the opportunity to see this license.  The questions begin there with, how long are they required to keep the physical evidence that had originally been why i was arrested.  How long do i have to request someone to look into identity theft issues, and who would i want to talk to about such suspicions?  Since i voluntarily pled guilty, is there anything i could do now since discovering the possibilities of it not being me at all they were thinking of, only my name, since i didn't live there and barely knew the people who did. Is it all just too late to question?  who do i approach to ask such questions?

Answer:
 I have absolutely 0 idea why you plead guilty. Your public defender could've allowed you to visit the hospital on a special type of bail given to bereavement cases.

You boned yourself by pleading guilty. There is little to nothing that can be done about this. You did not do it under duress, the matter is closed, and you cannot appeal it. The time to fight those inconsistencies was when the matter was to be presented before the court dude.


Title: My parents bought a rental property and "can't rent to other people". They want me to rent from them...

Question:
My parents bought a condo for rental income in Ontario, Canada. They want me to rent from them after I graduate. I told them that I won't be renting from them since the apartment is shit and I never had any say.

They say that they will have to pay $25000 in HST to the Canada Revenue Agency if they rent to someone else within the first year since it is a new home for rental purposes. I'm thinking that what they are saying is bullshit and they just want to guilt me into renting from them (under the table of course) since they are too lazy to find someone else. Is what they are saying true? Obviously, they can't force me to rent from them but I was wondering if they were telling the truth.

Answer:
 Why is it "under the table, of course"?  They likely got a tax incentive to purchase the home and live in it.  You're not obligated to live there and if you don't want to move in, don't.  They shouldn't be committing tax fraud and you shouldn't participate.Answer #2: Sounds like they should be letting you stay for free. Answer #3: This may be related to restrictions under the [New Residential Rental Property Rebate](http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/gp/rc4231/README.html).

If you're expecting they want rent under the table, it may instead be the case that they are intending to claim the [GST/HST New Housing Rebate](http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/gp/rc4028/README.html) which I believe they would (fraudulently) qualify for by claiming that the property was purchased for you, their blood relation, as your primary residence. It is also often the case that with new construction the builder discounts the purchase price by the amount of this rebate, and the buyers must fill out a bunch of CRA paperwork to allow the builder to claim the rebate.

You can google "HST rebate residential property" for more info.


Title: Urgent - is this ethical - job offer problems?

Question:
Hello there, first time posting here and I need some urgent legal advice.

Essentially I have two job offers. One starting in July this year, and the other one starting in Feb 2019. Is it ethical to accept both (specifically the July offer), and to then contemplate over the next 6 months whether I want to start the other job in Feb and quit (and hand in notice before then), or alternatively if I like the july offer, to decline the Feb job and provide notice?

Main question really is whether it is ethical, or legally troubling to sign two contracts at the same time without disclosing to either company what I have done (as obviously they would fire me or relinquish the offers).

Edit: I am from New Zealand!

Cheers!

Answer: This isn't ethical advice it's legal advice.  If you sign contracts to work with multiple companies and are unable to fulfill one or more of those contracts then the terms for breach come into effect.  Make sure you understand the consequences of doing so and read those contracts carefully...


Title: School Principal and Monitoring of social media

Question:
So this is my first time posting and I couldn't really think of better place. Basically, what does the law state about school administrators punishing students through disciplinary action for social media posts that are NOT concerning harm, cyber bullying, or any of the sort. It could be summed up as students getting iss or out or out of school suspension for liking or retweeting tweets about parties, along with one in particular being threatened with expulsion for posting a picture of a birthday party at a public restaurant (posing with a cake of breasts) on social media. I am genuinely curious if school officials have enough power to do certain actions. I am currently in high school and have not been confronted for said actions.
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 Not a lawyer, but a former teacher.  Schools have very broad power to police your speech and actions outside of school grounds.  I can't really speak to the specific instances you're asking about, but I've seen students punished for similar things.

My advice would be to keep your nose clean on social media while you're in high school.  You'll be glad you did when you're out of college and applying for jobs, anyway.  Everything you put out there now has the potential to come back and haunt you as an adult when you want employers to see you as responsible.Answer #2: Basically, schools have much wider latitude when it comes to disciplining speech than any other arm of the government (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_v._Frederick). So long as they can credibly claim that the actions are done with an eye towards safety or curbing educational distractions, they can do a whole lot. It's not unlimited, but finding someone to fight for these things would be difficult.

That said, these sound like censorious assholes who get off on flexing their muscles on their charges.


Title: Is it illegal to watch torrented movies if I watch them only because my college demands me to do it? Would that fall into fair use (teaching/scholarship)?

Question:
For some classes I have to watch many movies (more than 20) and I don't have the money nor the means (many aren't on Netflix in my country, Argentina, btw) to watch them unless it's online or torrented. I don't care about some of those movies, and I wouldn't watch them if it weren't because they ask me to do it. How "wrong" is it to download them or watch them online?

Also, sorry if this isn't the place to ask, but I thought it'd be the place with the best answer.

Thanks for any help you could give me!
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer: It is equally illegal as if you were doing it for fun. Answer #2: Not fair use. Just as illegal as if I were download a movie to watch once for entertainment.


Title: Sister was detained for shoplifting when she didn't steal anything.

Question:
My sister was checking out at Walmart when two big individuals stepped up behind her cart and stood there quietly. As she paid for everything and grabbed her receipt, a gentleman walks out of some doors and stands there by the exit. The two behind her followed within a few feet, then as she got to the man at the door he stops her and asks for her receipt.

She shows them the receipt then the man accuses her of being a theif. He starts making a scene calling her white trash among other names and being very loud and rude. He takes her coat and car keys then prevents her from leaving. She requests her belongings back and the man refuses. She goes to call our mother and he tries to stop her, reaching for her cell phone. She pulls away and successfully called our mother.

At this point after reviewing the receipt and nothing being stolen it has become illegal to detain her any further to my knowledge.

The Walmart employees made her wait until the police showed up keeping her keys.

The police cleared her and had very specific words with the Walmart employees. The police officers told my sister that the employee taking her keys is considered kidnapping and that she has legal rights to pursue this further if she would like.

This is all hear-say of course, I wasn't there.

Is this worth pursuing for her?

She had to pay a baby sitter for longer hours, the embarrassment of all the other people now associating her as a theif in a store she frequents, and the man also said she is, "banned from all walmarts in the universe."

Any advice is better than none.

Thank you for your time.

Answer:
 If that's how it really went down, then yeah, the Walmart employees could be subject to criminal prosecution if your sister wishes to cooperate.

You seem a bit skeptical about her account, though.Answer #2: If this really happened as she said, then yeah it's worth pursing. Get a copy of the police report and find a lawyer. Walmart would probably end up settling instead of letting it go to court. I have a feeling this isn't what happened, though, and Walmart would present video evidence proving her account is false or greatly exaggerated.Answer #3: i mean, what physically happened isnt hear-say when the store has it on security footage.


Title: (Houston) I called the cops, like a dumbass...

Question:
Last week i got depressed about my kid not wanting to come over( theres a custody battle going on) and i went out for a few drinks. i got home and slept on the couch. my fiance woke me up with a few slaps to the face angry that i lied about drinking. we argued, she threw me out but i wanted my stuff and she wouldnt let me back in our apartment so, like a dumbass, i called the non emergency line to get an officer out there. he got there and knocked on  the door but she wouldnt answer. i explained the situation to the cop and told him i wasnt pressing charges and she was just upset. he told me to just sleep in the truck tonight and let her cool down and he gave me a report number.

my question is, is there a report out now that could effect my custody case? we havent heard anything from and other law inforcement.

Edit: I read that if one of us was contacted about this then there's a report but if no one was contacted then we should "let lying dogs sleep"

Edit 2: if I do nothing further with this what will happen?

Is there any way to get rid of this report?

Edit 3: I have trial on Monday, in your opinion, do you think the other parties attorneys will find this in that amount of time?

Answer: There is surely a report done for it. We don't know whether it will affect your custody case.Answer #2: So your fiancé engaged in physical violence against you. Might not be the healthiest environment for children.


Title: Quick question, don't upvote.

Question: [removed]

Answer: Man, you really like beer.Answer #2: Wait until Monday and check with the PO. After he/she gives the clear, go get wasted. Uber is cheaper and more convenient than a taxi, and about a million times cheaper than a dui.Answer #3: So, what are OP's options now that this is on the front page?


Title: Is a dealership that's been sold to a new owner obligated to honor prior service contracts?

Question:
I purchased a car in 2010 from a dealership in the area and, as a special of their sales program, was given free lifetime oil changes for as long as I own the car. As a result, I've continued to come to this dealership for those oil changes even though I've moved out of the area (synthetic oil so the oil changes are more expensive than a standard oil change).

Recently, the company was bought by another owner. There wasn't any notice that they wouldn't honor the contract but, when I went in, they now say that they don't honor the lifetime oil changes anymore because of the sale. I've read in various places that what determines whether they have to honor the contract is whether or not they bought the company or just assets. How do I find out which one it was? How can I determine if they need to honor the agreement or not?

This is in Arizona in the US. I no longer live in AZ but drive here frequently enough to keep on top of the oil changes.

Answer:
 > I've read in various places that what determines whether they have to honor the contract is whether or not they bought the company or just assets

That's correct, more or less.  The fact that they bought the place doesn't automatically mean that they're the same group or that they bought all of their obligations.

You'd need to sue them for failure to fulfill the contract.  They'd offer the sale as a defense, and would provide the sales documents.  You'd have the opportunity to review them then.

That's likely to be way, way way way more expensive than just paying for your own oil changes.


Title: Providing alcohol to minor...? How?

Question:
Met a girl off a dating app who goes to a huge college in Florida. She drinks regularly there at clubs, parties, etc.
She went home for the holidays which happened to be almost exactly the same place I'm from as well.
We were in the same place, basically, for the holidays so one night we met up and drank some wine. Nothing sexual whatsoever happened, whether that is relevant or not. We were literally just chillin' and talking about lots of stuff. Anyway, when she left, I guess she got sick and threw up a couple times. No big deal, it happens.
Perhaps it is worth noting that, her mother and father are from another city in Florida. She had been staying at her grandparents house during this time, and drank freely and very often (nightly) over there. Even before she met up with me that same night.

Fast forward like two weeks later, it's time for her to go to her mother and father's house for the remainder of the holidays. At this point in time we have not hung out since the first time, but we do communicate very regularly daily through text or snapchat.
Apparently her father is extremely strict and they don't get along whatsoever, and was informed of his daughter meeting up with me, drinking, and briefly getting sick afterwards.
He decides to text me today from her phone saying "I suggest you cut off all communication with *insert name here*, we have already contacted our attorney and unfortunately she lied to you about her age and alcohol was provided to a minor, etc etc"
Now, this girl was drinking every night at her grandparents house, even before she met me anyways.
I realize this is probably 95% her father being a father, and I get that. Does he really even have a leg to stand on at this point if her age was lied about and she was drinking anyways at her grandparents?

Answer:
 You should cut off contact with this girl and her family. If the police come to speak with you, decline to speak with them without an attorney. If you are arrested, request an attorney and do not answer any questions.Answer #2: It doesn't matter that she lied about her age.  It doesn't matter that she was drinking anyway.

You provided alcohol to a minor.

You cut off communication, and don't speak to the police unless you have a criminal defense attorney present.


Title: Opened snickers, found snickers + chewing gum.

Question:
Is there a chance of getting anything more than apologies and pack of snickers? (Australia)

http://imgur.com/a/DXUBa#0

Answer: What makes you think this is chewing gum as opposed to a drip of one of the ingredients in the filling?


Title: Help! Someone found my African Grey Parrot and refuses to return it!

Question:
Update: Hired a lawyer and was able to get my bird the next day! Pretty much told the lady that if she doesnt drop off the bird at the police station asap she was getting sued for everythings shes worth. I feel like the police finally started listening to us as well because of our lawyer. Thank god for awesome lawyers. Off to the vet's to get microchipped. Thank you all for the advice!

My mom's bird escaped its cage  (South Florida) and found his way to my neighbors house who then gave it to a bird breeder. This bird breeder has been in constant communication with my mom and refuses to believe my mom is the owner. After a few days of the bird finally calming down enough to say all the things we said it would, and the cops being involved, some angry texts, she agrees to give the bird back. She keeps saying she will then comes up with a reason on why she cant. She'll say she can meet 10 minutes before the time she wants to meet (so its not possible to get to wherever she is in that time). Its been 4 days and my mom is a wreck. Then she says she has no time to show the bird and she cant meet with my mom until Thursday. We hired a private investigator and found out where she lives, the bird isnt with her its with her mom. We find her moms address, call the cops, the cops come but wont give my mom back the bird. This woman is holding our bird hostage, most likely trying to breed it (male bird). We have pictures and our bird breeder confirming its our bird, but its not enough. We are trying to get DNA testing, but our concern is this birds welfare. The bird has a silver ring around its leg with numbers on it but we never wrote the numbers down, and the police want those numbers to release it. What can we do???

Answer:
 Birds are considered property. You can sue her for (a) the return of the bird or (b) the actual value of the bird.Answer #2: Do you have any paperwork related to the initial adoption of the bird?Answer #3: >The bird has a silver ring around its leg with numbers on it but we never wrote the numbers down

Wouldn't your breeder have that info?


Title: Small business employer and a self-harming "employee"

Question:
Hey all, I am a store manager of a small family business in SC. Due to numerous employees leaving recently due to unrelated events, including myself leaving in two weeks, we are desperately searching for employees to fill these gaps. The way we do the hiring process is through an interview, then a 2 week probation period where we evaluate your work ethic, ability to communicate, etc. This is a retail job, btw.

Either way, today was the first day training for one potential employee. This girl in question was late to her interview, but I gave her a pass because, well, shit happens. Regardless, she calls me several hours before she was scheduled to show up asking if she can wear sleeves to work. I had no idea what she meant (thinking she meant tattoo sleeves), but I told her all of that was fine, we have no dress code regarding long sleeve shirts or tattoos, and then she makes it a point to mention that she has cuts all on her arms.

That's fine, we all have a dark past, I let her know that that wouldn't be a problem.

She shows up late to the first day of training as well, and she is very unprofessional. Constantly making childish or silly comments, and interrupting me, while getting a tour of the facility. After the tour I pull her to the side and let her know that this wouldn't work out if she kept that up because it wasn't condusive to learning or to teaching, explained to her the issue, and told her that I would like her to act more professionally and we could try again. She then hits me with the following: "Sorry, I have autism, and depression, and anxiety." And then when I again told her that we could try again, she told me that I would have to find someone else and walked out.

Well she had my phone number for basic correspondence. Maybe that was the mistake here. Either way, she messaged me very shortly after she left saying something along the lines of "Thanks for not giving me a chance and giving me a panic attack. I've lost all my other jobs because of anxiety. I guess I'll go home and kill myself bc I'm worthless"

I didn't reply, I attempt to be very professional with my employees and I knew that no amount of explanation would tell her that I gave her a chance, and it was her decision to walk out. Several hour later I get three text messages. The first says "lmao", the second is a picture of her cutting herself (rather deep, but horizontal not vertical on the arm,) and a third that says "it's cool isn't it???????"

I've since blocked the number, if only temporarily. I'm wonder if there is anything I can do to cover myself or if there's any concerns I should have. I'm not very certain what is or isn't covered on these grounds, and as I am leaving the business and moving states away in the coming weeks I'm not sure what else I should do regarding this situation. Naturally, I feel for the girl. As far as the autism claim goes, it definitely came out of nowhere and was never mentioned before this, but I'm worried if there is some sort of discrimination thing that could hit me bc of that, or because of her mental illness. I stressed when I spoke to her that if she could behave more professionally, we could continue her trial, but it was her decision to leave.

Are there actions that could be taken against me? As an employer, if only for 30 minutes, should I refrain from replying or should I get authorities involved?

Thank you for your time.

Answer:
 A person threatened to kill themselves and then sent you a text of them cutting themselves.

This is not legal advice... this is human advice.

You should call 911 and have the authorities do a wellness check on her.


Title: Non-paying houseguest attended church one time and got told by tenant that its "against the rules" and should leave asap

Question: Apparently checking out a church while living with tenant is "very disrespectful"  and against the house rules. What are my friend's options? Seriously asking for a friend...

Answer:
 Houseguests can be asked to leave at any time. Tenants on the other hand must be given notice.

The 1st amendment does not offer protection here, so they can be told to leave.


Title: Please help!! 27 yrs old, got a girl pregnant. Need advice

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 No it isn't legal. Child support is based on the needs of the child. If it turns out she needs help you'll end up paying.  Even if she doesn't want child support but ends up applying for government assistance they'll come after you - after all why should the taxpayers of NY pay for your kid when you can.

Bigger picture.

There are times in life when you learn if you are the person you aspire to be or are the person you despise. This is one of those moments. Yes you didn't plan to have a kid, but like a car collision, sometimes big changes happen out of the blue. So you can run from it and just write checks resentfully, or you can embrace your future, and be there for the little one who is coming.

I advise you to look in the mirror and stare deep into your own soul. You are going to be a biological father - the question is are you going to be a dad? I'd like to think that you'd rather be a dad than just a sperm donor, and even if you don't want to continue a relationship with the mother, you could be there for this kid.

Or you can run and hide and be resentful. Who do you aspire to be?Answer #2: > this is a legal question: Is this legal?

It's legal, it's just a purely unenforceable contract.  If she changes her mind, a court won't allow the contract to stop an assessment of child support liability.  Regardless of what happens next, (1) stop being so stupid and believing people just because they say they're not able to get pregnant and (2) demand a paternity test before signing anything.


Title: Woman purchased our stolen iPad the day we were robbed. She got alert from the iPad that it was reported stolen and put it in drawer for 8 months. Eventually contacted police and now surveillance footage is gone. Can I go after her for negligence?

Question:
Pennsylvania question.

Just like the title says, my wife and I were robbed and one of the items ($8,500 total losses) taken was my wife's iPad. Woman went to a The Exchange store and guy took her to his car parked in front and sold her the working iPad from his trunk, for cash. He proved to her that it worked, which is how we know it was the day of the robbery. Later that day, she gives it to her son who turns it on and gets the message that my wife put on through her phone indicating that it was stolen and to please contact the police. Woman panics and hides it in a drawer. Fast forward 8 months and she comes across it and decides to contact the police. By now, the security footage from the store is gone due to the three month video retention period passing. I have been to the store. There are cameras everywhere. Definitely would have seen the thief, his car, the exchange, etc.

Is there a negligence case here? If she had reported the incident that day, we could potentially have the guy off the streets and our $8,500 worth of possessions back. If so, can I go after her for the full amount? Any advice would be great.

Thanks for reading.

Answer: You have no case against the women for anything other than the iPad.


Title: [KY] Theft over 500$ but under 10,000$

Question:
Okay so long story short swim was room mates with an individual for a couple ammount of years. He owed swim a lot of money and swim got mad and stole some of his possessions while they were still room mates then swim hit the road. Swim was homeless and sold the possessions to multiple places. Gamestop, pawn shops ect.

2 weeks down the road the victim texted swim and said if you tell me where my things are so I can recover them I won't press charges. Swim felt bad for what he had done and told the victim where his possessions were sold off at. Swim never hears anything back afterwards.

7 months down the road swim was the passenger in a car that was pulled over for speeding, swim presented his information and was arrested on a TBUT over 500$ under 10,000 warrant. Swim did 3 days in jail in the town he was in then another 21 days in the town where the TBUT took place. Swim was never given a pretty trial so he didn't have a lawyer until after his first court appearance 2 weeks after being arrested. At the time of being arrested his bond was set at 2500$

Swim goes to video court where his bond is changed to 2500$ cash or surety.

Swim goes to actual court the next week and still doesn't have a public defender due to not being able to go to pretrial and submit an afidavit. When called by the judge they have swim fill out his afidavit and a lawyer stands in for him temporarily. The lawyer talks to swim for a brief ammount of time and tells swim the court doesn't feel comfortable doing anything with his case yet because they don't know the details, which swim found odd. They set court for the next week.

The following week swims public pretender... I mean defender meets with swim at the jail and talks about what had happened and gets general information. The public defender doesn't even have swims citation and is unaware of the actual situation. The attorney tells swim he will try to get it dropped to a misdemeanor and probation with restitution, or if all else fails get swims bond lowered.

Swim goes to court again 2 days after meeting with his attorney in jail. The attorney says he was unable to get ahold of anyone to talk about his case. He tells swim they're just going to have to wing it but will tell swim any information as soon as he gets it. The attorney comes back to swim and asks him if he could make 500$ cash bond, swim tells him no but would be able to make 10% (250$) the attorney comes back and tells him 250$ was accepted, but they didn't offer anything else and waived his case to a grand jury, and for swim to call him every Friday to see if swim had been indited yet. This is the last swim has heard from his attorney.

Swim makes bond and is told he has court 2 and 1/2 weeks from now. Swim is curious why he has court so soon? Was swim possibly indited that fast? The terms of swims bond was that he have no contact with the victim, make all court appearances, and random drug testing. Swim lives 4 hours away from this jail and court and finds random drug testing odd as well as the court date already?

This is swims first offense besides a reckless driving charge that was dismissed 5 years prior, other than that swim has a completely clean record. Swim is looking to reddit for any possible advice on a few matters...

Why does swim have court so soon? Could swim have been indited that quickly?

The value of possessions was 3300$ before items were recovered, after recovery it is 1160$, are they trying to charge swim with 3300$ or 1160$? Swim only received 400-600$ from pawnshops and gamestop.

More than likel t will they drug test swim when he goes to his next court date in 2 1/2 weeks?
Swim did a total of 22 days incarcerated. The charge is a class D felony, any idea what could happen to swim legally?

What is the best course of action for swim? Swim cannot afford to hire a private attorney.

TLDR: theft by unlawful taking over 500$ under 10,000$ class D felony. First charge besides a reckless driving 5 years prior that was dismissed. What will probably happen to swim?

Answer:
 What is this, Game of Thrones? A SWIM needs a better name, or a SWIM needs to quit talking about a SWIM in third person.

>The following week swims public pretender... I mean defender.

You are ridiculous.

Answer #2: What is going to happen to swim? Hopefully execution for gratuitous use of the term "swim" and thinking everyone else is retarded and believes it.


Title: Questions about gaining sole custody in a multi state situation. Long. Drama. Please advise.

Question:
I read this sub a lot so I see the typical questions on custody, but this isn't something I have seen before.

Me, mom. My ex, the father. My child, ten years old.

I'll try to make this brief but some details may make a difference and yes I will be getting a good local lawyer, but I would like to understand how this can and should play out before I file. I have high functioning and diagnosed aspergers so planning is a source of anxiety, I need to understand how things work because unexpected things make me very anxious. This doesn't affect a whole lot in my life beyond filling out paperwork, making phone calls, and navigating legal and government paperwork. So I need a guide of what to expect.

Okay. My ex and I were together for twelve years. Throughout that time he had problems with drugs and he was off them for a very long time. But three years ago he had a bad relaspe and I could not take it any more. So I packed up me and our child and left for the home of my family.

We were never married, so he could not stop me in any legal way. He is not contesting being the father,even if he did it would just be a delay tactic as our kid looks more like him than me and he knows he is the only possible father.

I moved to state A, and am the custodial parent. He lives in state B.

He cannot come to state A. He has warrants for arrest, dating back to before I met him and would be going away for a long time on some serious charges. I did not know this till I moved back here.

He has not attempted to visit. He only kept in phone contact for about a year, mostly to try to threaten me into coming to him. He stopped calling and since I am fairly sure he never stopped doing drugs, never went to rehab like I asked. I have tried to call but his phone number and address kept changing. So he is basically mia, I have no clue how to get in touch. But there is an open child support order ( a very small amount) that I get notice from time to time if he fails to keep a job and pay. The amount is very small, and I don't really need it so I haven't been using or checking the account. It's through a third party collection and comes on a paycard.

I put the card up and won't be using the money, I'm hoping I can save it all for college for my child. I do have a question here, do I have to spend this money or is saving it okay?

Getting off track. So he can't come here. He has not even attempted to call in nearly two years. I have no way to know how to get in touch as he doesn't use social media and can't keep a job, apartment, or phone number. It makes me sad that he isn't the person I loved anymore. Anyway. I would like to move out of state A and to a different state in the next year so I can get a better job.

I am afraid if he finds out I moved, he will move also, clean up just enough to fool the courts, and seek shared custody.  I have no problem with him seeing our child as long as h is clean, but I would like to know that. He is a good liar and fooled a lot of people including me over the years. But I don't want him to get control and shared custody until I feel he can be trusted. I don't want our child to see his father at his lowest. And I don't want him to go from not even speaking to him to having every other week.

What do I need to do to get sole custody legally? I need to have control over letting them get to know each other again to keep our child safe.

And I know how this sounds so far,but I had a drug crazed angry ex screaming at me saying he would take our son and disappear, that he would kill me and all my family, and he flipped out and sent me angry texts for months when I told him I was not going to homeschool. It got a bit crazy, drugs are bad.

Yes, he screamed and threatened me when I told him our child would be going to public school. Private not being an option because they are all religious and cost a ton, and both my ex and I would never send our child to religious schools. And homeschool not being an option because I have no idea how to teach and need to work, and our child needs to be social with kids. This was just a ploy for control.

I know this got long, sorry. I wish I had something I could diagram for you guys in ms paint.

So how do I go about making sure he won't get custody in any way? I want to make visitation supervised for a while too, but eventually work to shared time equally IF he isn't on drugs and is sane.

I want very bad for them to be able to have a relationship, if i move out of this stae we can start to work on that, but. Drugs ruined the person I loved. I can't let it ruin our child's life too. I see what happens to so many when they have custody orders and have to make the child go to druggie parents for the week. It's heartbreaking.

I have a year, possibly more if I need. All the time in the world really as long as I don't move. But I do need to if I want to have a decent career, the jobs in my field are scarce here. Where do I start and what should be my plan?

Answer:
 >do I have to spend this money or is saving it okay?

Saving is fine. I suggest saving it somewhere else that is more secure (bank account)

>What do I need to do to get sole custody legally?

Hire an attorney. But the outcome is not guaranteed. He is the father and has a right to his child until a judge says different. Judges don't like to remove parents from kids lives.


Title: My friend got fired for something he did on his break from work and I need some info to help him out

Question:
So this is a throwaway and I am typing this from my phone so it's a bit tough.

He and a coworker took their 30 min unpaid break to go to a nearby restaurant outside the work facility. With their meal they decided to order a beer and the manager happened to see them drinking. They were allowed to finish their shift and continue to work for almost a week. Yes what they did was stupid but having a drink won't make them impaired. They work in sales

Then out of nowhere they get released for working under the influence. In the employee handbook it does state there is a 0 tolerance policy for working under the influence but if the manager saw it happen and didn't act on that right then and there and at least sent them home, is there really a case? 0 tolerance should mean that the manager should have at least send them home but who am I to really know? And what is the actual definition of working under the influence if they were deemed ok enough to continue working?

Maybe someone here can quickly tell me I'm an idiot or maybe the manager was wrong because he/she allowed them to return back to work. What can they do to fight this if they have any fight at all

This happened in Connecticut

Answer: Connecticut is an at-will employment state so they have the right to fire your friend for whatever they want or no reason at all. On top of that, your friend had a drink even though it was strictly forbidden by the handbook. They have no case to fight the termination


Title: Fl, Guy got me pregnant on purpose

Question:
Hi there, using an alt account because I feel the need to.

This January I found out I was pregnant. I had a drunken night with a "friend" where no protection was used, even told myself I should get Plan B the next morning, I didn't, so I assumed it was his. The timeline was perfect based on the ultrasound. There was one other guy in the picture that I dated for 2 weeks. I was very adamant about protection with him (condoms) that he provided. The reason we only dated for 2 weeks was because he turned out to be batshit crazy.

Anyway, I told the guy I assumed the father that I was pregnant, and we decided to keep it and raise it as friends. Crazy guy found out I was pregnant and harassed me insisting it was his and that he had used extremely old condoms. I told him it was impossible and if I for a second thought it was his I would have had it aborted. He threatened me and continued to harass me until I blocked him and threatened a restraining order (I do believe he would get physical). In  March he cornered some of my friends at a bar and they were convinced that he had poked holes in the condoms (I don't know if that's even effective) but that whole idea stressed me out incredibly. Going through old messages and using hindsight I realized he made references to getting me pregnant often.

Well my daughter was born last month,  and a paternity test shows the guy I did not use protection with is not the father. Crazy guy is the only other person the father can be. I've looked up similar type situations, it seems to fall under the category of sexual assault, however, I know these are incredibly difficult to prove. I guess my question is what are my options, I want to keep this guy away from us? This whole situation has messed me up emotionally. I had a great pregnancy and have a beautiful daughter, but I feel so incredibly violated and became a single mother overnight. What can be done here, is it best to just not pursue anything like child support or a paternity test? I do not want this guy around me or her, he abuses drugs and his behavior is completely neurotic.

Answer:
 You're kind of all over the map here. Are you asking if anything can be done criminally against the person you believe is the father or if you have to file for child support? Answer #2: How did someone get you pregnant on purpose if they used condoms (albeit "old" ones)?

> it seems to fall under the category of sexual assault

What exactly? If you're referring to "stealthing" laws, existing laws in the United States do not specifically cover stealthing. (For comparison, in UK law, consent to a specific sex act, but not to any sex act without exceptions, is known as conditional consent. In 2017, a Swiss court convicted a French man for rape for removing a condom during sex against the expectations of the woman he was having sex with. A 2014 Supreme Court of Canada ruling upheld a sexual assault conviction of a man who poked holes in his condom.)

> what are my options, I want to keep this guy away from us?

If he files for a paternity test, it comes out positive, and he files for custody, he'll probably be granted some sort of custody.