Title: My husband works with a man who has been threatening him almost every day, he is scared that his coworker will hurt him or even kill him, especially if he goes to HR. What would you suggest he do in this situation? (More detail inside - Louisiana)

Question:
My husband loves his job very much, it pays incredibly well, it is close to home, he has job security, and it is not hard work even though it is considered a hard labor job. He does not want to quit by any means at all.

He is a fitter welder, his coworker is a welder.

He works with this guy who, even though my husband is a big man, according to him this guy is terrifying big. The coworker suddenly two weeks ago got into my husband's face in front of two other guys (one being my husband's younger brother) and put his finger in my husband's face and started screaming at him, "You know what you did, and if you do it again I'll beat your ass." My husband was pretty shocked seeing as he hadn't even seen the coworker at all that day and really can't think of anything he could have done.

This continues for several days, the coworker threatening to fight my husband and my husband claims he has asked on several occasions what did he do, he doesn't want to go to work and be threatened and if he would just explain what is bothering him my husband would try to fix it. The guy apparently only said "You're good."

The next week he slammed into my husband's shoulder and continued threatening to fight. This week he threatened to fight my husband and his younger brother because they were taking too long on a job. After work that day (or night I should say since in the summer/spring there are only three welders and a foreman who says in his office working nights: husband, younger brother, coworker), my husband was skittish getting home because apparently the coworker was behind him in traffic and knows our house now and he's worried about me and our newborn daughter.

I've told my husband time and time again to go to human resources, that another welder had quit because of this coworkers bullying, it must be on file and if my husband and his brother file a formal complaint each there must be some action to be taken place.

Increasingly my husband has been getting more and more depressed every day when he is home. He barely talks and if he does he says he's just thinking about the coworker and how he really doesn't want to loose his job over this. I asked him tonight what the worst that could happen by telling hr. He said the coworker has said more than once that if he is to loose his job over my husband being and "pussy rat" he will fight him. My husband then told me that if the coworker does hit him he cannot hit back because they would both be fired, that all he can do is take it until a foreman arrives who is smaller than both my husband and the coworker and he is afraid that the coworker will put him in the hospital, that he says he doesn't care because he already spent time in prison for beating his wife.

Then my husband said the final thing that is bothering him and I now don't know what to do. If it was me I would go to hr and damn the consequences, but now I am actually afraid. He said where they work, at night, there aren't any cameras, they are walking back and forth between large boats fixing this and fixing that, the guy could easily just knock him between the boat and dock and have my husband crushed, or just grab one of the many tools around them and hurt my husband. This worries me because my uncle slipped between one of these huge boats and the dock once and it completely crushed his leg to the point that it had to be amputated. I just don't know what to do anymore. This is affecting our marriage and my husband had never been one scared of anyone. I've seen him stand up when we were younger to guys before no problem, but he says he can't help but shake when his coworke r gets in his face because he is terrified for his life.

Should he go to HR or should he seek out the police or an attorney.  I don't know what to do. He just plans on keeping his mouth shut and trying to please the guy until one day the guy snaps and hits him.

Edit: It is 4am here, I'm sorry for any typos, I tried to fix some. I'm going to try and rest. They have been called in for work tomorrow morning so I'm hoping if the guy tries to threaten my husband again the foreman or the other foremans who work during the days will see this and intervene/report it/fire the coworker. It's wishful thinking but so far it has just been other welders who have seen this happen.

Answer:
 You need to go to the police and have a report filed.   That way if this escalates there is record of it.  Or if something happens to your husband the police have a place to start.

Then go to HR, with the brother and the other witness(es) if possible.Answer #2: Louisiana is a one-party consent state.  Get a small recording device and start recording these actions.  If you're worried about retaliation, go straight to the police and say you're afraid of this man and want an emergency restraining order.


Title: Credit card co put on notice NOT to run my SSN due to fraudulent applications, ran credit again.....

Question:
So CHASE ran my SSN after I specifically told them in Sept someone was fraudulently putting in applications with my SSN. I've done my due diligence on ramifications, anyone know specifically what type of lawyer I need to seek? Chase wont give me any info so I can go Law Enforcement route on whomever it is that's fraudulently using my SSN.

PS. Hand written letter they asked for didnt get me anywhere.

Original post.....

About 2 months ago, I got an email from Credit Karma saying there was a hard inquiry into my credit. This was on a Saturday and my husband and I were having a "lazy" day, catching up on some shows we DVRed so we hadn't went anywhere nor we were on any devices with internet access, I absolutely know it wasnt one of us.

So I call this MAJOR credit card company after I found out there were NINE inquiries over the past 8-9 months. I disputed the current one as fraud, they noted that in there system (at least that's what they said). I disputed ALL of them on my credit report. I asked this credit card company where the cards would have went to if they had been approved. They said they couldn't tell me and I would have to hand write a letter requesting this info. I told them that they are on notice now that someone is using my ssn fraudulently and to not accept any other applications and that I plan on pressing charges against whomever is using my ssn.

I put all my info in this request, but with only the last 4 of my social (written as xxx-xx-1234). I reiterated that they are on notice, and I plan on pressing charges. Last week, I get a letter back requesting a copy of my drivers license. I get it, they have to "verify" that I am who I say I am....

Now for the part I have a major issue with. Why, when requesting the application information, I have to verify who I am, but when they were planning in giving credit cards out in my name, they dont have to verify who the "applicant" is??? Can they be liable for the massive hit to my credit score with having 9 hard inquiries? I still plan on pressing charges against whomever is using my ssn, but what about the credit card company? Is there anything I can do against them for not verifying who was applying for credit cards in my name?

Edit: location-Indiana

Answer:
 Hey friend

I understand you're upset and identity theft is no joke. I can answer some general questions, however I'm not a lawyer, just someone familiar with fraud.

First off, you can't ask a company to blacklist your SSN. If they receive an application, they must process it as normal (fair lending).
Second, you're requesting a copy of an application full of your personal info, of course they're going to verify your identity. They're also going to verify the information provided on the fraudulent application (PATRIOT ACT).

Your best bet is to keep your credit locked down. You can also place a consumer statement on your credit reports that requires lenders to contact you at a number that you specify before opening any credit accounts.

Good luck.


Title: (CA,USA) one of my friend's dad's ex-employee left the job without warning, and now he's trying to sue for injuries that were never mentioned during his employment. Can he do anything about it?

Question:
  So the guy left on site without warning, he threw all of the equipment on the floor ( didn't damage anything) and stormed off, wasn't heard from until weeks later when he returned to sue for illegitimate claims. This is a guy that's sue happy, he's sued apartment buildings, other larger corporations, etc.. So he sued and the insurance tried to deal with him.

The insurance tried to settle with the ex-employee, but the guy doesn't want to accept the offer. He wont settle, and wants more out of the small business.I've found out, by word of mouth that the ex-employee has been successful with  previous lawsuits, with bigger companies. The area of work is construction/ carpentry/ or landscape, I don't really remember, it's  labor work. His ex-employee is from a central american country( the name escapes me), his employees have informed him about his lack of legal residence. Wouldn't it be easier to deport him?

What actions would a small business order have in order to defend himself?

* Ex-employee lied and said he was working since august.

* Lied about on site injuries

* Never reported his so called ''previous injuries''

* The guy is fine, he has no health problems and is a regular drug user

* From word of mouth, doesn't appear to have legal status

* Guy has been through 2 lawyers trying to get more money out of my friend's dad, on his 3rd now.

*On going for about a year, causing stress and frustration.

* The small business is very small, my friend's family lives very modestly.

What is a small business owner in for, and how can he defend himself against these kinds of things?

Answer: He should let his worker's comp carrier handle it.  That's why he has insurance.  The guy can't sue the employer outside of the worker's comp system for job-related injuries.  The process just has to play itself out.


Title: Breaks failed on Bird E-Scooter

Question:
I was riding a Bird Scooter home late at night and the breaks failed. I basically had to jump off the scooter to avoid oncoming traffic. I got scraped up pretty bad, didn't have to to go to the hospital or anything. Basically, a bad scrape scooter/skateboarding injury.

&#x200B;

My life was at risk when the brakes failed, is there any way to sue Bird over this?

Answer: Least you didn't brake anything


Title: [MO] New lease mentions ability to remove renter's property? Is this legal?

Question:
[The part in question](https://i.imgur.com/qA4ZnC1.png)

Because that sounds like it could be a broad interpretation (as rules may be subject to change, etc.), does this essentially mean they can come into the home and take my property? I would imagine something against the rules would be subject to a lease being cancelled, etc. if they told me to remove it and I refused, but to just come in and take it doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Supposedly a legal team for the state wrote this up, so I would imagine they know what they're talking about, but that just kind of blows my mind if it is legal.

Answer:
 It looks like right after that text, they provide several examples (like removing spoiled food from a fridge that isn't on) that all look reasonable to me.

If they remove something you own without good reason, you should contact the police. Answer #2: If you have things in your apartment that present a safety/fire risk then they can remove them. What sort of property are you worried will be removed? they aren't going to be going through your dresser drawers if that is what you're worried about. But if the maintenance guy comes to fix something and see you're storing propane tanks in your living room they need to do something about that right way.


Title: Dog in the Road

Question:
So quick question.

I live about 2 hours away from Chicago in an area where I am surrounded by cornfields, but 15 minutes in any direction gets me into a decent sized town/city.  A few blocks over, the farmer has a big black dog (I think it's a New Foundland mix, probably about 120\-150 lbs.) that he doesn't have collared or leashed in any way.  This dog will literally lay in the road and chase any car that goes by, day or night.  I have almost hit this thing half a dozen times.  This happened a lot in the early spring but I haven't seen it out in over 2 months so I thought either animal control was called or it was dead.

Fast forward to today and it was literally laying on the right side of the road.  I had to go in the next land and swerve almost off the road to avoid hitting it while it continued to chase my car for a few hundred feed.

My question is if I happen to hit this dog, am I liable for it?  It is out and about doing whatever it wants at pretty much any time of the day/night.  One night I went by around 10pm and as I went over the hill I saw it out of the corner of my eye and managed to swerve and miss it by a hair.  I was very close to calling animal control months ago but haven't seen it since but after this morning it's apparent that it's back.

Answer: Legally, dogs are treated as property. So hitting the dog would be the same as destroying the farmer's property. However, if the animal is running at large, there is probably a local or event state law which would prevent the farmer from recovering. If you are in Illinois, I believe the Animal Control Act would make the farmer potentially liable for damages caused by his dog running at large. If this dog is unafraid of cars, as it seems to be, you should call animal control. What if the next person that swerves to miss the dog goes off the road?


Title: [IL, USA] Is it legal for my boss to post this note at work?

Question: I can take a picture of this note tonight.   My boss does not issue breaks of any sort for 8 hour or longer shifts. She put up a note that indicated "if you have a problem with the fact that I dont give breaks, I can give you less hours." then asked us all to sign it. It's not really a job I need, its something Im working on the side to pay off some debt, as I have another full time job also. I just really want to know what my options are other than giving her the finger and quitting.  It's a part time gas station job where we are on our feet literally the entire time.

Answer:
 >An employee who is to work 7 1/2 continuous hours or more shall be provided a meal period of at least 20 minutes. The meal period must be given to an employee no later than 5 hours after beginning work. Illinois has no law regarding breaks. For more information, visit the ODRISA page. (820 ILCS 140/3)

[Source](https://www.illinois.gov/idol/faqs/pages/meals-breaks-faq.aspx)


Title: Sacramento CA - Car was totaled after being rear-ended. Insurance will only pay 8k for damages done.

Question:
My mom and brother were involved in a car accident in Sacramento on Jan. 2nd of this year. The accident was the other driver's fault since he confessed that he didn't see the stop sign since he was on his phone. His insurance (Liberty Mutual) notified us yesterday that they're only paying $8k after deducting the rental car charges for the total damage done to our car which was deemed totaled by an appraiser. The agent also informed us that if we accept the settlement, then we're responsible for paying for bodily injuries caused during the accident (mom is currently seeing a chiropractor right now). This doesn't seem fair and seems to go against California's law stating that there is a minimum of $15k for bodily injury liability coverage.

My question is, should we consult a lawyer on the next steps to take? None of us think this settlement is fair or reasonable, but we're trying to weigh our options, which as of now are: take the settlement and sell our totaled car to a junkyard, or sue the person who inflicted damage to the car.

Answer:
 Has your insurance company been involved in any of this? if they are, you may want to reach out to them for helpAnswer #2: You should try /r/insurance.

But you won't get more for your vehicle than its value minus any costs. It's possible that you are up against some form of minimum coverage that the at fault driver has, in which case your best bet is to go through your own insurance company.

The medical issue is odd though. so ask that in /r/insurance. But can I suggest your mother sees an actual doctor rather than a chiropractor? The reasonable standard for chiropractic care is 3 and through: that is, if you aren't better after 3 visits you should be seeking professional medical help.


Title: [CA] Friend was arrested for DUI despite passing field exams/breathalyzer

Question:
So the other night my friend was driving home and was pulled over by CHP. They asked him to get out of the car and he let them know he had his medical cannabis in the glove compartment as well as his medical card, which is legal. They asked if he was currently under the influence of anything and he said no, which he wasn't. After passing the breathalyzer and field exams, the officer claimed that because his eyes were dilated he had believed he was under the influence and arrested him for DUI.

Obviously if he was to take a drug test, he would test positive for cannabis, however that wouldn't prove that he was under the influence while driving. What can he do? I read about getting a lawyer to sue for false arrest but I still don't see how they can prove he wasn't high at the time, but similarly I don't see how the cop can prove he was high.

Answer:
 >  I read about getting a lawyer to sue for false arrest

INAL, but I'm pretty sure there's almost no way a false arrest claim under the circumstances described would accomplish anything in your friend's favor. He should focus his energies on beating (or pleading down) the DUI charge, and count himself lucky if he succeeds at that.Answer #2: You do realize he was pulled over for a reason, right? Most likely he was driving poorly. Having blown out pupils and bad driving is enough for DUI. Also...how do you know he passed? Answer #3: >Obviously if he was to take a drug test, he would test positive for cannabis

I have family that work LAPD and they train in drug DUI's as well as alcohol DUI's.

They can tell when you've been driving under the influence of marijuana. He may pass the tests for alcohol, but as you said, he won't pass a marijuana test. Sounds like he is going to get a DUI. Answer #4: Don't forget that whatever your friend did to get pulled over in the first place would also be evidence.


Title: Can I be sued if I have literally nothing?

Question:
I live in Georgia and am posed with an interesting question.

A friend or rather I should say former friend thinks I owe them $500 for some damage to their property that they are blaming me for. I don't think I am to blame but regardless I consider them one of my closest friends and wouldn't even mind spending the money if not to maintain the friendship but based simply on principle.

Here's the only problem I have nothing. I don't mean low funds, I mean my bank accout is $0.00. Not only that I literally have no possessions no car, no laptop, nothing. You may ask why well I lost my job, and I sold my car to pay for similarly unemployed father's expensive surgery.

My car was my only possesion, I sold that and spent every penny on the surgery. My friend told me there taking me to court, so what exactly will be the result if it's found that I'm to pay? I have no job, or form of employment or income, nor any way to get money? So what exactly will happen?

Answer:
 How do you afford the large amount of drugs that you enjoy consuming?

If this is true:

>10 shots plus some bars, and a couple grams is just a weekend to me.

>I'm a massive partyer if i so myself I've got access to all these drugs. 10mg vicodin, 2mg xanax bars, tabs of some potent blotter paper, and lots of weed, plus lots of alcohol in my fridge.

>Other scenario I'd take half a bar to a full bar, a tab of acid, and then have a few drinks, plus smoke about 2-4 grams maybe more or less depending on how the cid is hitting me.

Then $500 shouldn't be too much to save up.


Title: Bit down on a screw at a restaurant

Question:
Hi, I’m seeking legal advice.
I went to a restaurant and bit down on a screw / nail that was in my food.
I brought it to the managers attention and they did not seem to care. They took the screw & when I asked for it back, they said they tossed it.
I went to the dentist the next day and they said because my tooth didn’t completely crack in half or get damaged. I would need to come back every two weeks to get the tooth checked.
I am sensitive to hot and cold foods and am scared to chew on that side.
Any help with what I can do, and if I can sue?
I have pictures.

Answer: Contact the restaurant and see if you can file a claim on their insurance, first.


Title: (VA) How do I go about adopting the child I have custody of without the biological parents parental consent?

Question:
(Cross posted from family law)

My husband and I have had full legal custody of my great-niece for almost two and a half years. Her biological parents are both drug addicts, also had their second child removed from their home, and he is currently in foster care with a wonderful family. The biological mother hasn't seen her daughter in almost two years, and the biological father in over 1 year. They lost their parental rights to their son in December but they appealed. The court date for that is next month but from what I am hearing the judge probably isn't going to reinstate the parental rights and the Foster family should end up getting to adopt the child. Because I did not Foster my great-niece and instead took full legal custody from another family member who had full legal custody of her the entire year prior, Social Services is not involved in my case so there is no specific timeline the biological parents have to prove anything to either get their daughter back or lose their parental rights. The biological father has a third child with another woman and the biological mother and father are expecting yet another child in September. Neither one of them have a job nor a secure living arrangement and they are also continuing to use drugs.

Last year, I prematurely mentioned wanting to adopt my great-niece if the biological parents couldn't get their stuff together. Unsurprisingly, I was met with a lot of backlash from the biological parents. At numerous times throughout the last couple years the biological mother, my niece, has insisted that she will get her daughter back and things will all change. Of course she has never followed through with any sort of drug rehab program nor held a job or done anything productive with her life ( this also goes for the biological father). I feel the uncertainty of their future is a terrifying thing for a child to have to deal with and it wouldn't be fair for their daughter to have to live that life.

The little girl is very well-adjusted with us and is happy, healthy, and very loved. She was removed from their care shortly after her first birthday and will be 5 years old this year and starting kindergarten. We had a lawyer we worked with during the change of custody two and a half years ago and he mentioned that doing an adoption prior to having legal custody of the child for three full years would be very difficult to Impossible. I had a consultation with another lawyer last fall and he pretty much said the same thing.

My question is, do we need to wait until we've had full legal custody of the child for the full 3 years, February 2018, or is there a chance we could start the proceedings now? The biological parents have never paid child support and the father is being taken to court for non-payment by the state and I'm sure the mother is to follow shortly. I have heard of using the method of offering to drop all child support issues in the future for their signing over their parental rights but I don't know if this is the best course. Also, is there some sort of abandonment law that would apply here due to the length of time they've not had contact with her or does that only apply if we didn't have legal custody?

Thank you for any and all advice. We love this little girl to death and just want to make sure that she has a bright and happy future to look forward to.

Answer:
 If two lawyers have told you to wait the three years then take their advice.

In order for you to adopt the child the parents' rights will have to be terminated (assuming they won't consent). You will need to have a lawyer help you navigate that situation.


Title: [USA] AL - My ex was arrested and I need to post cash bond. Please advise.

Question:
My ex called me this morning and said that she was in jail and that I was the only person she could call. I know this to be true. I do not trust her enough to show in court so I do not want to go through a bails-bond's man's terms, and risk loss of assets. My main goal is to obtain a template to protect me from loosing my Cash Bond give that she does not show up to court (Basically a document to sue her). I know that if she shows up to court that I will be refunded by the state or whatnot, which is fine and I find ideal given she appear in court.
What I am looking for is a good document that I could take and have her sign basically saying that I am not responsible for her actions, She will pay the money back by x date, She will show in court.

I know the document must have name DOB address, ssn, etc.
Would a document in laymen (I think I need help with the wording) terms work? Please advise because I don't know what I'm risking other than loosing all my money.

thank you reddit

United States Alabama AL USA

Answer:
 If you can't afford to lose the money don't do it.  Court doesn't give a damn about any side agreements for bonds. You'd have to sue her for it.  Let her sit in jail.Answer #2: You can loan her the money. You can sue her and get a judgment if she doesn't pay you back. But you can't get blood from a stone.

If she doesn't have the money to post her own bail, and she's irresponsible enough to jump bail, do you think it's likely she'll have the money to repay a loan, especially if she ends up in jail once her bail is forfeited?


Title: [OH] Is there a way for my infertile friend to legally adopt my baby without it costing a ton of money?

Question:
HI, I'll keep it short. I am pregnant and can't keep the baby. My best friend is infertile and I would love to have her adopt the baby as her own. The problem is that I am on Medicaid and am broke, and she and her husband don't have a huge chunk of money to go through the normal adoption process. They make enough to care for a child's day to day needs just fine. Is there a way to make this work? Thanks in advance.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 The term you are looking for is a Directed Adoption.

Your best bet would be for you and your friends to contact a few family law/adoption attorneys. Many have free or low cost consultations.

[This](http://www.ohiolegalhelp.org/find-legal-help/) might be a good place to start looking for lawyers.


Title: AMA Residential Treatment - police looking for me now?

Question: I'm not including location for privacy reasons. Try to stay with me here. I sought residential treatment for bulimia, anxiety, and substance abuse. When I got there, I was told I am Bipolar Type 2, which is ridiculous because I never had any symptoms of that. At this facility, you need to sign a paper in order to leave and they make you wait a certain amount of hours. I didn't want to wait those hours, and I had signed the papers a few weeks prior. It was not approved by the psychiatrist, so literally, they wouldn't let me leave. Also, I was here before in January and when my insurance cut, they wouldn't let me leave but sent me to inpatient psych word until my insurance decided to pay again. That's basically my situation. Yesterday, I just kind of ran and usually they catch up to me, but I guess not this time? The protocol here is that they call the police to search, but I really don't think I've seen any police around. One of my friends who was here with me before basically waited in a car, and that's how I got away. She lives a town over. So far today, there has been normal. I guess that leaves the question of whether the police are still looking?

Answer: You may be reported missing and possibly requiring a mental health evaluation.  Police will rarely actively look for people in your situation as you describe it.


Title: Is there a way to temporarily bypass a restraining order you have against someone?

Question: Ok, cutting out all the info, making it simple. If I and my son have a restraining order and it's in our interest to eventually allow that person to come around, regardless of the reasoning, is that possible without dropping the restraining order? Would allowing them around with the order intact void it? Is there anything I can file to temprarily allow the person near us? Is there anything that can be done to allow us both to be at the same family function? This would be in Georgia.

Answer:
 I kinda glossed over the drama but I'll answer your main question.

Judges don't like flip flopping back and forth. Either decide you want the protection order or decide you don't. It may be difficult to get them to sign off on another order if you dropped the last one because it was inconvenient for you.


Title: [WA] very scared about fake ID charge, please give any advice you have

Question: a cop gave me a citation and confiscated my fake ID just now. he said he should have arrested me but he liked that i was honest so he gave me a citation and told me there was going to be a court date. does anyone have any advice on what to do?? i'm scared shitless, it feels like i've just fucked up really badly.

Answer:
 >it feels like i've just fucked up really badly.

That's because you did.

From [this site](http://liq.wa.gov/education/know-the-law):

**Fake ID’s**

Having a fake ID may seem fun at first, until you get caught with it. Consider these facts in Washington State:

It is illegal (misdemeanor) in Washington State to possess an ID not belonging to you. (RCW 66.20.200)

* Minimum Fine: $250, with a maximum of $1000.
* Up to 90 days in jail.
* If community restitution is required, a minimum of 25 hours community service.

It is illegal (misdemeanor) for any person to give or loan his ID to another person for the purpose of purchasing alcohol. (RCW 66.20.200)

* Minimum Fine: $250, with a maximum of $1000.
* Up to 90 days in jail.
* If community restitution is required, a minimum of 25 hours community service.

Thinking about making your own fake ID’s? It is a gross misdemeanor for any person to forge, alter, or manufacture false identification to supply to persons under 21. (RCW 66.44.328)

* Minimum fine: $2,500.
* Up to one year in jail.


Title: Are my rights as an employee being violated?

Question: So here is my story, I started working at my current job last year, I have work very diligently and have been told that several times by managers and coworkers that I am a dedicated employee who get the job done, and done right. When promotion time comes around I am told that I will not be moving up, the reason is because back in the first month of my employment I had several severe health issues that had me in and out of the hospital. However for the next 11 months I have gotten in better health, and have been very good at attendance and have worked harder than ever. So my question is, are they allowed to punish me for a medical issue by not allowing me to move up?

Answer:
 You don't have the right to be promoted.

Not being promoted is not a form of punishment.


Title: to what extent is road rage legal

Question:
i would post this on the other sub but im banned for suggesting discharging a firearm to lower property value

but id still like to know to what extent is road rage legal

like can i legally flip off, shout at or sound my horn at people on the road.

of corse tailgating and reverse tailgating is off the table but id still like to know because the people where i live are pretty funny

Answer:
 You're allowed to get mad and express yourself about your feelings.

In some areas, there are laws about when/how you can sound your horn.

In this area, like in all things, the guideline of "your life will be better if you're not a jackass" applies.Answer #2: Sounding your horn may violate your local traffic laws. A lot of places restrict or prohibit unnecessary use of bells and horns. It's usually a ticket, and honestly it's a rare one, but it does give the traffic enforcement department some options to slap your wrist.

Shouting and gesturing is generally legal, so long as you're not creating a hazard and are maintaining control of your car and due care and attention to your own driving. You can be charged for uttering threats, or in some cases for disturbing the peace, if _what you're saying_ is over certain lines, but merely being angry isn't an issue.


Title: PA/construction- HR notified my supervisor that I requested a confidential meeting that pertains to him.

Question: Last week I was threatened by another employee. I was fortunate enough to recorded the incident and requested a meeting with HR to show them the recording. I specifically asked for it to remain CONFIDENTIAL. I had already tried to talk to my supervisor about this individual before I’d been threatened and he brushed me off. Now it’s the morning of the meeting and he called me to let me know I had to be in the yard at time of meeting and sounded stand-offish. I told him I had another meeting and he said he knew. I believe my rights have been violated, but I’m not sure how to proceed.

Answer:
 HR is there up to protect the interests of the company and not the employee. Sooner employees realize this the better. They're not required to keep it confidential.

Answer #2: HRis allowed to talk to your supervisor. They have no legal requirement to keep a meeting request confidential. Answer #3: No, your rights haven't been violated.  I would ask HR what you should do, given that your supervisor wants you not to be in the meeting.  Perhaps they can intervene with your supervisor's boss, or they can override your supervisor.

But start writing down everything that has been happening, so you have your own record of it.  If you end up being fired and want to sue over it, you'll be glad you have a log of incidents.Answer #4: HR is not required to keep anything you ask them to keep confidential except if protected by state or federal law, for example information related to health conditions or disabilities. They will primarily work in the interest of the company, because obviously they are a part of the company and employed by the company. If you were threatened with bodily harm or assaulted at your workplace you can call the police and an attorney.Answer #5: Start noting and recording everything that happens. Your Supervisor trying to stop you going to this meeting is a sign something's up. if you go, he's not going to let this go easy. if you don't, you're giving him the leeway to keep things going.

Contact HR, inform them of what's happened and ask them what they advice you do.


Title: Trying to get my ex-gf out of my apartment..

Question:
Okay some background information here... I rent an apartment in the state of Florida with my now ex-gf and her 3 year old son. Hers or his name is no where on the lease since I was trying to help her get her own place (she has bad credit and eviction history )..

Anyways so past month we've been going through stuff in general usually about bills (I've been working full time for past couple years now and pay majority of bills most of the time.). She did pay rent only one time since we've been here since she got fired from another job, and has only worked a total of 3 or less months since we've been together (about a year and some change)

Sorry if this is all combined and confusing I can answer specific questions if asked but I'm just trying to find best way to get her out of this place... I've already moved most of my personal belongings (mainly my valuable ones) out of the apartment in fear she's going to damage them while I'm at work during the week (she has damaged doors, walls and most recently today through soda all over me and my computer).

We've had couple confrontations where she has put her hands on me like slaps and ripping my shirt and try my best to restrain her but fear she's going to claim that I have hit her. I don't know what to do guys/gals I'm scared even to go to sleep tonight in fear she might try something ... Idk I do love her overall and enjoy spending time with her and her kid but it just seems like her priorities aren't right and she's too much of a loose cannon.. trying not to get the police heavily into this situation since I don't want her to lose what she does have left...

Tl;dr trying to get my exgf out of my apartment asap legally...

 Also idk how to pick the flair for this on my phone :(

Answer: You can give her a written notice to move, allowing her 15 days as required by Florida law and specifying the date on which her tenancy will end.


Title: (New York) License Has Been Suspended for 2 Years... Need Help

Question:
I don't have a New York license, but I went to school there for several years. In 2014 I racked up 5 traffic tickets and just kinda said "ehh, fuck it" and let them suspend my right to operate in NY, which then made my home state suspend my license. I'm trying to clean up my shit, but I need some advice on how to do it. Over the past 2 months, I've been tracking down the cities where I got the infractions and paying them off when I can (I'm about half way through):

All from 2014 (I was busy):
Ticket 1: 4 point violation - plead guilty, paid
Ticket 2: 4 point violation - plead guilty, paid
Ticket 3: 4 point violation - plead not guilty, hearing Monday, can probably get it knocked down to a 0 point non-moving violation
Ticket 4: 4 point violation - have not responded to ticket yet
Ticket 5: 8 point violation (100 in a 65) - have not responded to ticket yet

So there's where I'm at. Since I plead guilty to the first two tickets, I now have 8 points in NY which means I have to pay something like a "bad driver tax"... $450 (or $150/yr for 3 years). In retrospect I probably should have contested and gotten them knocked down to no points violations, but they were spread out all over the state (as much as a 4 hour drive each way from my current home) and I was a bit lazy. In any case, nothing I can do about that now.

I'm not too worried about tickets 3 & 4 because I can probably plea them down to no points violations as well, but there's no chance of that happening for my 100/65. If I plead guilty, that's 8 points which is an additional $200/yr for 3 years in "bad driver tax". Ok fine, I can pay that, but I'm really worried about what happens to my license because NYS issues suspensions starting at 11 points (I know that NY doesn't suspend my license, they only suspend my privilege to operate in NY, but since they have reciprocity with my home state it's effectively the same thing). Granted my license is already suspended, but I'm trying to clear up the tickets to remove that and want to know if I will have an additional period of suspension

[From the NYS DMV website:](https://dmv.ny.gov/tickets/about-nys-driver-point-system)
How your point total is calculated
- you must be convicted of the traffic violation before points are added to your driving record
- your point total is calculated based on the date of the violation, not the date of the conviction
- the points for violations that all occurred within the last 18 months are added to calculate your point total

What I'm not understanding is whether or not this 8 point violation will cause my NYS to suspend my license. I didn't get the points until about a month ago and the "bad driver tax" says I have 8 points... which does not make any sense because it has already been 18 months since the date of the violation. What should I expect? If i do get a suspension, how long should I expect it to be?

Answer: You tried to deal with this by ignoring it, and it went poorly for you.  You need a traffic attorney to help you unwind this mess.


Title: [USA] [AR] Is it legal to put "trespassers will be shot" signs on my fence.

Question:
I know we have castle doctrine laws in Arkansas but not sure if advertising that fact would be legal or not.

Basically, i live in a 'rural ghetto,' sketchy morons trespassing, have legally shot one before, rather not do it again though so im hoping i could use these signs as a deterrent. But someone told me they count as an "illegal threat."

Answer: Considering you can't actually shoot trespassers unless they meet one of the crimes specified in §607-08, the sign just seems like a bad idea. Answer #2: A simple No Trespassing sign is a better idea.


Title: [CA] Do I really need to give my lawyer $1?

Question:
...to have attorney client privilege, or is  that just a TV thing?

Edit: thank you, all.

Answer:
 Don't take legal advice from Saul Goodman. That being said, Jimmy McGill is alright with elder law.Answer #2: Just a tv thing.Answer #3: You don't need to give any money (obviously - think about pro bono cases) and you don't even need to sign anything (although it is best practice) in order to create an attorney-client relationship. There's some pretty devastating malpractice case law on the subject.Answer #4: According to the model rules,  the lawyer/client relationship begins when the client reasonably believes that it has begun. Answer #5: This is gonna sound crazy, but you could probably just ask your lawyer.Answer #6: The answer is no, but if you're referring to the scene from Breaking Bad, it *kind* of makes sense.  If my memory is correct, during the scene in question, the attorney had been kidnapped by the two main characters. The conversation between a kidnapped attorney and his two kidnappers is probably not going to fall under the attorney-client privilege.  By telling the kidnappers that he can offer them counsel in exchange for the dollar, he establishes a few things: the kidnappers are now actively seeking his advice, and the attorney is voluntarily entering into an agreement to provide that advice.

This helps change the dynamic from a random conversation between two kidnappers and their victim, who happens to be an attorney, to two clients seeking legal counsel.  It makes the conversation far more likely to fall under the attorney-client privilege than it otherwise would have without the exchange of a dollar.

However, I doubt the writers were really thinking about this when they wrote it.


Title: Can I get full custody of my kids by the kids saying they no longer want to see my ex?

Question:
I've been divorced for a couple of years now and share custody with my ex of our kids (all 12 and older, but less than 18).

We live in Colorado and currently share custody 50/50 (week on/week off).

For the last year or so, my kids have been complaining about how much they hate going to my ex's place to stay.  Most of their complaints are just typical child type complaints, nothing severe other than 1 thing.

One of the kids recently expressed to the ex directly that they hate going over there.  Supposedly my ex then kinda threatened that they would kill themself if they lost their partial custody and could no longer see the kids. I haven't said anything to the ex about that as I'm sure they would deny it (based on previous discussions with the ex regarding their behavior) and there's no physical proof, so it would become he said/she said.  I feel it was more of a tactic to guilt the kids to seeing them than anything else.  However I still find it very disturbing that they would say that to one of kids.

My understanding is since my kids are over 12 and older, that they can now say where they want to live??  I was hoping someone might know if that is true.

My ex hasn't done anything that could be proven to make them unfit to share custody. I also assume that the conditions over there are very liveable and that it's more about my kids personal preference than anything else.

My kids have expressed that they are more than willing to go in front of the judge if needed, but have concerns of what will happen if the judge denied me full custody and they were forced to still live with my ex. So we would all prefer to go in front of a judge if it was a sure thing.

Is it possible to get full custody with just my kids saying where they prefer to live?  Or do I need to prove that my ex is unfit and I should have full custody? As I mentioned before, I don't feel my ex is unfit overall, but hate that my kids are forced to be at my ex's when they don't want to be.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: They may be able to make their feelings known to the judge for consideration but they do not get final say.


Title: I lost a mauler tooth when I got a wisdom tooth removed. There is a piece of tooth still in my mouth and hurts.

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer:
 First of all, it's "molar" not mauler. Second of all, it is never advisable to get second hand advice through someone you know who is studying to be anything. You need to go back to your surgeon if you think you need more follow up care or have questions about your care. You can even request a copy of your records if you want to review them. You can also get a second opinion from a surgeon **who you see in person**, not someone your cousin knows.

All that said, even if the surgeon broke your tooth and then had to remove it, that isn't an unknown or unusual complication of having a wisdom tooth removed. Likely it was covered in the paperwork you signed to get the procedure as a potential complications. If you still want to sue and think you have actual monetary damages, you need a medical malpractice attorney to review your medical records and see if you have a case. Answer #2: Your first stop should be a different dentist. Then contact your local bar association for a med mal attorney referral.

I'm sorry about your diminished mauling ability.


Title: My mom is a bartender. Customer crashed and killed himself several hours after leaving the bar

Question: Well the title pretty much sums it up. My mom tends bar, and the police came in tonight and questioned her about a customer who was killed last night in a drunk driving accident. She was serving him during happy hour, but he didn't crash until several hours later. Before he left, he was asking for coors light cans, which they don't sell. He then mentioned as he was leaving that he was going to the gas station for coors light cans. Can she be held liable? Should she retain an attorney? She's pretty scared at this point. The police said the family is trying to establish a timeline of the events. This was in Arizona if it matters.

Answer:
 In all probability she isn't liable depending on the number of hours defined by "several" and how much alcohol he consumed at the bar. If she knows to which gas station he was going for beer, their cashier and/or cameras may have evidence showing he bought beer after leaving the bar. Beer cans in the car would be another clue.

[This](http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/10/06/how-long-does-alcohol-stay-in-your-system/) gives a reasonable timeline of how quickly alcohol is metabolized as well as other useful information regarding BAC vs. weight, rate of consumption, etc..  Answer #2: So most likely it would be the bar, and not your mom who would be liable.  Here is the [relevant law in Arizona](http://www.azleg.gov/ars/4/00311.htm), but you'll note subsection (D): " For the purposes of this section, "obviously intoxicated" means inebriated to such an extent that a person's physical faculties are substantially impaired and the impairment is shown by significantly uncoordinated physical action or significant physical dysfunction that would have been obvious to a reasonable person." - is a very high threshold. You will also note the repeated use of the word "licensee" in that statue - and that is because the bar itself, the holder of the liquor license, would be civilly liable.  Unless AZ is weird, your mom does not have a liquor license herself.

Also the law in Arizona has a [carveout](https://www.azliquor.gov/LiquorLaws/ViewTitle.cfm?TitleID=76) protecting bars and taverns from being sued when the property damaged belongs to the person who did the drinking themselves or if the person who did the drinking is the injured party.  Basically the Dram Shop law in Arizona is only available to third party victims.

None of this is to say that your mom or her bar couldn't get into trouble with the agency responsible for regulating bars and taverns in Arizona.


Title: Would it be possible to plead the fifth when going through customs in America, as an American citizen?

Question:
Inspired by today's AskReddit thread "What country would you never go back to?" One user's response was this:

>Honestly surprised there aren't more people saying USA here. When I returned to the US from Tokyo a few years back, we were all huddled like cattle into a little traincar, lined up while multiple TVs played videos of American flags waving and people talking about how amazing America is, and everyone had to stop and be interrogated by police before they could leave the airport. My girlfriend and I were interrogated by two policemen who were extraordinarily rude and cruel to us, asking us why we left the country and wouldn't accept the answer "Because I wanted to go on vacation," demanded to know where we live, work, and what we bought in Japan. I should note that we're both very typical white people born in the US so there was no weird racism or profiling going on here--they're just absolute jerks, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for the terrified foreigners who had to put up with this shit just to visit America.

What would happen if this guy and his girlfriend had just refused to answer any of these questions in the airport?

Answer:
 A jail cell in a customs office is technically "in the USA", so I don't imagine being thrown into one for a few hours until every part of your baggage, person and body were searched would violate the right of a citizen to re-enter the country.

Answer #2: LPT: being honest and cooperating with customs officials makes for the quickest and best experience.Answer #3: Id like to know whet the askreddit poster flew into. I've never come across an port of entry like that, and ive been to almost all the main POEs and many of the smaller ones.

I think the askreddit poster is full of shit.


Title: [Colorado] Gave landlord notice, moved out, he hasn't found a new tenant and wants us to keep paying rent

Question:
My girlfriend and I just bought our first condo together. We kept in touch with our landlord the entire time, letting him know our offer was accepted on Black Friday and we would be officially moving out at the end of January.

He called me yesterday saying that because he hasn't found a tenant we are still responsible for paying rent. Obviously this isn't a financial possibility. Now we have a mortgage that is just as expensive as our rent was. There was no mention, in writing or verbally, that we would still be on the hook for this rent. The verbage of our lease says nothing that we are still responsible for paying after moveout, but also has no stipulations for giving notice either.

I feel like I'm up against a wall here. My next step is to consult a tenant's rights lawyer. He still has my damage deposit as well, to the tune of over $3300.

Thanks for the help. Text of the lease is below.

>TERM: Landlord leases the premises to Tenant from Sept 1st 2014 until Sept 1st 2015. Subject to Tenant's performance of all obligations under the Lease, including without limitation, payment of Rent and other amounts, Tenant shall enjoy quiet possession of the Premises.

>RENT: Rent for the entire term is _____ and shall be paid in monthly installments of _____ payable in advance, on or before twelve o' clock noon on the first day of each calendar month during the term of the Lease at the location set forth below, without notice. Unless otherwise provided in the Lease, all payments must be mailed or delivered to Landlord at the following address_____

> CHECK OUT: The parties may, at their discretion, conduct a check out/ walk through of the Premises when, or immediately before, Tenant re-delivers the Premises at the end of Term.

>SURRENDER OF PREMISES: Tenant will return the Premises to Landlord at the expiration of the Term in as good condition as when Tenant took possession of the Premises.

Answer:
 You broke the lease early.  Of course you're still responsible for the rent if the LL couldn't find a replacement tenant.  You are against a wall.  If I was you I would start putting up listings that you are looking for a sublessee or otherwise someone to take over your lease for you.  Answer #2: >"...Rent for the entire term..."

This is the clause right here. You not only agreed to a price, but you agreed to a term.Answer #3: You are responsible for the rent for the entire term unless the place is re-let. That's what a lease is.Answer #4: >Rent for the entire term is ______

If you paid him that amount - and I suspect you didn't - he has no claim against you. But if you paid monthly like most people, you owe him rent until the end of the term or until he finds someone.Answer #5: >There was no mention, in writing or verbally, that we would still be on the hook for this rent.

Yes there was. I haven't read and won't read the text of your lease, but I'm quite certain it says that you have to pay rent until the term of the lease is over. Unless the landlord told you that you wouldn't have to pay rent, it was unreasonable for you to assume that this agreement no longer applied.


Title: Can I take legal action against the website "Mylife.com"?

Question: I have contacted Mylife 5 times now, asking them to remove my information from their website.  I have also told them each time that they do not have my permission to display my private information on their website, nor do they have the right to charge people who may want to run a background check on me and get sensitive information about me.  What can I do?  Can I do a lawsuit against this website?  I want them to stop displaying my information and stop profiting from my information.   I don't what to do, because they keep putting my information back up.

Answer: Your name, address, and even phone number are not “private” information. In fact, it sued to be common place that I would get a book with such information for my entire city in it every year, these books were in pay phone booths as well! Nor is it private to see who you are connected with through public records such as voting registration.  They are free to charge whoever is willing to pay them for whatever information they have compiled on you. You cannot do anything.


Title: In Louisiana and have been evicted. What are my options?

Question: I rent a house from my grandfather. I got in a fight with my grandparents today and called my grandfather an asshole and told both of my grandparents to “leave me the fuck alone”. Cursing around them is apparent a mortal sin. I’ve paid my rent on time and never missed a payment. My grandfather just texted me and said I’m evicted and have 5 days from tomorrow to vacate. Do I have any rights here or am I completely screwed?

Answer: Do you have a lease? If not, you are month to month and he needs to give you 10-days notice. It's not an eviction, he's just not renewing your lease.


Title: My company deducted my entire final paycheck to pay off my company credit card, can they do this?

Question:
my job in Las Vegas recently laid me off, when I got my final paycheck it was zeroed out. My company deducted a weeks worth of PTO which they said I haven't accrued yet, and then took the remaining balance to put towards my company credit card.

I realize paying off my personal charges to the company card is my responsibility, and I have been making my monthly payments.

I had just made a substantial payment before getting laid off. Not having that final paycheck has put me in a really bad spot Especially since I didn't get a severance package.

Is there any thing I can do?

Answer: You were making personal charges on a company card and are upset they wanted you to pay for them??Answer #2: Wouldn't shock me that this was a provision you agreed to when you were given the card.


Title: [Raleigh, North Carolina] Special Needs sister getting bullied at work

Question:
throwaway account

My sister started working for a retirement community as a dining server about a year and a half ago. She is not fully independent as she is special needs and did get help from the government to get the job. She learned how to do her job well \(it wasn't a lot of work but it was work\).  She had no problems with anyone at work until recently. Another employee has called her names and bullied her to a point where she came home crying. She talked to the supervisors and the HR head but they did not take any action against the employee. Instead they called her and asked her to resign. I know NC is an at\-will state and the odds aren't really in our favor, but is there something we can do?

Answer:
 A lot of EEO laws are at the federal level. Please look into that and state laws.

Also she is your sister and special needs.  It would be understandable if you spoke on her behalf to the hr office


Title: Can I get my potential roommate kicked off his lease for being a rapist?

Question:
Sorry this is emotionally charged. I live in IL, I was moving to WI.

So, I planned to move in with my high school friend for college. I recently found out through his ex-girlfriend, who we were also moving in with, that he is into child porn (loli, so I think not illegal) and bestiality. He looks at bestiality porn and has had sex with his dog. We don't have any proof of that except maybe an incriminating chat on Kik, but no photo evidence.

So question 1, is can I get him kicked off the lease. Question 2 is, is there any legal action we can take in situations like this? Is this more a personal thing?

Answer: Holy Christ am I glad people don't take statements from my ex as legal fact.


Title: Salmonella poisoning from Chipotle? What to do?

Question:
I am posting because recently I ate a chicken bowl at the Chipotle located in Atlanta at Ashford Dunwoody road in the NE. After I ate I suffered severe food poisoning, I was nauseous, had violent diarrhea and was so dehydrated I could barely leave bed. I finally made it to my doctor yesterday and he confirmed I have a salmonella infection. I was doing some research on the web and i can find at least 5 other reports IN THE PAST WEEK, of people getting sick after eating at Chipotle restaurants around the Atlanta area. I find this unacceptable that a restaurant could have so many complaints in a short period of time. I have missed several days of work now and am now on medication that is going to cost me money as well.

This SUCKS!!!!

Answer: How do you know it’s from chipotle? Is it traced back to it? Second, what are you asking?


Title: Donald Trump had a photoshoot with a bald eagle. Is this a felony?

Question:
[Here's a video of the photo shoot taking place](https://old.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/kvt2cm/the_bald_eagle_knew/).

Does this violate the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or the Lacey Act?

Answer:
 No.

These birds are protected from being taken *without a permit*.  There are a lot of organizations that have permits to have bald eagles, including rescues, educational groups, certain zoos, etc.


Title: Is a tree stump an attractice nuisance? [Monroe County, Indiana]

Question:
My husband and I bought our house a little over two years ago; it sits on a 1-acre lot. The lot next door is a duplex with about 6 children between the two units.

A few days ago, while taking one of my dogs out, I caught four children (ages 4 to 10?) playing on and around the old tree stump in my backyard. Their parents and a few other adults were all sitting in their side yard. I told them to get out of my yard and got a lot of blank looks from children and adults alike. The kids eventually meandered back to their property.

My question: is an old tree stump considered an attractive nuisance? We've told these children to get out of our yard several times since we moved in, but does that matter when it comes to kids under 10-ish?

We have a 4-foot chainlink fence scheduled to be built (whenever the weather lets them get to us), but is that enough to mitigate our liability? We can't afford a full privacy fence around our backyard.

For what it's worth, [pictures of the stump](https://imgur.com/a/MU91MMZ). The sticks are saplings we're saving for when we get a fire pit.

Answer:
 >is an old tree stump considered an attractive nuisance?

No.

>We've told these children to get out of our yard several times since we moved in, but does that matter when it comes to kids under 10-ish?

You have to talk to the parents/guardians about them coming onto your property. Also put up some no trespassing signs temporarily. If they continue complain to the landlord. If that does nothing and it persists call the police to report trespassing. Answer #2: No.  Not unless you paint it to look like a table and set up miniature chairs around it for a tea party.  But, no.  It's not.


Title: Woke up to a trash truck rolling thru my back yard

Question: Hi lawyers of reddit. A garbage truck ran over my fence this morning. When I confronted the driver he said he got out of the truck to piss in my yard and the truck ended up driving through my back yard. Everyone I tell about this says I should sue them. Could I expect some type of settlement if in excess of repairs to my fence because of the outrageously negligent actions of the truck crew? Or should I just be happy they are repairing my fence?

Answer:
 You are entitled to be made whole, which means whatever it costs to repair or replace the damaged part of your fence or lawn.

It is very unlikely that you would recover any punitive damages. Answer #2: So, the whole 'piss in the yard' where your 2-year-old plays might an interesting conversation with the driver, on the stand, under oath if it comes down to it.  Like, just how many times has he done this in your yard...
Does he usually go around potentially exposing himself to the neighborhood kids? Stuff like that. Not all damages to you, but related to the event.Answer #3: The court will ask for why you deserve any more money than the cost of the fence. If you have no reason, then you can't get more than that.

You could also consider costs to the yard from either the truck or urine (if there was any.) But if your yard was not in good condition, that's not likely an issue.Answer #4: Don't forget what's under your yard. If you have a septic system it could have been damaged by the weight of the truck.


Title: [CA] Towing company towed my car from private property, lied about not having it, then wouldn't provide photos or who authorized it.

Question:
Story: I live in a large condo community where residents have their numbered parking spot. When I saw my car was missing, I immediately called the towing company number on the sign. I asked them if they recently towed a car of my make/model/color from my residence. They said no, they don't have a car like that in the inventory. At this point I believe my car has been stolen and freak out.

So this morning, I went to the city's police dept to check their towing records to doublecheck and to file a stolen vehicle report. They tell me that indeed, it was towed by the towing company. So I call them up again and ask the same question. Now they tell me they do have my car. WTF. I had to pay an extra day's worth of storage fees simply because I was misled when I called them a day earlier. (The car was towed on Saturday and I first called on Monday, so my car was definitely in their system by then)

The towing company also did not provide me with a photo of my car being illegally parked, nor would they disclose any information as to who at the private property signed off on the tow. They said they are not legally required to provide that information, but I later checked the California Vehicle Code (22658) and believe that I am entitled to this information.

I probably parked in the wrong spot, in which case I deserve to get towed. But what I feel I do not deserve is having to pay an extra day's worth of storage fees when my car is sitting in their lot but they lie and say it's not. And I feel the towing company is skirting the law by not providing the owner of the vehicle with evidence of the required paperwork. I still have no proof that my car was parked illegally, nor do I know if the tow was properly administered.

I already paid the towing fees and got my car back. Now, what are my options?

Answer: You can sue the towing company for your money back in small claims court.


Title: Guardianship of sexually abused 17 year old gf

Question:
-KENTUCKY-
I am 23 and married but separated, I have custody of our 1 year old son. Currently I am on house arrest for a murder charge that was self defense, my trial will be coming very soon. My mother is currently here to support me and my son from out of state, I just recently was allowed to work.
My mother is tired of living down here as its been 2 years now, there is a large chance of me coming off house arrest and continuing the trial. My gf is 17 years old and will be 18 in 8 months, my family has come to agreement that if I get any time they would be willing to take her back to my home state and she will work and help around the house. She is adopted and her adopted mother died when she was 11, leaving her to her stepfather that regularly got her high/drunk and sexually abused her from the age of 11-16. He is willing to sign over papers to anyone, and doesn't want to be responsible for her. After my mother leaves and takes my son, I will be getting a cheaper apt and hoping to have gf move in with me and finish school and turn 18 under my roof. She hates living with him, and is scared to tell the authorities. After she moves in with either me or my family we agreed to tell someone.
My question is, would this be legally feasible for me to acquire guardianship considering my position and the fact he IS willing to sign her over? Or would it be better for my parents to do it.*and how*
Also, what would be the best route to alert the proper channels of the abuse after she is somewhere safe? She cant exactly provide evidence, except she said a few times he took pictures and she doesn't know where they are kept. Could they get a search warrant and take him by surprise based solely on accusations?
****If providing me with negative opinions based on morals, please don't bother.

Answer:
 You're on house arrest for your murder charge and you want to get guardianship of your underage girlfriend?Answer #2: > My question is, would this be legally feasible for me to acquire guardianship

No, not remotely.

As is, unless the guardian objects, there's no issue with her staying with you until she turns 18.  Answer #3: Why bother going through this if she turns 18 in 8 months anyway?

This is a job for CPS/the police if there's abuse.Answer #4: It's not a great idea to be the *legal guardian* of your girlfriend. Aside from being creepy, it becomes *very* awkward if your relationship falls apart. Report the abuse to the police, and work with a women's shelter or advocacy group to get her away from him.


Title: [WA] Former landlord is claiming thousands of dollars in damages, didn't specify what for and we don't believe it is valid.

Question:
We've since moved out of state but the property in question was in Eastern Washington. Landlord sent a proxy for the walk through who was in our opinion completely over the top with the walkthrough, but despite that we thought it went okay. We were expecting for the landlord to find ways to chip away at most of our deposit with stuff here and there (for instance, there had been an ancient, cheap garage door opener which disappeared; we got charge $50 for it, but whatever). So even though we thought we had done a very good job taking care of the place and prepping it for the next renters, we were prepared to kiss our 1200 goodbye.

The landlord sent us a bill for $5,000 in "damages". That's it. No explanation, just "tenant damages".

There was no damage whatsoever that was caused by us that wasn't repaired before we left. There had been some severe damage caused by a freak windstorm a year prior that the landlord had never fixed. There had been damage that had been there before we even moved in, but the landlord claimed they didn't have our damage report on file and that they were going to go off old photos from "before we moved in". We had completed that when we moved in, sent it in, and wrote it down separate in a notebook since it was a single page form that they said they would copy and send back and of course never did. We completely repainted, we completely rebuffed and waxed the floors, we made every bathroom sparkle cleaned the chimneys, etc. We can't think of anything else they could possibly be charging us for.

What can we do to dispute this? They said we had "ten days from the time of this letter" to respond before it would be escalated to collections, and the date on the top of the letter was clearly marked two weeks before it was even sent. I've never had a landlord try to screw us like this before so I don't even know where to start.

Answer:
 Some points:

1) The landlord is required to provide an itemized list of damages in order to withhold a security deposit or claim additional damages.

2) Structural damages from windstorms and wear to floors from "ordinary use" cannot be taken out of security deposit. Security deposit money can be used to fix damage caused willfully or by negligence by the tenant. If you didn't cause the windstorm then it's not a security deposit matter.

3) The landlord has 21 days from the time you move out or from the time he figures out where you went to return your security deposit or provide you with a full and itemized list of damages, and bars any attempt to recover if they didn't provide you with that.

[Here's Washington State Law on the matter](http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.280).

You have excellent grounds for a small claims lawsuit. Odds are you don't even need a lawyer and can handle it all yourself. The judge is very likely to double your damages for your landlord being completely unreasonable, basically giving you extra bonus money.

He can countersue for the $5,000 if he wants, but that's not going to go anywhere because the law says no.


Title: (Maryland) A friend of mine just got his 4th DUI. Is he looking at jail time? If so, how much?

Question:
So my buddy who has a serious drinking problem just got his 4th DUI on Friday night. He was pulled over, given a field sobriety test and obviously failed.

He did not blow into a breathalyzer on the road OR at the station. (I don't know if this can work to his advantage in court or not, the DUI charge still remains regardless).

He was given back his drivers license the next morning when he was bailed out by his girlfriend. I thought this was strange, they normally revoke it on sight.

He has called a lawyer who specializes in DUI cases.

Some info about his previous DUI history: His last one was 2008, he did a few months in a Pre-Release Center as punishment (3 DUIs is a felony offense in MD). His license was revoked for a few years and when he got it back, he had the blow n go device in his car for a year or so.

So now he just got his 4th. What is likely to happen to him? Does the fact that he never blew into a breathalyzer machine help his case at all? Will the judge not give a shit because of his past offenses?

Please advise.

Answer: Guess it depends on the judge and the charges filed. If the judge has a brain, he'll be locked away for a good chunk of time.  Your friend sounds like a dangerous liability. He's lucky he hasn't killed anyone yet.


Title: How can someone with no official documentation get their birth certificate, DMV-issued ID, and new SSN?

Question:
Hello LegalAdvice.
This past weekend, my friend got out of his home. He's 18, and was living in an extremely abusive home, so now he's out, finally, and safe. He's got some clothes, he's got somewhere to stay, but he has no money and no form of ID besides his university-issued ID. His family has all his stuff, but refuses to give it over, and he is trying to stay off their radar and avoid trouble, so he won't go back to the house when they're not there.
My question is, is it possible to get these 3 documents without needing the other 2 every time? So far for each it's been 'we need these things,' which he doesn't have. He's trying to start from scratch (granted, same birth certificate), but new ID & new SSN, because his insane mother controls it all right now. If it is possible to get all three, what's the order in which to do this?
This is in Nevada, to be clear.

Answer:
 He can probably order his birth certificate online.

He can use the birth certificate and whatever other documentation he can scrape together (including an adult witness who has known him for 2 years) to get a passport, and then he can get all the other stuff.


Title: My Employer wants me to use my insurance when I drive the company vehicle. California

Question:
Hello,

I hope this is the right spot for this. My employer (small business) just bought a new vehicle to be used as the company car as I travel to Las Vegas from California often to transport product.  I got news today that he is expecting myself and others that use the car and to use our personal insurance if something were to happen while Driving.  His logic is that if I drive it and get into an accident, its my mistake and I should be responsible.  That doesnt sound right to me; I figure its on the company time w/ a company vehicle doing company business... Isnt that what commercial vehicle insurance is for?  I heard he was drafting a contract for all of his employees to sign and acknowledge and Ive already been very vocal about refusing to sign and not driving it going forward.  Am I being unreasonable or am I right?

Update 1: Called my insurance, they told me absolutely not and that he needs commercial insurance.  My insurance would cover if I got into a rental car (even if its for work) and got into an accident but not a company vehicle- in fact theyve never heard of an insurance company even offering additional coverage to protect you in a commercial vehicle.. too risky.  They basically said the same things as you guys so far. "He's fucking stupid."  I reiterated that to my HR person and made my stance official.  Get me a rental car if im traveling, im not driving the company car without commercial insurance.

Answer:
 Not only is it not reasonable, it is probably specifically excluded from your personal insurance policy. Further it is penny-wise and pound-foolish for him.

You are covered under the doctrine of *respondiat superior* which means that if you are acting within your scope of employment your employer is responsible for your conduct.  If you got into a collision, he would be sued and would not have insurance to protect him from the judgment.

Stupid. Answer #2: >  I figure its on the company time w/ a company vehicle doing company business... Isnt that what commercial vehicle insurance is for?

Yes, exactly.  He's going to remain responsible for any damage.  You should point him to CA Labor Code 2802.  It says employers in CA are *required* to indemnify (read: pay for) any job related expenses or any losses incurred in the course of your work.  That includes auto accidents when you drive for work.  If he doesn't provide insurance, he has to pay for it himself out of pocket.  This cannot be waived by contract.


Title: What are my rights when confronted by DNR on public or private land. (MN)

Question:
I bought some land up in northern Minnesota and am wondering what my rights are regarding the DNR. Occasionally they are on the 4 wheel trails that run through my land which have been extended from public state managed trails, and im not happy about it. What can I do to get them to go away if they are on my property? If they ask for ID am I required to identify if I haven't done anything illegal? Can they really just walk into my cabin anytime they want without a warrant? (heard this rumor x times) What should I say if I see them on my land?

If you have anything to add that I should know feel free to give me some insight.

Answer: Dnr are law enforcement all the same and operate under very similar constraints.


Title: [ME] My landlord is trying to force my housemates and I to change a signed contract and pay more monthly. Legally, can I get out of it?

Question:
Previous post: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/95d4vl/can_a_landlord_increase_the_price_on_monthly_rent/?st=JKMRRVPL&sh=dea000dd

I texted the following message to the landlord yesterday: “Good morning, [landlord]! This is [my name]  and I am one of your tenants for the 2018-2019 school year. I understand you reached out to one of my housemates regarding increasing the monthly rent. After reviewing the contract that was signed last fall, I am aware that there was no section that allowed for such an increase. Therefore, we are expecting that that contract is honored going forward. “
His response: “thanks for helping me out.”
I then spoke to him on the phone where he repeatedly said “I hope this house sells so you guys can’t stay here”. He also said things like “my dad’s company’s name is on the contract. He passed therefore the contract is not valid”. “I don’t protect myself on the contract for the benefit of you guys.” “Your [other housemate] is being reasonable about this, why are you being so difficult?”  “I do SO MUCH for you girls and this is how I get repaid”.
I did explain to him that if I couldn’t afford the rent and asked for a lower price, he’d laugh in my face. He said that was a “stretch” and not a fair comparison. The majority of the call was him throwing around bs and me being like “ok but you can’t manipulate us like this.”
So now I need advice how to get out of this situation. Since he’s trying to break the contract, can I legally get my 400$ was deposit back? I don’t trust this guy and think this year will be hell if I stay.
Side story as well: one of the housemates who agreed to do the pay increase messaged me last night claiming she’s out 400$ now as well as “homeless” (she is working at the university right now and living with her mom). She then continued to say she’d be better off not knowing  me, and continued to rant that the world would be better off if I wasn’t on it. All because she feels I f’ed her over. When I was advocating on all of our behalves. (We were friends before all of this too). I have now cut ties with her and the other housemate would attacked me over this situation as well.

Maybe this was the worlds way of telling me this was a bad situation and to get the heck out. But I need to make sure I have the right to get out of this contract and how to fight to get that security
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 >“I hope this house sells so you guys can’t stay here”.

FYI if the house sells the tenancy transfers to the new owner. If he tries to sell the house without telling them it is being rented he is getting into some very hot water.

>Maybe this was the worlds way of telling me this was a bad situation and to get the heck out.

This is a good way of looking at it. The people who say this is your fault are being unreasonable.Answer #2: > “my dad’s company’s name is on the contract. He passed therefore the contract is not valid”

If he is saying the lease is invalid (whether or not he's right) and he and you and your roommates are all willing to walk away from this, then (a) get it in writing and (b) you get your deposit back.


Title: Help! Scammed in apartment!!

Question:
Hey Reddit,

I've recently been scammed out of $850 by a "locksmith" in Manhattan and don't know what to do.

I lost my keys to my apartment a few days ago. I had previously emailed the building’s management company for a number to dial in case of an emergency outside of regular business hours. They gave me an emergency number that I called, but no one picked up (this was around noon), so I called the number on a "24-Hour Lockout Service" sticker plastered on my lock that looked very much like one the management company of my building would use. The company said they'd send someone over, and a half hour later I received a call from the locksmith, a 20ish Israeli guy, asking to be let into the building. Before he began working, he quoted me $250 for the job which seemed reasonable as that was around the same price the management noted that we would have to pay for a lockout when I first signed the lease a few months ago.

After about a half hour of the locksmith struggling to open the door, he called his partner, presumably asking for help (I couldn't understand what he was saying as he was speaking in Hebrew). His partner shows up soon after and after taking a second to look at the lock, says that the lock has been broken and additional work would be needed to complete the job - and added another $600 onto the bill. I was freaking out because now not only did I lose my keys, the lock to my apartment had been broken by this "locksmith" as well. The partner proceeds to tell me that even though I had to pay the $600, the management company would reimburse me for that amount because the lock was “broken.” Then they also told me that they only take cash and when I told them I didn’t have that kind of money on me, they said they would come with me to an ATM when the job was over.

The partner then leaves and has the first guy finish fixing my lock. After the job was completed I was in a rush to get to the train so the guy drove me to the nearest ATM in a white company van (it had decals advertising their "locksmith services"). I pay the guy $850 and he writes me an itemized receipt and says that I can use this to get the money back from my management company. They acted very pleasant during the entire ordeal, saying things like "oh we're charging you much less than we normally would" and "don't worry about the tax, you don't have to pay that," and said I could call them if I had any issues with the lock afterwards.

HERE'S THE PROBLEM. I called my management company the next day and they told me that there was no way that they were paying for it, and that they are not responsible for things like advertisements posted inside of the building, even though the building is a LOCKED building and requires a code. However, they did say that they would call the number that I called to try to get some of my money back. I then called the number that I think was the "locksmith"'s personal cell phone, but his partner (the second "locksmith") answered instead. I told him that what he had told me about the management company reimbursing me for the charges was incorrect. The guy took down my address and he said he would call me back, but - no surprise here - he never did.

I started researching illegal locksmith practices and learned that what the locksmiths did was illegal and at this point, basically confirmed my current suspicions that they are running a scam. I then searched for the phone number of the company posted on my lock and found that IT WAS LINKED TO SOME GIRL'S INSTAGRAM. I click on it and find pictures of the two guys who scammed me - the second locksmith was her husband and the first locksmith was her brother in law. I think that I found her address based on her GPS locations on her Instagram too. So right now I have the two cell phone numbers, this girl's name, her Instagram account, pictures of the scammers, and what appears to be her address. I'm waiting for my management company to call them on Friday to see if I can get some money back.

Is there anything else I can do at this point?

TL;DR - Lost key, then lost $850 due to a scam.

Answer: You really have no recourse. Why would you pay cash for something like this? Also, who's dumb enough to pay $859 for a lock? You could likely replace the entire door for less than that.


Title: Dog bite 3rd strike, Colorado

Question:
A friend of mine has a dog that is on it's third strike for biting people. Most recently, he bit the UPS guy as he was delivering a package. If it matters, he did come through a gate to come to the front door (which was open) and after dropping the package at the door, the dog bit him on the ankle as he walked away. Not a terrible bite, but it broke the skin. The dog has bitten 2 people before, including a child, both times pretty minor- but breaking the skin each time. Both times she got a ticket and a fine. UPS followed up with a supervisor and the owner received a summons. Her court date is next week.
I suspect this is a "third strike, you're out!" situation, but I'd like to understand what will probably happen. She's not great at understanding the realities of things, and I'd like to be able to be realistic about it.
FWIW, I'm not defending her or the dog. I've witnessed terrible dog bites before and I have very little sympathy for the "he's a sweetheart that wouldn't hurt a fly". He bites.
Thanks for the input.
edit: in Boulder

Answer: This dog is dangerous.Answer #2: It's illegal to harbor a dangerous animal, and they can euthanize the animal for the owner's second or subsequent violation. https://www.animallaw.info/statute/co-dangerous-dog-article-9-offenses-against-public-peace-order-and-decencyAnswer #3: Why does your friend even want to keep this dog that's obviously dangerous?


Title: [WA] Is it illegal for a landlord to give admin key code to prospective tenants?

Question:
Landlord gave master key code to prospective tenants to check out the apartment complex. The prospective tenants were confused about the door numbers and walked into our apartment instead. No landlord or representative were with them. Additionally, another tenant next to us has previously been given this admin code and knows that it opens all apartments.

1) Is this illegal?
2) Does this break our lease?
3) If this doesn't break our lease and they change the master key code, how do we make sure the administration won't give out the key code to non-administration again?

Edit: Just found this in Landlord Duties
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.060
(7) Maintain and safeguard with reasonable care any master key or duplicate keys to the dwelling unit;

Edit 2: Additionally, we just found out that our landlord had given a fellow tenant the master code because her personal code wasn't working. When they fixed her keypad they removed the master code from her door, but never changed the keypads on the rest of our building. That is, they knew she had the master key code to everyone else's dwellings and didn't do anything about it.

Answer:
 This seems like a fairly straightforward violation of his duties under [RCW 59.18.060](http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.060).

Landlord Shall:

>(6) Provide reasonably adequate locks and furnish keys to the tenant;(7) Maintain and safeguard with reasonable care any master key or duplicate keys to the dwelling unit;

Your recourse is to demand, in writing that the landlord correct his negligent actions.  According to [RCW.59.18.070](http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.070), he would have 10 days to remedy the issue.  In this case, I don't think it would be unreasonable to ask that the master code be changed to something that had not been given out to a number of complete strangers.

Your ability to pursue anything further would be dependent on any damages incurred as a result of their negligent behavior or their refusal to correct the problem that they have created.

If you don't already have renter's insurance, get it.  Some cameras for the apartment might not hurt either.

Edit:  After looking a little more, [Here](http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=59.18.100) are the statutes for "Repair and Deduct" in WA.  You would look into this if they haven't corrected the issue within 10 days of proper notification.  It looks like you could have your apartment re-keyed and take the cost out of the next month's rent as long as you provide them with a copy.  Just be very careful to follow the law to the letter if it gets this far.  It is easy to mess up the proper notification and/or get stuck with damages to the property.


Title: Fighting a speeding ticket? (WA)

Question:
I apologize if this is too much detail, I wanted to make the situation as clear as possible. TL;DR is below.

On March 29th (dates are important later), I was pulled over by a motorcycle cop in a school zone. The officer said I was going 32, but he only cited me for going 1-5 over (probably because I wasn't confrontational, and it was my first ticket). The issue is, I *know* I wasn't going 32. I was groaning to myself for not going around the school zone, and being stuck only going 20. (That said, I may have been going a couple mph over the limit.) Because it was a school zone, the fine was doubled ($214) and cannot be reduced.

Because I didn't think I had been speeding, I requested a hearing. On April 8th (a Friday), I called my county's prosecutor's office and asked how I would go about filing a discovery request. The lady on the phone told me I would need to come into the office in person, and fill out a form. The prosecutor's office is in the same building as the local police station.

That afternoon, I went to the station, and the security guards as I came in asked where I was going. I told them I wanted to make a discovery request, and I thought I needed to go upstairs. They didn't know what I meant, so they told me to go to the front desk of the building (also the police department's public office). I did, and told the lady at the front desk that I wanted to make a discovery request for my speeding ticket, and I thought I needed to go upstairs. She didn't seem to know what I meant, so she asked the lady at the other window. This second lady called someone and after a few minutes told me I could file the form with them. She gave me a form, I filled it out, and she told me it wouldn't be filed that day (it was about 4:30 pm, so I didn't think it was a big deal). This was also the day that I mailed my citation to the municipal court to request a hearing.

Fast forward to May 4th, nearly four weeks later. I did not receive any phone calls, e-mails, letters, or other communication from the police department, the prosecutor's office, or the municipal court during this time period, aside from a letter from the court with my court date (tomorrow afternoon).

On May 4th, I went back into the police station (again just after 4), and asked why I hadn't heard anything about my request. The lady at the front desk (not the same lady) seemed confused, so she called over her supervisor. Her supervisor said that she would need to look me up in their system, but because she was off (apparently a few minutes earlier), and she was the only one authorized to look people up in the system, I would need to wait until the next day.

The next morning, she called me, and told me they didn't have any video of the incident, and I would need to ask the municipal court for any other records. I went in to the same building (also the municipal court building) to make that request, and got the copy of my original records request back. It is clearly stamped as "RECEIVED" on April 8th, and clearly shows that I was not contacted until May 5th (the day after I went in to complain/check what was up).

When I got through the line for the municipal court window, the guy at the desk gave me a form to fill out, but told me that I would need to go upstairs to the prosecutor's office if I wanted a copy of the officer's report (he would only be able to file for a copy of the LIDAR unit's certificate of accuracy).

I went upstairs (as I originally thought I needed to) to the prosecutor's office, and told the lady at the desk there what I needed, and she was very helpful (and knew what I was talking about), but she said it could be up to 7 business days before I would receive the records I wanted. I told her that my court date was in only 3 or 4 business days, and I told her I had already waited a month for the police department to respond, and she was very understanding, and promised to get me the report the next day (Friday). It turns out she had found it and e-mailed it to me before I had driven home.

Now that all of that has been said, I wanted to ask if this situation can help get the ticket dismissed? I may have been committing the infraction I was cited for (1-5 over), but I definitely wasn't going 12 over, and I don't want to pay a $214 fine, but I don't think my word will hold much weight against the officer's report.

Washington law requires that public records requests receive a response within 5 business days (RCW 42.56.520), and Washington State court rules require the prosecution provide discovery within 7 days of a hearing (IRLJ 3.1(b)). This last part also requires that defendants request discovery at least 14 days before the hearing. I didn't fulfill this requirement, but the only reason for that was the incompetence/error of the police department and their front desk people. Does this error/incompetence on the part of the police department constitute "prejudice", as mentioned in IRLJ 3.1(b)? If so, can the report be suppressed, the case dismissed, or the trial postponed (so that I can make further requests for LIDAR accuracy tests, etc.)?

TL;DR: I got a speeding ticket when I wasn't speeding, and the police department prevented me from making a discovery request to the prosecutor's office, and then broke state law requiring prompt response thereafter (I doubt this was on purpose). By the time I did make a request to the prosecutor's office, it was technically late enough to have the reports suppressed. Can I get the reports suppressed, the case dismissed, or the trial postponed?

Thank you very much for reading this long post, and for any help/suggestions/advice you can give me!

Links:

[RCW 42.56.520](http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=42.56.520)

[IRLJ 3.1](https://www.courts.wa.gov/court_rules/?fa=court_rules.display&group=clj&set=irlj&ruleid=cljirlj3.1)

EDIT: So, as has been pointed out multiple times, my use of "may" in the phrases "may have been going a couple mph over" and "may have been committing the infraction" is problematic. I did not mean this as "yeah I was probably doing it", but as "anything is possible, but I'm sure I wasn't". I apologize for the confusing language. I'll be sure to avoid "may" in court.

Answer:
 > I may have been committing the infraction I was cited for (1-5 over)

Then what's your defense?


Title: [California] I was hired by a restaurant to cook my own recipes. What do I need in order to protect my right to use the recipes after my employment ends with the restaurant?

Question: I don't mind if the restaurant continues to use the recipes if/after I no longer work there. I just don't want the restaurant to legally prevent me from using the recipes if/after I stop working for them.

Answer: They wouldn't be able to.


Title: My Hotel bill is huge and I don't know why [MN&TX] (more inside)

Question:
Recently I went down to Dallas TX (I'm from Minnesota) for a convention (quakecon) and stayed at the Hilton Anatole for 5 nights. wed22sun26 (check out was on monday the 27th.)

I was sharing the room with 3 other guys (4 total) so we spilt the bill 4 ways. It totaled about $1028 so we each paid $257 when we checked in that wednesday night. That's good and what I agreed too.

However Looking back on my card history I see 3 more separate charges from the hotel on my card from 7/28 (the day after we checked out) These charges totaled $350.

I have yet to contact the hotel as it's 2am here and I'm only toughing base with my friends right now. I'll keep this updated.

Anything I should know or specifically inquire about when I contact the hotel tomorrow morning as to why I'm getting charged so much after the fact? // What can the hotel legally charge me for after I've left?

NOTE: I'm not the person to reserved the hotel with their card.

edit: I tagged this flair as 'contracts' as I'm not entirely sure what to tag this as

Edit: I forgot that the last person paid cash. So if these are temp charges for the original amount it makes sense because they divided it up again on the cards they had.

Original Total 1028 Paid by 4 people is 257 each on check in. But since after we left they only had 3 cards 1028/3 = 342, the amount I'm being charged. (exact is 343.79)(see image)

[Image](https://i.imgur.com/82QG1zB.jpg)

UPDATE: I called their direct customer support and they were able to verify my total was 257.03+129.70. They don't see the extra 125+88 so they told me to call the hotel directly. They couldn't to anything for me there until monday when accounting gets in. Unfortunately my online banking doesn't tell me if the charge is pending or not, There's a chance it might fall off but I'm not sure. I'll probably create a new post linking to this one on monday
Topic:
Contracts

Answer:
 Sometimes they put a charge on hold on your CC. It's on your statement in case of damages/charges but isn't actually being charged. It will disappear off your statement within a business week.

Source: same issue happens to me


Title: Neighbor’s tree guy put a hole in my siding.

Question:
My neighbor had some work done on a giant old growth tree in his front yard. The tree is so big that a lot of it hangs over my property. Treeguy cut off a big branch that fell in my yard, and bounced into the side of my house.
Now i have a hole the size of a fist in the siding. It needs to be repaired.
Treeguy initially offered to repair it himself, or to hire someone to repair it. So far that has not happened.
Should we file this through treeguy’s insurance? Or my homeowners insurance?
My only other thought was to get a quote from my own siding repair guy, then get the money from treeguy and hire my own guy. I just don’t want to pay out of pocket for this.
I’ve lurked this sub for a while, never felt like i needed to post before. What do I do, oh wise subreddit?

Answer:
 Depending on the nature of the job it might come out well below your own insurance deductible so it might not be worth it.

I'd get some estimates first, then reach out to the tree guy and ask how he wants to proceed. If he insists on trying to fix it himself or with his own person, you'll have to decide how much you trust them to get it right. If it comes to an impasse you may need to pursue small claims court to get him to pay for the repair.