Title: OWING MONEY

Question:
 Ok so this is a bit of a long story but bear with me,

 So to start with, i owe my friend $50 for Weed, I've had the money for ages and was able to pay him, but refused to come collect it. Fast forward a few weeks, we are together at another mates place when he just goes OFF, threatening to kill me, trying to fight me, he was really drunk.

 He decides to leave and walk home, but my skateboard was still at his house from earlier in the day, so the next morning i go to pick up my skateboard, but he refuses to let me take it, and said i need to pay him the money back (money i no longer have for other reasons), so his mum offers a solution, she pays him the $50, and then tells me to pay her back in the next 3 days. During this whole thing he cut ties with all of our shared friends, most of them who he himself owed money to. So i decide to pay the others back with the money i owed his mum and give her the rest, the rest being $5.50. Now she is threatening to call the police claiming that its the same as me stealing from her.

Answer:
 Hey listen man. You pay back the people you owe. So that they can choose to do what they want with it, including pay back the third party friends.

Online banking exists too. it sounds like you longed out your friend who's p stupid and couldn't express himself Answer #2: You owed the Mum money. The son owed your friends. You gave your friends money. Even assuming the debts are transferable, you effectively gave the son the moms money.

This means that the Mum (who helped you) loses $50 and the son (who threatened you) gains $50 he no longer had to pay back.

Cops won’t do anything over $50 when “he said, she said”.Answer #3: You complicated the whole thing. As soon as you had money to pay him back, you should have. When someone lends you money, you pay it back ASAP. It’s the honorable and right thing to do to avoid things getting messy. Then his mom was kind enough to pay him for you as long as your repaid her the 50 within 3 days and you still didn’t do what you should have and paid her back. His friends debts have nothing to do with you. You owed money, you should have paid.


Title: Serious question regarding age of consent in Colorado

Question:
Hello,

I realize this is a sensitive subject to most but I'm not sure where else to ask. I did google the information and get an answer but I wasn't entirely sure and would prefer not to make a mistake.

I live in Colorado where the age of consent is 17. I'm not yet in my 30's but I'm older then the girl who wants a relationship with me.

As the age of consent is 17 does that mean it is legal for her and I to exchange pictures and actually have a relationship?

I know it sounds scummy. I don't want to break the law though. If anyone can help I'd appreciate it
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 If she's under 18, exchanging pictures would constitute child porn on her end and another crime on your end. Wait till she's 18. She's literally jailbait.Answer #2: Federal law would apply to any type of communications you have over your phones, for instance. Federal law says the age of consent is 18.

And you’re right...this does sound scummy.


Title: Wife left a few weeks ago, has not told me where she is. Question about property

Question:
(Texas)  My wife has bipolar disorder and stopped taking her meds months ago. She stopped talking to me back in February and abruptly left 3 weeks ago without telling me where.

She stopped paying any bills in January. I know she is now in California because of snapchats she is sending friends.

I texted her and told her I needed her to get her belongings out of the apartment or send money for storage and she replied that she couldn't come get them. I told her she has 3 days before I get rid of it.

3/4 of what is in my apartment is her clothing/shoes etc.

Do I have any legal requirement to maintain it? I have no ETA on her ever getting it and the lease is up in a few months.

Answer:
 You can safely pack everything up and put it all in storage at your expense until the lease expires. You are responsible for any damages that occur. She was a resident of the apartment and has a right to keep her things there until she is formally vacated.

If she is on the lease: there's not much you can do except move it to storage and tell her where the storage is located along with instructions on how to access it. You must pay the bill for the storage unit because you're the one who put it there. The main reason to do this is so she can't claim that you wrecked/stole/sold all her stuff before the divorce.

If she is not on the lease you can issue in writing a 30 day notice to vacate and hope she doesn't return. This is probably pointless because she could come home on day 29 and maintain her tenancy.

Her stuff is technically your stuff too since you're married. The fate of it all and who will pay to have it stored will come down to divorce proceedings,


Title: Moving out

Question:
So, I'm 19 years old and a legal adult. I am moving out at the end of this month. I am wondering what is legally mine and cannot be revoked by police if my parents go off the deep end, which i suspect they will. I want to bring my clothes, but I'm not worried thaf anyone will try and argue that I need to return them. I bought my phone my self (I am employed). My dad bought me a computer for educational use and has never used it.
The other issue is he claims I owe him money. 5k+  for not adhering to rules. Every time Id break a rule he'd add on a fee. I will admit I was very stupid. He gave me a credit card in my name but attached to his account for my own personal use and I spent some money, but he completely paid it off. And the card was in my name. I have since given it back. This was ~1-2 years ago.  This has been true since I was 15. I never signed anything. This was simply imposed.

Am I going to have to pay anything? Can I take anything? He's immensely petty. I wouldn't put it past him to try and call the cops to get me institutionalized.
I have screen shots of him calling me a bitch and other names and telling me to move out, though. But then he flips and says that if I'm just better he'll be good and its my fault

Am I in any legal trouble? What would get me in legal trouble?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: You do not have to pay 5k of "fees" for nothing that aren't in any sort of contract. Any contract you signed as a minor should be void anyway. You should be able to take possessions that are reasonably yours.


Title: Received speeding ticket in Virginia while in a rental car. 81 in a 70 zone. Called lawyer to fight ticket it costs $300 for representation. Ticket is for $130. Is it worth it to get a lawyer?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 Speeding over 80 in Virginia is a crime, not an infraction. You should DEFINITELY get a lawyer.

You shouldn't be worried about a traffic ticket on your record; you should be worried about a misdemeanor. What statute number does it say on the ticket?


Title: DUI and Concealed Carry

Question:
so bear with me, because this is an issue of different states.

Alright, I’ll start off by stating I am an Indiana citizen, attending university in Illinois. Because I am only in Illinois for school, while I am a resident over the past 4 years, I’m able to retain my Indiana citizenship, and therefore abide by Indiana firearm purchase laws in Indiana. Additionally, my concealed carry license was obtained in Florida, to make it all the more confusing. Anyway, I do not need a FOID to have firearms in my Illinois house, but cannot conceal carry in Illinois unless I obtain one.

Half a year ago, I was issued a DUI and am currently under court supervision.

That being said, I am spending two months in Austin, Texas, while I work as an engineer. My stay here was approved my the Illinois court, as well as all other necessary work travel.

So my question boils down to whether or not I can legally concealed carry in Austin, as an Indiana citizen, with an Illinois DUI, and a Florida CC license.

Answer: NAL but I think your Best bet is to call the local Sherriff to verify.


Title: Never got my gun back...

Question:
Back in 2008-ish, in Phoenix, Arizona, I was the owner of a check cashing/convenience store when my employees and I were ambushed by 3 men with guns. They acted like customers and strolled around until I had to access a door and then pounced.  Long story short, they got some money and demanded my keys to my car parked right in front of the front door.
I was concealing a gun in my waistband but didn't go for it because they literally had one pointed at my head.  When they started to leave, I pulled it out and ran after them.  They were getting into my vehicle and were facing me, I saw the guns in their hands and when I saw them raising their guns toward me, I started firing.  They ducked into the car, floored it in reverse and miraculously didn't hit anyone or anything as they went all the way across the street.  Then, they put it into drive and peeled out and turned the corner.

Police were called and I was so numb from the combination of adrenaline and ear popping gunshots.  Since my gun was involved in the shooting, they had to take it in until the investigation was complete.  The cops consoled me and told me I did well and told me I should go get another gun if I didn't have a back up.
During the investigation, they got a call saying they'd found my vehicle in a parking lot a few blocks from my store.

Witnesses saw the guys run into a nondescript crown vic saying one was dragging ass and super bloody.

We got to the car and sure enough, all 13 rounds (H&K 2000SK) accounted for with holes all over the windshield and hood.  Rips and tears throughout the cabin, headrests, and upper liner along with blood.  This is when I learned the lesson that hollowpoints are not enough when shooting through objects. :)

Anyhoo, long story short.  Didn't hear anything back from the detective or cops after that initial report.  They did tell me I would be able to get my gun but I didn't know when.  I even called the police department and asked for the detective a few years later and they informed me that she had transferred to a completely other department.  I left a message and even that was a few years ago.
What do I need to do?
I didn't get anything in the mail or notice; I'm just afraid my gun was sold at some auction.

In hindsight, I should have kept records of the times I tried contacting them but now all I have is a case number and the detective's name.

Do I have any legal standing where I can ask them to show me proof IF they had tried contacting me to give me my property back?

Answer: Go to the police station in person and ask what's up.  It may be that the court action is still pending.  It may also be that you're out of luck, nine years on.


Title: [WI] How to handle child support lien on recently deceased father's car

Question: Ok, so my dad, who passed away this week, owed back child support to my mom, who died 3 years ago (we tried to get the debt cleared after that, but of course the child support wouldnt even give a straight answer whether it was even a possibility.) I am his only child and next of kin. I found paperwork showing that he has a child support lien on his car. I know this means that they would be able to take it to go towards the debt before I inherit it, but since the person who SHOULD be getting that money is dead, and I'm the only one the child support was for, is it possible that the debt could just be forgiven and I could keep the vehicles, or is the state just going to take his assets from the only person left who the payments were meant to benefit in the first place? It may be worth mentioning that the debt is pretty substantial and the total value of his assets would barely make a dent in it.

Answer:
 Who was your mother's next of kin? Has her estate been probated?

The debt is owed to her (now her estate), not you.

I don't know the steps you would need to take to have the lien removed. You should consult with a local attorney to see what the best course of action is.


Title: Emotional support animals and individual bedroom leases in 4br apartments. [ME]

Question:
Hi,

I signed a year-long lease at an apartment building geared towards students. The lease is for a single bedroom with shared bathroom/kitchen/living room. As cats were not allowed in the lease, I thought it was irrelevant to mention an allergy to cats in my application.

When I showed up to move in today, I found a large cat in the apartment. I went directly to the office to say that I could not live there. They assured me that they would try to find another tenant willing to trade rooms with me so that I can avoid living with a cat.

They seemed to think that since I neglected to mention an allergy, I was at their mercy. I mentioned that I saw that cats were explicitly not allowed and that I had not consented to live with one.

Do I have any leverage or recourse in the case that they are unable to help me? I have all my belongings in my car and have nowhere to stay. I plan to sleep in the room for the time being but stay out outside of the apartment for all other purposes.

Please help, I have been living out of my car for days now waiting for my move-in date. I can provide sections of the lease for reference if requested.

Add'l, possibly irrelevant information:
- The apartment I was assigned to is also filthy and the lock to the bedroom door is broken.
- The lease mentions "any swimming pools" and also, "the swimming pool". Does the article "the" imply that there will be a pool?

Answer:
 This likely depends on the severity of your allergy. Sneezing and being uncomfortable may not be a disability. Your throat closing and hives should be a disability and be accommodated.

Get a doctors note stating your allergies rise to the level of a disability and request a reasonable accommodation.


Title: Bit into a burger in a Toronto restaurant and there was a piece of jewelry cooked into the meat patty

Question: I was offered a comped burger and a $50 gift card. What are my real options here?

Answer:
 If nothing happened to you, the real options are a free sandwich and a $50 gift card.Answer #2: Were you hurt? If not, they owed you a burger. I’d say you made off like a bandit.

The myth that you’re going to get rich because you found something in your food is just that... it’s make believe.


Title: (US-NJ) If a spouse declares bankruptcy, does it affect the other?

Question: My wife has accumulated about $15,000 in various credit card debt over the years.  This debt is in her name only.  With recent events in our lives (children), we were planning on having her stop working but because of this debt and the payments, it would not be feasible.  My thought is if she would declare bankruptcy, would this affect me at all.  Only asset in her name is our house, which is jointly owned and the debt is strictly credit card and other unsecured loans, which are strictly in her name only.  Would this be an avenue to explore with a lawyer?  Would the amount ($15,000) be significant enough to try? Finally, would this affect myself, our house (jointly owned), or my earnings/credit score in anyway?  I am in NJ. Thank you

Answer:
 $15k?  Filing bankruptcy is going to do more harm than good over that amount.  Figure a way to pay it off as best you can (there are several good get-out-of-debt books out there than can help).

If she is the only person on the debt, then it is just hers.  But filing bankruptcy costs money and is a headache, and will damage hers (and maybe even your) credit for years.  If you have any sort of okay income, a good budget plan will help pay it off.


Title: I want to adopt my ex step son and my ex wife is ok with it.

Question:
My ex wife and I are friends but we couldn't get a long being married. That's just how things are and both of us are happy with our new lives.

When we met she had a son "Chris"that was 6 months. I am the only father he knows. We had another son "Paul" and they are three years apart. I wanted to adopt  Chris and we were going through the process before we divorced and the adoption agency screwed us over and well we ended up calling it quits.

Both of the boys come to my house for my time with them. This hasn't stopped since we split up. I have since been remarried and she has her partner. My wife sees Chris as one of her own and my family treats him no different than Paul.

My ex and I want to legally make Chris my son. But every lawyer tells us this is impossible to make happen. We find it frustrating for two good parents that want something together that we can't get this done?

We have reached out to the biological father and he wants nothing to do with him. Here I am dying to be legally his father and the guy that doesn't want anything to do with him probably has more legal rights than me.

Does anyone have any advice or ways around this? We are in TN BTW.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: this has been going on 10 years now. Some people seem to this that this is a fly by night type of thing.

Answer:
 Find an attorney that specializes in adoptions. If both your ex and bio-dad approve, this sounds like an easy case. Especially if it will get them out of child-support.Answer #2: >we were going through the process before we divorced and the adoption agency screwed us over and well we ended up calling it quits.

I think the divorce probably is the reason the adoption agency (why you didn't get a family law attorney instead is beyond me but ok) pulled out.

>My ex and I want to legally make Chris my son. But every lawyer tells us this is impossible to make happen.

It will be hard for a judge to say "I'm going to terminate bio dad's rights so your ex husband can adopt your son"

You will need to find a lawyer who is willing to tackle this and that will be hard to find.

The best interest of the child is first and is it in the best interest of the child to have the mom's ex husband adopt him?


Title: University professor arbitrarily changing grades- California

Question:
I go to a California university, and there is a professor that students openly believe is modifying grades depending if they like you or not. I am wondering if since I am paying for this class with a well defined grading scale, if I get a much lower grade than am due is there any recourse for me to take?

The teacher has been accused before of this, and two other students and I have compared our grades with returned work. The class is a simple flat point system and two of us have grades over 15% reduced and the other student is 20% above where they should be. All three of us have every assignment from this year.

Is there anything I can do? I can provide more information if needed.

Sorry for grammar on a phone

Edit: have been informed this is not a legal issue sorry for inconvenience

Answer:
 I mean, how can you prove that they're "arbitrarily" doing this?

Grading (outside of explicit areas, such as multiple choice exams) is largely subjective and there is very little you can do to fight it.


Title: [Ontario, Canada] Under what circumstances can building security force entrance into a tenants home?

Question: I work as a concierge and management has told me to force entry if there's a likely water leak in a tenant's home. This doesn't sound totally legal to me, am I in the clear if I do this?

Answer:
 To be clear, is this a rental building? If so, the [Residential Tenancy Act](http://canlii.ca/t/536fd#sec26) says:

> 26 (1) A landlord may enter a rental unit at any time without written notice,

> (a) in cases of emergency; or

> (b) if the tenant consents to the entry at the time of entry.

A water leak is an emergency, and you would be acting on the landlord's behalf.


Title: former employer registered myname.com and posted a frivolous lawsuit they filed against me. Any recourse?

Question:
Earlier this year my former employer filed a lawsuit against me for a breach of contract/NCA violation.  I filed a motion to dismiss which was quickly granted by the courts.  This happened a couple months back.  The lawsuit was filed end of February, domain registered March 5th.  The content on the page is only the lawsuit they filed.

I assume I have no recourse but to bury the thing by out ranking it on other sites, but I figure I'd ask.

Also, on March 6th my former employer sent out this email to many people in our industry.  (I work in a very niche industry so reaching out to 50 or 100 is a huge number)

Subject: Warning - **MY NAME** - CV2015-XXXXXX - Non-Compete Violation

Please see the attached lawsuit.

We also discovered that **MY NAME** is still representing online that he is currently employed by our company.  This is NOT the case and he does not represent our company in any fashion.

We felt that it was prudent that we inform you of the attached legal action.

We at **FORMER EMPLOYER** take these matters very seriously, as we are sure that you also do. With this in mind, please let us know if **MY NAME** contacts you in regards to the **(our industry)** industry.

Additionally, we would like to discuss paying you up to **(amount)** over **(industry recognized)** value for **(industry product)** that you may have. Or even a referral fee if you might know someone that does…

Thanks,

**OWNER OF FORMER EMPLOYER**
**PHONE NUMBER**
**FORMER EMPLOYER**
**FORMER EMPLOYER AKA**

Any thoughts on recourse involving both the website/domain and the email?  This is in Arizona.

Answer:
 Yeah this is definitely lawyer territory, and I would make sure not to contact this former employer - let your lawyer decide how best to contact them, make her your proxy.  This could be a tricky one and what you can expect to have happen will depend on what sort of judge ends up presiding; it definitely makes blood boil, but it's not necessarily cut and dry in your favour.

I will say what this former employer has decided to do here is very unwise.Answer #2: IANAL, but I feel this needs to be said.... Please keep us as updated as your lawyers will allow. I'm really intrigued by your story, and am curious how it will play out. Good luck!


Title: My husband is trying to murder me and my lawyer says there's nothing she can do. Now what?

Question:
Texas UNITED STATES,  TX

TEXAS

We escaped from my husband last week.  Since then he's threatened to murder me both in screenshots and voice recordings.  He keeps trying to track us remotely and harass my friends and family to find me.  He has my vehicle and all of our possessions. My lawyer and the police where he is at that there's nothing we can do.  He is heavily armed with automatic weapons.  He will eventually find us.  I'm running out of time.  What can I do?  Thank you.

Answer:
 The police aren't taking death threats seriously?

Try Genesis Women's Shelter - Outreach

Dallas, TX, USA · +1 214-389-7700

Maybe they can point you in the right direction re: staying safe. Answer #2: Did your lawyer not suggest you apply for a restraining order?Answer #3: I would suggest not posting this with your main account if you're worried about him tracking your movements.  Use a throwaway and keep details as vague as you can. Someone else suggested a shelter, go there if you can. Answer #4: Something very fishy about this post tbh.


Title: Will CPS take my baby away because of this?

Question:
Florida

My husband and I had to make an emergency move to a different state,if he didn't he would have lost his job and health insurance, I'm in my third trimester(34 weeks) and as a result I'm having a huge issues finding an OB/GYN that will accept me as a patient. I've been receiving medical care up until now.

I've been told that if I can't find an OB by the time I give birth that the baby will be taken away.

Answer:
 No. Really, no.

You need an OB, true, or some kind of birth plan, but your child won't be taken from you on this basis.

Do you have any health insurance? You mention your husband but it's not clear if his insurance covers you.
Do post your location though.


Title: Can my landlord deny access to the kitchen?

Question:
I'm a J1 student currently staying in Wisconsin Dells. My rent agreement that I signed lists the use of a kitchen and the lodgings description provided by my agency also lists the use of a kitchen.

He has changed the code to the kitchen and not told anyone. Can I legally short te rent seeing as I am no longer getting everything that I was promised?

Answer:
 First: Don’t short rent that’s a really bad idea and can get you evicted. Second unless you meet these criteria

““Tourist or transient occupants" means tourists or other persons who occupy a dwelling unit for less than 60 days while traveling away from their permanent place of residence.”

You aren’t a transient occupant. If you signed a lease start by contacting your landlord and express to them that in your lease you had kitchen access. If they don’t provide you with the code then you can start the process of trying to get out of the lease and going after them for damages.Answer #2: I would check to see if your school’s student services has access to legal advice.  A lot of school do provide this and do to the student population they might be pretty familiar with tenant rights.!Answer #3: Seasonal worker at the water park?  Yeah, the housing situation in the Dells for those suck.  I used to work with a bank that had a lot of the landlords as borrowers.  The main problem is going to be getting anything done before the season is over. Things just dont move that fast.

Have you asked for the code and/or why they are locking it?


Title: Need out of an apprenticeship

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If your contract doesn't mention any prior notice, just leave. Answer #2: At-will employment works both ways: they can fire you for any non-discriminatory reason and you can quit for any reason and without notice.

Could they try to sue you? Sure, anyone can sue for any reason. It doesn't mean they will be successful. The business would have to prove that you broke the contract (an uphill battle given that they made it clear you are at-will) and that they suffered a loss (an uphill battle because you were an apprentice).


Title: Verizon sent my account to collections after I suspended service with military orders

Question: I had my account suspended with military orders and that suspension lasts 3 years.  Half way through my tour overseas apparently the account reactivated and they starting billing me without my knowledge and then charged me a cancellation fee of 300 dollars.  I didn't pay that because I had no knowledge of what was going on and then they end up sending the account to collections agency.  I just came back yesterday and tried to buy a phone which is how I found out.  I've never had a credit card or taken a loan so I have never had any credit and when I checked my credit score it's a score of 550 now.  I've called Verizon and I've spent hours on the phone with them, all of them agreeing they messed up but none of them have offered me any solid help.  Can I sue for negligence or something like that?  I've faxed them a copy of my military orders and they said they got it but it wasn't the right department even though it was the fax number they gave me and that they won't send it to the correct office.  I have no idea how credit works but now I have to pay a down payment to get a phone and has me worried as I'm going to be renting an apartment next month.  I'm worried my rates will skyrocket because of this.  Any help would be appreciated.

Answer:
 This is a very easy fix - stop calling Verizon, call base JAG/legal, and loop in your chain of command. If you want to seek out damages speak to an attorney familiar with debt collection and defense law. Answer #2: As you have already discovered, Verizon's phone and on-line support is unable to resolve any but the simplest problems.  I think they are all located off-shore in Uselessistan.

However, Verizon has a form, an email address, and a snail-mail address for addressing disputes, here:

[https://www.verizonwireless.com/dam/support/pdf/Notice\_of\_Dispute.pdf](https://www.verizonwireless.com/dam/support/pdf/Notice_of_Dispute.pdf)

I filed that form and got a response from an actual Verizon employee - about three weeks later.  It's better than nothing, I guess.

That form also lists a customer-service phone number that may be  different than the one you have been calling.  Maybe you can get through to a useful human being if you call that number.

&#x200B;Answer #3: You can speak with a consumer attorney about your options. You could also try to contact the office of the Verizon CEO for customer service.


Title: Car Vandalised at College

Question: Hi Reddit. So I go to a college in lower New York. This is my second srmester there. We have mandatory student parking which is not secured or overwatched by cameras. Last semester my vehicle and all other student vehicles had swastikas carved into the paint. The guy was never caught and i never pressed because I was planning on painting the car anyways. This semester the vandalism was a bit worse, as somebody threw a large bolt through my rear windshield. The college did nothing to prevent this, as the student parking was still unsecured and unmonitored. The repairs cost over $300 and my insurance wouldn't cover it and neither would the college. So in addition to losing $300, i also had to put off applying to local jobs because i had no way to get to work. I spoke to a Sheriff friend of mine who said that the college is indeed liable to pay. Can somebody verify whether this is true, what law makes this true, and how i can get them to do so?

Answer:
 The only person liable to pay you for your damages here is the person who damaged/vandalized your car. The university almost certainly has no liability to cover damages to your car done by someone else.

&#x200B;

EDIT- If this seems to be a recurring issue, I might suggest you contact your university's ombudsman, and see if they can help you make a complaint about the poor security in the university parking area.


Title: Musician in need of help

Question:
I've had an arrangement to play at a hotel in Boston for the last 3 saturdays. I agreed with the manager on $300 per night. I have yet to get paid and the manager seems to be avoiding my calls. We did not sign a contract although there are extensive email records of our agreements where we specifically talk about payments. I emailed on Monday (6 days ago) and haven't been able to get ahold of him all week. I'm thinking I might have to take legal action to get the $900 he owes me. I'm thinking about small claims court but have also read that arbitration might be better. Should I give him more time? Or tell him sooner that I plan to take legal action if this is not resolved? I would really appreciate any help with this.

edit: I forgot to mention that I know a guy who said he was shafted by the same hotel a couple of years ago, so I'm very suspicious.

Answer:
 Oligatory NAL.

If you have emails detailing the cost of services, and an agreement to pay, then that will suffice as a contract. Massachusetts makes it very easy to file a small claims order (almost too easy). This is something that you could fill out yourself, and submit along with a $50 filing fee. The Statement of Small Claim and Notice of Trial form also includes the option to resolve through mediation (Part 5) or proceed with the court hearing if mediation is denied by the defendant.

In this case, you would claim the $900 owed, as well as reimbursement for the court costs of $50, for a total claim of $950. The official notice of trial and summons may be enough to get them to pay.


Title: [NY] My doctor has apparently said things about me to my ex wife during an appointment

Question: My ex-wife and I still see the same doctor for regular check ups, and he has supposedly said things about me while she was in for an appointment. To be clear, he has not revealed any information about my medical records, etc. He expressed an opinion about me in an unprofessional manner. Is there any legal recourse I should be considering?

Answer:
 > He expressed an opinion about me in an unprofessional manner.

If he doesn't reveal legally protected information, you have no legal recourse to stop him expressing an opinion.

Your recourse is to stop using him.Answer #2: Unprofessional? Maybe. Illegal? No.  Just switch doctors if you feel uncomfortable Answer #3: Bear in mind you ex-wife could be lying.  "Even so and so says you are .." Is a common thing people do to each other in divorce.  My ex wife did it to me a few times exactly like that and I later learned out she never even talked to the people.


Title: [USA-CO] My roommate took my rent money and never gave it to our apartment complex. Just now finding out and I'm being evicted tomorrow. Help!!

Question:
I pay my roommate $500 every month for rent and it all goes towards the apartment complex (our landlord). However, last month she apparently didn't pay. I was never made aware of this by anyone including the complex itself. This morning, I woke up to a notice on my door saying I have until tomorrow to remove my belongings because the sheriffs department will be coming either tomorrow or anytime thereafter to remove my belongings. I have nowhere to go, my roommate isn't responding, and she took my previous months rent money.

Just a side note. When I first moved in, I was living with her and her boyfriend. They broke up, and when he moved out he no longer payed anything towards rent, even though he's still on the lease. I'm not sure if he was ever required to still contribute or not.

Anyways, so basically she screwed me out of my rent, kept it for herself, and now I'm being evicted. Is there anything I can do from a legal perspective to keep my apartment or at least get my money back? Any help would be wonderful. Thanks in advance!

Answer: Assuming the apartment complex followed the eviction process properly, you have no right to that space. They will evict you, forcefully. You need to take your room mate to small claims court. Hopefully you have some proof that you paid her. Keep any receipts you have. Ask for the returned rent, the cost of relocation due to the short notice eviction, damage deposit and court fees. It's a shitty situation. Good luck.


Title: [michigan] roads marks as "No trucks"

Question: On my way home from work I was behind a rather large (~50ft) truck. I noticed as I was waiting for them to make the same left I do that the road has a "No Trucks" sign. I have the License plate of the truck. What can I do? How illegal is it for them to drive on these roads (apart from the swerving they had to do to avoid low hanging branches and the potholes they are the catalyst for)

Answer:
 /u/ConditionYellow is right.  You can complain to your local police.  But they are unlikely to take action on it, especially if you don't have a picture or other evidence.

>How illegal is it for them to drive on these roads

There are often some exceptions to a "No Trucks" regulation like for local deliveries.  So unaware of the circumstances as to why the truck was on the road, it may not be illegal at all (which is a reason police often don't enforce when they don't directly witness the event).   But again /u/ConditionYellow is right that it would be somewhat significant as a commercial driving violation if not covered by an exception.


Title: Can Bill Cosby file for incompetent counsel for his lawyer's nap in court?

Question: No matter what he did, no defendant should have their lawyer exhibit such blatantly unprofessional behavior.

Answer:
 To win on an ineffective assistance of counsel argument, you'd need to show that the result would likely have been different had it not been for the shortcoming you're pointing out. Do you think Cosby would have won if his attorney hadn't dozed off?Answer #2: From the article I read it was only when the judge was reading back testimony previously heard that the jury wanted to hear during deliberations. It would be hard to say him being awake at that point would change the outcome.Answer #3: I don't know if you've ever sat through a real trial, but they're long and borring and most of the work happens in prep.

Sleeping on it's face is not enough to show ineffective assistance of counsel. The standard is very high because trial strategy is highly subjective.

You could have a lawyer who pulls an all nighter on a last minute, crucial part of a case and consequently nods off for part of the trial, but is still prepared for a critical moment that makes the case. The lawyer might not have fallen asleep without doing the prep work but also might have lost the case.


Title: Car repair shop requesting payment after I received bill receipt saying I owe $0

Question:
I was in an accident 3 months ago that was determined by the Atlanta Police Department to be 100% the other parties fault. When dealing with the other parties' insurance company they determined I was still 30% liable for the accident, meaning I would have to pay for 30% of my repairs.

After disputing their decision got me nowhere, I accepted the 30% liable decision. I went to a repair shop that would deal directly with the insurance company and their adjuster. The insurance company adjuster than called me telling me the repair's cost $2000 but that I owed nothing(Also have this in email). This was clearly a mistake that I did not correct. Then 1 week later I received a phone call from the insurance company saying they made a mistake and I really owe $600. When I tried to dispute this mistake they told me I could either pay and pick up my car or not pay and the repair shop would hold my car. Even though I would not have agreed to the $2000 chargers if I did know I would have to owe $600.

Than I went to pick up my car and the repair shop told me I owed nothing and gave me a receipt saying I owed $0. Now 2 months later the repair shop is requesting the $600 saying the insurance company is telling them I owe that amount. The repair shop is threatening to send me to claims court. Do they have a solid case against me if I have a receipt saying I owe $0?

Answer:
 No. You have an email saying you owe nothing and a receipt saying you owe nothing. Keep them both safe and ignore their threats. Ignore all contact.

However IF YOU RECEIVE A SUMMONS TO COURT DO NOT IGNORE THAT. Go with all your documents and present them to the judge. If you fail to show the case will automatically go in their favor.


Title: Elevator out for 11 days - homeowners can't leave homes (Illinois)

Question:
Hi Legal Advice -

My grandma lives in IL in a condo that she bought and owns.  It is part of a three story building with 4 condos on each floor.  My grandma lives on the 3rd floor and relies solely on the elevator to transport her up and down.  All of the people who live in the building (and all of the identical buildings on the property) are elderly, but it is not a nursing home or assisted living society - it is just a set of condos that are all owned by elderly people (and was designed this way).

As of today, the elevator in their building has been broken for 11 days.  This means that 8/12 condos in the building have to use stairs to get in and out of their homes.  Since my grandma cannot use stairs, she has been stuck in her home for 11 days.  Another member of the building had knee surgery and has been going up and down the stairs on his bum (second floor).  Another has had to cancel a biopsy appointment because they cannot take the stairs, and my grandma also cancelled a doctor follow-up for the same reason.  It has also been 90 degrees in Illinois this week and the staircases do not have air.

My mother contacted the management of the building and inquired about the elevator.  She was told that "my grandma knew that there was only one elevator in the building when she purchased the condo".  My grandma has emails that show the building managers knew the elevator needed repairs before it went out but did not make the improvements.   All of the elderly people in the building are full owners of their condos.  They also put money in for maintenance of the building (I don't know if it's HOA or just groundskeeping or what) each month, but I do not know how that money is allocate.

Is there anything the owners of these condos should be asking/pushing for/doing to improve this situation?  Supposedly the elevator will be fixed on Monday (July 15), but at that point the members of this condo will be without an elevator for 15 days.  If ya'll can help me think of questions I should have my mom (who is my gma's Power of Attorney) or the other members of the building ask I would really appreciate it - these are all elderly people that can't afford nursing homes but had enough money to buy these condos in "communities" and could use any suggestions we can offer them.  Thank you so much!

Answer:
 You NEED to escalate this to the fire department ASAP and the fire marshal..  Management cannot allow a safety issue like this to languish.  Call them immediately, even a non-emergency line tonight.  Explain that your grandmother and other residents are trapped in the building and management is not helping.

&#x200B;

Belive me, they will bring the hurt down on the management.  They will wish they had acted sooner.


Title: Help, my mom saying we are on a “list”.

Question: So last night around 12 I accidentally called 911 with my phones emergency system. There was nothing said on the call and a sheriff had to come and check everything was okay, me and mother 14 y/o friend were home alone. My mom is saying we are gonna he on some list and that FDC is going to come check our house a bunch and maybe even take me. Will this happen or is she just trying to scare me???

Answer: Absolutely not. If you accidently call 911, they will either call back or a sherriff will check it out, and if you're fine, they go. End of story. You aren't on some list. Answer #2: You don't mention you location, which is maybe important, but assuming you live just about anywhere in the US, nothing will come of this. She is just trying to scare you.


Title: Company performed survey without being hired, demanding payment

Question: A company (in Mississippi) performed a property survey after I inquired about rates and scheduling; they said they'd call me back to let me know when they could come. They didn't call back, and so I went with another company. Many days later, the company who never called me back sent me a bill. I explained I never hired them. I think they've sent me to a debt collector? Am I obligated to pay them? Do I have any rights? Everything was via phone until now.

Answer: If you didn't sign a contract, you're not obligated to pay.  Send the collector a Debt Validation letter.


Title: Is streaming videos from shady websites considered illegal?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Yes, it's illegal. You didn't (and the site) don't have permission for free use of the video content.

That said... the website would be hit far more severely than you, if it came to it.


Title: [Canada] Doctors told me my appointment will be cancelled if I don't bring someone with me.

Question:
I'm going in for a procedure and I'll be heavily sedated. They've said that if I am not accompanied by someone else to escort me home afterwards, they won't perform anything on me. I live alone and don't have friends or family. It seems I am being denied medical access because of my solitary lifestyle.

what should I do

Answer:
 You can hire a private duty nurse for a day. Or you could ask them to admit you overnight until you are no longer sedated.Answer #2: You're being denied healthcare because it's in the interest of your safety. Do you have literally no acquaintances?Answer #3: >It seems I am being denied medical access because of my solitary lifestyle.

Having a solitary lifestyle isn't one of the prohibited grounds for discrimination; also, when they release you from their care, you will be in no fit state to take care of yourself, so they have to entrust that to someone who is physically there. It would be negligent of them not to.

If you've nobody who can do that, your option is to hire someone.Answer #4: Would a service like Nurse Next Door be helpful for you?

No personal experience, but their website claims they provide (among other things) transportation and medical care, which sounds like exactly what you need.  You can hire their people by the hour and they are licensed and insured.

I think it's intended for seniors but if you explain your situation they may be able to assist you even if you are not a senior.Answer #5: The doctor can refuse to perform the procedure. You can hire someone to go with you. There are various services. It is for your own safety.


Title: Belgium: contract says no pets. I have a bearded dragon.

Question: My landlord is coming for a visit soon. I got a small bearded dragon as a present from my parents. It is in a terrarium so it doesn't roam or can potentially damage the property however my landlord is pretty strict. Now I am scared he can do something legally( put me out of the house for example) for breaking the contract.

Answer:
 Well, first of all you need to ask your landlord what constitutes a pet. Fish? Lizards? Just dogs and cats? Maybe birds?

If he says all of the above are banned, get rid of the pet. Give it back to your parents, a friend, whatever. You knew before you accepted the gift that there was a no pets clause.


Title: Moms boss is taking away her salary

Question:
So my mom works for a small stock photography company, which is US owned and based in New York. A little more then 4 years ago the company got a new CEO based out of the UK. Since he took over all the other US sales people have been let go except for my mom, who was and currently is the main source of income for the company. There is one UK rep, but he barely brings in any business.

Previously the new CEO has fought her on paying her owed sick days/ vacation time, and switched her pay from bimonthly to once a month. Today she got an email saying this is the last month she would be paid her salary(January) and she will no longer receive benefits or PTO, and be purely commission based, as “ the company can not afford it”.

Their fiscal year is the calendar year. My question here is 1. Can he do this change to her outside of any notification? 2. Does she have any sort of working/ labor laws to protect her here?

She already is barely scrapping by with the salary and commission she was getting so I wanted to ask for advice or help to protect her from taking a big hit like this.

Thank you in advance.
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 > switched her pay from bimonthly to once a month

New York doesn't allow that for private companies.

> New York. Weekly payday for manual workers. Semi-monthly payday upon approval for manual workers and for clerical and other workers.

[Here's a good rundown of commission-only employees.](https://smallbusiness.chron.com/rights-commissiononly-paid-workers-44625.html) For example, she has to still make at least minimum wage. She may be eligible for unemployment depending on how much of a cut in pay this is. She should look for another job. This one seems like it's circling the bowl and it's also not providing her with what she needs in terms of income.Answer #2: >Today she got an email saying this is the last month she would be paid her salary(January) and she will no longer receive benefits or PTO, and be purely commission based, as “ the company can not afford it”.

This is likely enough to consider it being fired and offered a lower paying new job, meaning she can likely successfully apply for unemployment just as if she was fired.Answer #3: If she doesn't agree to work for the new wages she can refuse to work. It is legal to change wages going forward.


Title: I messed up my mom's tax return form.

Question: So I always do my mom's taxes through turbotax.com. My mom is divorced and has joint custody of my brother. In the custody agreement, it says that he lives with his father 6 months and his mother 6 months. When I filled out her taxes I unknowingly put that he lived with her 12 months. Now the father is suing my mother. Should my mother and I be worried? I really didn't even think about it and admit it was 100% my fault.

Answer: She could just pay him what he should have gotten if taxes has been fined currently.


Title: [AK] Dog caught lice during kennel stay over holidays. Can we seek repercussions for vet visit or medication from the boarding kennel?

Question:
My wife and I left our 1 year old golden retriever at a boarding kennel for around 12 days. We have used this location before and we’re quite happy with it.

As soon as we picked up our pup we noticed that she had little red spots all over her body. We weren’t quite sure what it was, but today we noticed that she had tiny black dots around the red areas. This pretty much confirms some sort of lice or tick. We will take her to the vet on Wednesday.

We don’t know the proper way to request for the boarding kennel to pay for her vet trip or any medication.

I should also mention that at our altitude and location that we were advised by several vets that we do not require any medication for lice / ticks during the winter months, so this was a double surprise for us.

Any help given is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Answer: I'm really surprised your vet told you not to use flea/tick prevention treatment in the winter months. Most vets recommend it year-round even if you're in a colder climate, for reasons which obviously are clear to you now.


Title: Does Social Security recognize Common Law Marriage in California even though California doesn’t recognize it?

Question:
My father who I haven’t seen or talked to in about 18 years became terminally ill and I was contacted to put him on hospice and to fill out the death certificate since I was his only next of kin. He had no estate, and what pension he did have, he made it a single life annuity pension. His “partner” didn’t realize that California doesn’t recognize common law marriages since she claims they have been together for about 10 years. She has no legal right to anything as far as I can tell.

&#x200B;

She is under the impression if she can get family and friends to claim that they were a “couple” for that long, that she can go to social security and claim sole survivor benefits. I don’t want her to screw over my mom who was married to him for almost 20 years and since he never remarried....she is rightful to claim his SS. Can this “partner” get anything from SS? Does she have any legal rights even though the hospital and funeral home wouldn’t let her sign anything? I believe she owned the house they lived in and had no joint accounts. She is expecting me to send her 2 death certificates and after finding out she didn’t even want me notified because she was worried about not benefiting from his pension and stuff....I’m like there is no reason for you to have one so if you need it, go request one at the county.

Answer:
 No. They did not live in a state that recognized common-law marriage. Therefore, they are not married.

Social Security will require an original certified copy of a marriage certificate to get spousal or survivor benefits.  What does the spot say on the death certificate under "Surviving Spouse"?


Title: Austin Texas; 5 years deferred adjudication: seems like a fucked up deal to me

Question:
So yeah, you might remember me.  I only use throwaways. I can do 60 days in county or 5 years deferred adjudicated. If I take the deferred if I fuck up say after 4 years, I will get the max of 5 years in prison.

It seems to me that for 5 years of deferred, I better just go home and shut off the lights and go to bed. It is like self imposed prison.

Or just do 60 days in county and take the felony.

I don't have a lawyer but I have this public defender guy who is useless.

And to top it all off, if you run a background check on me it will look like I was convicted.

My first offense at 51; I had no fucking idea the mess I could get myself into.

I lost everything, all my possessions, my career all over a hundred bucks worth of dope.

Just kind of venting I guess. No real question here other than "Am I fucked?" and the answer "yes, you are"

Answer: We have no way of remembering you without any hint at your previous posts, but if you don't like the deal then just take the jail time. Answer #2: You are insane if you don't take the deferred.  A deferred prosecution means you don't get a conviction on your record.  A criminal record blows.


Title: If I could buy a large chuck of land that's uninhabited, what hoops would I have to jump through to get recognized and accepted as a country?

Question: Whatever large chunk of land I could get my hands on and buy, putting costs aside. What would I then have to do legally to get accepted as a country?

Answer:
 You’d need to recruit an army large enough to make other countries respect you, and maintain this respect long enough that eventually you’re accepted as a country.

This is the long established process under international law, not joking.

The other alternative is to have a recognizable population in the area and to have the current sovereign of the territory agree to have an independence referendum (or at least have some powerful friends who force the sovereign to allow the referendum to succeed), win that referendum, and then maintain your sovereignty long enough that eventually everyone recognizes it.


Title: My school is threatening to withdrawal credits from students who don’t sign the handbook.

Question:
Our school has recently announced a rule that will be introduced next year. The rule bans all cell phones in the school from beginning to end of the day.
This has obviously been met with a lot of opposition from the student body, and several groups have been formed in opposition of this. I am the leader of one of these groups and we have presented over 500 pages of research in opposition this idea to school administrators.
The school still won’t change the rule, so a large group of students are refusing to sign the handbook next year. Science the school is threatening to not give diplomas/credits for students who do this, is there any other action that we can take to keep our phones.

Answer:
 You do not have a right to have your phone at school.

You can continue peaceful arguments and complaints, but banning phones at school is extremely common. It's because they are such a huge distraction and everyone is tweeting or snap chatting when they should be learning.

Those are the rules, you either follow them or face the consequences.Answer #2: Instead of telling them they are wrong maybe present them with better alternatives to a removal of ALL phones from the school. Designated phone use areas on campus. A drop box to turn your phone in when you enter class and pick up when you leave. Offer Alternatives instead of just telling them they are wrong. Don't tell them their solution is wrong instead show them solutions that are better.Answer #3: Location matters, as does the nature of the school. Public or private? High school or elementary?


Title: Factory resetting my iPhone at the border?

Question: So, im due to travel overseas next week to the Middle East, as I did last year, but on my way back to the states, was sent to that interrogation room where CBP bombards you with questions, (secondary screening). In the end of their interview, they demanded that I unlock my phone. I did, nothing to hide, she went through my pictures, messages, ext. and I was on my way. However, as I have a feeling like this is going to happen again, I was thinking about just factory resting my iPhone before getting on my plane back to the states. Are there any consequences to this? If the CBP agent asks for my phone and I whip it out and go "already wiped it before I got on the plane" and hand him my iPhone frozen on the setup/hello screen, are there any consequences? It just really gets on my nerves, its the same thing over and over, going through all of my personal photos and texts, and I already have everything backed up to iCloud.

Answer: Do you want to wait in customs for them to analyze every single piece of information they can? Resetting your phone is sketchy and makes it look like you have something to hide.


Title: Company forged my signature and took out a loan under my name while I was deployed.

Question:
The situation is we needed a pest exclusion from our house. We had a company come over and say that the job would cost x amount. but I was at home to sign because I was deployed. So I told my wife to tell them to just put my signature down. Turns out they actually took out a loan under my name for the service when I thought I would be paying for it. The reason I'm thinking about suing is because they haven't even finished the service yet after 2 years. My concern is that I will have to pay for the lawyer and end up being out of money because I'm going up against a big company.
Is there anyway I can make them pay for my lawyer in the end?

Answer:
 >  Turns out they actually took out a loan under my name for the service when I thought I would be paying for it.

Did you pay for the service in cash?


Title: got caught spray painting public things

Question:
so me and some friends got a little too drunk last night and decided to bring a spray can on the walk to grab smokes. we spray painted 4 things with little doodles and lines and the cops showed up and arrested us. after a while he told us to write a letter of apology and show up today for fingerprinting. our promise to appear paper says mischief under $5000 and we need to show up in court in a month.

what is the best way to approach this? and what will the fine/punishment be like??

edit: canada

Answer:
 When a cop says "I'd like you to write a letter of apology," that's another way of saying "I'd like you to sign a written confession."

Just sayin'.


Title: Neighbor says she's going to sue me for a camera in my front window

Question: Currently I live in half of a side by side duplex with a four car parking lot out front that we split down the middle. I came home from work this evening and decided to take a nap when I was woken up by this blaring music and bass from a car out front. It continued for probably five or ten minutes so I decided to step outside and ask the neighbors to turn it down. When I did the older neighbor was standing in my empty parking spot taking a bunch of pictures of my side of the duplex. She told her son to turn off the music in his car and then started yelling and screaming at me about how she's going to call the police and sue me for a camera in my front window. Her claim is that since there isn't a sign posted that it's an invasion of privacy and I'm breaking the law. I put the camera up last November after coming out one morning to my cars windshield being cracked and several dents put into my car. This is the first time she's ever talked to me about it. The camera does catch a bit of her side of the parking lot and a couple of the neighbors front yards due to its wide angle but it's nothing that you couldn't see just from walking or driving down the street. There's no fence or bushes or anything that would be an attempt at privacy in my opinion and the camera is just on a window sill about four feet off the ground so it couldn't record something if there was. I've also disabled the microphone on it since I've read that you can't record audio without consent. There's nothing in my lease about cameras and my landlord has done several inspections since then and never mentioned it being a problem. She never did call the police but said that I should expect papers. Does she have any ground to stand on and, if so, how should I proceed? This is in Indiana.

Answer: You are making a recording of an area that is viewable from the public space. This is not illegal.


Title: Black mold found in apartment (Indiana)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You need to alert the landlord and give them a reasonable time to investigate and remedy the issue.

The presence of mold does not immediately allow you break the lease.  Only mutual agreement between you and your landlord can let you do that, or a judge can order you to be released.


Title: Care center wants almost $1,000 even though they didn't get the diagnosis right

Question: So a friend that I work with has a daughter who forgot about a tampon she had in. She wasn't feeling well one day and went to an express care center where they ran tests, did an invasive pelvic exam and sent away for lab work. They couldn't find anything wrong, but a few days after the lab work came back she had to go to the hospital because her condition had really started deteriorating. So the place she originally went to billed my friend for the services rendered, but my friend doesn't think she should pay because of a misdiagnosis. I think she'll probably have to but just wanted to see what your thoughts on this were. Any help would be wonderful, thank you.

Answer: If a case can be built that they should have found the tampon based upon an established standard of care or procedure, and failed to do so, then she may actually have a case against the center because their failure to find it resulted in a hospital stay. Your friend should talk to a malpractice attorney. Malpractice is very fact specific but it's worth looking into.Answer #2: Misdiagnosis is not a reason to not pay. There is no law that drs have to be right 100% to get paid. They did their job. There was no malpractice from the sounds of it.


Title: Being given two days notice to vacate apartment

Question:
I signed a sublease at the beginning of the month that was apparently for a university apartment, which I did not know at the time.

On Sunday or Monday, it came to my attention (via a routine check of the apartment by maintenance/university staff), that this was a university apartment and that I, not being a student, was not allowed to be there.

Since then I have tried to work with the staff member, sent them a copy of the lease agreement, and been very tolerant of the fact that I would have to move again shortly. I have actively been looking for a new apartment as well.

Yesterday evening, I got an email from them telling me I needed to vacate the premises by June 23rd, 2017 at 7:00PM.

That gives me two days to locate an apartment, get a moving truck and move all of my things, which seems unreasonable. I am told that I was given only this time because it was a violation of the "Community Living Standards" of the University, which as far as I'm aware does not apply to me because I'm just a regular citizen, not a student.

This is in the state of Michigan, for the University of Michigan.

What are my rights here? As far as I know standard Michigan tenancy law should apply and to kick me out they'd have to evict my sublessor, correct? I'm going to try to move out as soon as possible so that's not required, but two days just isn't enough time.

Edit: Spoke to a lawyer, he says that unless my sublessor is being kicked out in two days, I'm not being kicked out in two days.

Answer:
 Your landlord (the person you signed the sublease agreement with) is in violation of their lease (by subleasing the apartment to a non-student, and I would bet without notifying the university housing division about the sublease). Have you tried contacting the person you signed the sublease agreement with (the original tenant) to discuss the issue?

Universities are often granted special status when it comes to university-owned housing. They *may* (I want to emphasize the 'may') not be required to provide the same notice as privately-owned housing.

If you get kicked out, your recourse it going to be to go after your landlord (the original tenant) for any rent you're out and your moving costs.


Title: [NY Labor Laws] Put in my resignation at work, my boss responded by using my mental health is a weapon against me as an employee. What do I do?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 The statement isn't enough for a lawsuit, and it's unlikely that she'll do anything that is between now and the 9th.  If you want to report the poster thing to the DOL you could do that.

And legally no employer is required to accommodate time off without question.  The law limits what they can ask, depending on what law you've requested leave under, but they don't just have to say "Okay" and let you go.


Title: [NC] Is this a normal situation?

Question: My husband and his ex wife had court last week for child custody and support. Both cases were heard but the Judge forgot to make a ruling on child support and only ruled on custody. There has been nothing filed a week later and his lawyer (first case, unfortunately) said he is still waiting on opposing counsel to write up the custody agreement according to the Judge's ruling. Is it typical for a ruling to be made and a week later still have nothing filed? Could they be stalling knowing that the custody order makes no provisions for child support? My husband has no intention of withholding support until the next hearing, we are just a bit baffled by this whole situation. I don't even know where to look up what happens when a judge ends court without making a ruling and the only feedback we are getting from his lawyer is that this case is a procedural mess. Can anyone shed some light on this?

Answer:
 What do you mean by both cases? Was it two separate actions with two different case numbers? Or was it one hearing addressing two issues (custody and c/s)?

> . . . the Judge forgot to make a ruling on child support and only ruled on custody.

Did the Judge "forgot" or did the Judge say he/she would make a ruling later? It's very common for a Judge to think about the ruling and send an e-mail later to counsels addressing the issue. If the Judge did "forget" to make a ruling on child support, why didn't either attorney mention it in Court? If anything, if her attorney brought the action, her attorney should have been all over that issue before leaving Court.

Yes, it's very common to not have an Order filed so soon. In SC, you have 30 days to provide the proposed Order for the Judge to review and sign.


Title: [CA] Employer wants us to sign shady looking non-theft agreement

Question:
Our small company has been experiencing internal theft at one of the retail stores. Some of the staff members admitted to stealing, and now the owner of the company wants everyone to sign this bogus looking document. It stated something like:

*I xxxxxxxxx , have never stolen, and will never steal from the store. If I am caught stealing I will pay 10 times the cost of item / cash. I will also be responsible for payment costs of all investigation, court, and lawyer fees.*

Does this sound totally bogus? Do I have to sign this, even though I've never stolen anything? Will it be some sort of admission of guilt if I don't sign it?

Answer:
 They have the right to fire you if you refuse to sign it, because in the US, businesses have the right to fire anyone without notice.  Your recourse is to go file for unemployment insurance.  If the company then claims you were fired for cause, hoping to deny you unemployment benefits, then you would argue at the hearing that this contract has no consideration and is not a valid contract and is a big penalty and is vague as to "caught" - what is "caught"?  Who has to catch you? - and so, you'd argue, you were fired without cause and you do get to collect unemployment insurance payments.

If you do sign it, I doubt that any court would enforce this.  It's a penalty rather than compensation, there's no consideration, it's vague.  By the way, don't steal, in case you were considering it.


Title: Why don't we have a real-life Hunger Games?

Question:
It would gen volunteers only, 18+. Winner would get $5,000,000. It would be broadcast live on pay per view.

It would be so awesome and would make so much money. Why don't we have something like that?

Answer: Why don't we have a game show where people sign up to murder each other for money?  Are you seriously asking that?  Setting aside the basic human rights issues associated with something like that, the basic laws against things like murder spring to mind.  Moreover, if the idea of watching people brutally murder each other for money (or, god forbid, PARTICIPATING) sounds "awesome" to you, please seek serious professional help.  Now.


Title: In USA on work permit, from Sweden, looking for fake ID. What legal consequences could I face?

Question:
I'm 20 years old and am currently living in Florida as an au pair from a Scandinavian country. I would like to get a fake ID so I can enter American bars.
If I get one, what risks am I taking in terms of future visits to the US, or my current status here? What happens to me if I am caught with it?

Answer: You're here as a guest. Obey the law.


Title: Texas, Federal Employee under investigation by Texas Dept of Agriculture for performing work duties.

Question:
I work for the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) in North Texas. Roughly a month ago I sprayed one of our communication sites(roughly 2 acres, fed owned next to a neighborhood) with herbicide to maintain vegetation control per FAA directives. I am not a licensed pesticide applicator, but I'm not required to be as I'm acting as an agent of the Federal Govt on fed property. I always use the prescribed herbicide-to-water ratios and we don't have any banned chemicals. I only sprayed on the fed property and never got closer than 100ft from the fence separating the site from the neighborhood.

I was at the site today and an inspector from the Dept of Ag came by. I guess there was some runoff that ended up in someone's yard, killing a long narrow portion of it. The inspector said I may have a judgement placed against me, i.e. loss of license(irrelevant)/fine(very relevant). I wasn't thinking and gave her my name and admitted I was the one who sprayed.

Now that I've been thinking about it for a while, my real concern is my name being on some report. The homeowner can probably get his hands on it and come after me personally.

I've reported everything to my supervisors, but I'm still just really confused as to what am I legally liable for? What are my options? What should I do?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 There is a concept known as the Westfall Act, which states that if you are sued in your personal capacity for performing your federal duties, and the Attorney General certifies that you were acting within the scope of your employment, then the U.S. Government is substituted in your place in the lawsuit and you are substituted out, essentially removing you as a defendant. The DoJ would be responsible for defending you and causing this action to occur.

If you acted outside the scope of your training or policy, then they can refuse to certify, and allow the lawsuit to proceed against only you.

If they did substitute, the FTCA would likely limit any damages the other party could claim against the government, unless you were negligent in your application.

Edit: This is assuming you're sued by the property owner civilly. There's probably a more direct immunity from criminal fines by the state.


Title: Playstation stole money from me

Question:
Ok, so I have not played on my Playstation for a couple of months and I recently acquired Red Dead Redemption 2 and played some last night. At that point my account had no playstation + subscription, but today I woke up to find my account suddenly had playstation + and a subscription fee had been taken from my bank account.

My account was not linked up to purchase playstation + when it run out, and if that would be the case it would not make sense that my account had no subscription last night

I have tried to reach out to Playstation but they are yet to respond

Answer:
 Sony is a billion dollar company. They don't need to steal from young gamers.

You almost certainly had an automatic renew agreement with your payment info on file, whether that be PayPal or something else.

This isn't a legal issue. Contact support and see what your options are.


Title: I "failed" a drug test

Question:
My company is being sold. I submit a urine sample for drug testing. I get this emailed to me by my boss:

A few folks who tested today will have their results reviewed by a medical review officer. You were among that group.
We’re hoping that tomorrow a medical review officer will contact you via the contact number you listed. Please be sure to take the call as if they miss you the first time around, a second call might take ten days and really trip things up. I don’t know any specifics, but I think they will want to review any prescription drugs to ensure the tested level is consistent with the prescribed amount, but this is only a guess at this point.

I'm at a loss because I don't do drugs.

What should I do?

I'm in California.

Answer:
 >I think they will want to review any prescription drugs

Sounds reasonable.

>I'm at a loss because I don't do drugs.

Do you use prescription drugs?


Title: What will happen if I cannot meet with an attorney for a scheduled appointment?

Question: Hello. To begin, I have never sued anyone before and I do not know the process of it. I want to sue my orthodontist for causing bite issues and crooked jaw which I did not have before braces. I am currently wearing my braces and I had braces for 6.6 years now. I am a busy college student and my uncle told me that lawsuits take years to settle and I would have to meet with an attorney at least once a month at a time decided by the attorney. My uncle said if I don't attend the appointed meeting then the lawsuit would be closed. I cannot afford to miss a day of school as a whole topic can be taught in a day especially in a long run. Can someone confirm with me, what would happen and what I could do if I couldn't attend an appointment with my attorney?

Answer: If you can't make an appointment, you reschedule.  It's not a big deal.


Title: Want to add girlfriend to lease, landlord says no. What are my options if any?

Question:
Hello everyone. Just for the record, I live in Washington DC and everything I am refering to applies to DC housing code and landlord/tenant law.

Anyways, my roommate and I currently live in a 2 Bed/1 Bath apartment in NE DC. Before signing the lease, told landlord that my girlfriend intended to move in sometime in Spring and he did not seem to take issue.

I called him this weekend and he basically told me that the unit occupancy is at 2 and it could not go any higher. I did some digging and saw that in DC that 2 bedrooms could have a max of 4 persons per unit. Additionally, the main requirement in my case is that two people living in a bedroom must have 50 sq ft per person minimum. (which this unit meets)

I followed up with an email explaining this, saying it would not be impermissible to have my girlfriend move in by DC code and he could allow if we could work it through. Moreover, our lease says absolutely nothing about additional occupants, only sublets and assignments.

I am still waiting back to hear from him on my follow-up, but do I have any recourse if he will not budge? Having her appears to not violate any DC housing code, but would he still have final say even if our lease says nothing about adding additional occupants?

Edit: My girlfriend is out of state.

Disclaimer: I do not consider any posts here as legal advice or any poster as my attorney. I understand this is for educational purposes only.

Answer:
 > do I have any recourse if he will not budge?

You do not.  He does not have to change the lease at all.  Your lease is for you and your roommate; that's all that gets to stay there.


Title: UPDATE: Can my former employer sue me?

Question:
[Original Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3dlbc0/can_my_former_employer_sue_me/)

Background: I work in construction material sales. I was not under a non-compete with previous employer and have left to work for a direct competitor.

Location: Indiana

Current Situation:
Today I received a letter from the lawyer that represents my former employer. Within the letter it gives Indiana's definition of trade secret.

>"Trade secret" means information, including a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique or process, that derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by ... other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use ....

It goes on to state that while working at my former employer I was privy to trade secrets including customer lists, bids in progress and its bidding method and formulas. Also, that I have chosen to use these trade secrets in direct competition with former employer intentionally and maliciously. As a result, 'injunctive relief' can be recovered against me. He defines 'injunctive relief' as "damages for the actual loss; unjust enrichment; a reasonable royalty; exemplary (punitive) damages and the attorney fees incurred in securing these damages."

It states that an estimate of the damage I have done, based upon the projects which have been bid using trade secrets, suggests that my liability easily exceeds $500,000.
If I don't cease my unlawful activity on or after this coming Monday that the lawyer has been given authority to proceed to court with a suit against me.

Under my new employement I have bid one project to a former customer that I had while working for my former employer. The customers that I call on are large enough that their name and contact information are readily available on the internet and through other media channels. In my opinion, this is what makes these customers public information and not a trade secret. Any knowledge of bids in progress has not been utilized. Bidding method and formulas is a joke, I developed my methods and formulas while getting my degree.

I have not talked with a lawyer yet. Am I correct to assume that since the situation has escalated to the point where I need to meet with one?

Any advice with how to proceed at this point would be greatly appreciated. In your opinions, am I screwed? Am I automatically looked at as 'guilty' of these claims or with the employer need to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Thank you all again.

Answer:
 >Under my new employement I have bid one project to a former customer that I had while working for my former employer.

This is what's causing you the problems. You need to retain an attorney.


Title: [CA] A neighbor submitted to probate a handwritten will naming them sole beneficiary of a family member's estate. It's weird bc the deceased was a lawyer. Several family members have filed to contest. I'm also next of kin but low-income. Are there contingency lawyers in probate law?

Question:
My younger brother and I have been notified of a probate of a family member's estate and are hoping to file petitions for distribution and petitions to reform the will. Our other family members have already done the same (the will submitted is handwritten, which is unusual because the deceased was a lawyer, and it names the neighbor who submitted it as the full beneficiary) but we are on our own without money to afford legal fees.

My question: I'm told that contingency lawyers generally operate for personal injury law. But do they exist for probate law?

Alternatively, google led me to ads for inheritance funding and loans to pay for legal fees.

Are these predatory?

Or is it normal for low-income parties to pursue these paths to obtain legal representation to file for and contest a will?

I'm trying to do the best I can for my little brother and I. This could be life-changing for us, but we're worried it could draw out for years, we could lose, and be in irreversible debt.
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 IANAL. I recommend looking into Legal Aid/Legal Services organizations in your area. Alternatively, if you live near a university that has a law school, the law school may have a clinic where you can get assistance.Answer #2: NAL, just some persona experience and legal courses

Ideally you would pursue a probate lawyer on this, though I don’t see too many offering to work on contingency. I would still look for a consultation and requesting a payment plan if possible.

What the neighbor is claiming is the possession of a holographic will, which is a legal document that does work in California. The main qualifier is if the signature can be matched to your family member’s handwriting. There’s a story of a court approving a holographic will etched into the bumper of the car of a deceased man along these lines.

Lastly I would check if there were any other wills made by your family member prior to their passing. If the family member was ill, had Alzheimer’s, or anything that could affect their mental state, the will could have been written due to undue influence. I would imagine that a lawyer would know this going into such a document.Answer #3: Is it possible the other family members would include you in their filings to overturn this will? It would seem hiring just one lawyer to represent all of you would be the best way to go. If you can't pay your share, your family members might be willing to wait until you get your inheritance (if you do).


Title: [AZ] Question regarding renting a house

Question:
I am currently renting a house that was built back in the early 70s. I pay $1,095 a month for rent and just found out that my property manager is increasing the rent by $30 effective 1 January 2015.

Sadly, this was missed by me in the rental contract as it states that for the last 6 months of my lease, they were increasing it. Shame on me, that's my fault for not noticing. However, the property is poorly maintained. Within the first month I had the roof leak which ended up causing the company to re-shingle the roof. Then various other issues started popping up, leaking shower, windows are not sealed, doors are not sealed, AC unit is failing etc.

All of this on top of a new baby has me wanting to get out of the house. It has been increasingly cold this winter in AZ and it further highlighted how poorly insulated and sealed the house is. Causing me to run my AC/Heater knowing that it would never properly regulate the inside temperature. On top of all this the back yard has an unfinished concrete patio with jagged chunks of rock jutting out with rebar sticking about 6 inches out on the incomplete side. This is completely unsafe and even the insurance guy who came to inspect said it was a liability.

With that said, I have been looking at the AZ laws on how to get out of the lease without having to pay 2 months rent and fore-fitting my security deposit which would total around $3,000 and being single income and baby expected in less than 2 weeks I simply cannot afford that.

I was hoping someone could offer some advice here on how to get out of it. The law states that the landlord must Meet the requirements of local building and health codes regarding the condition of your home which I think with the condition of the home plus the hazardous back yard I could use that as leverage to terminate. If anyone could provide me with some guidance on how to handle this that would be greatly appreciated. I would also like to know if it would be possible to have the home inspected for those health codes and if so, where would I go about getting that inspection.

[AZ laws](http://www.azhousing.gov/azcms/uploads/PUBLICATIONS/Landlord%20Tenant%20Act.pdf)

[AZ guide on rights](https://www.azag.gov/sites/default/files/sites/all/docs/civil-rights/fha/TenantRightsResponsibilities.pdf)

Thanks in advance.

Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 You probably can't use the law to get out of your lease.  That doesn't mean you can't use some smarts, some negotiation skills, and some references to the law, to get out of your lease.

You've listed a number of items that concern you about your current residence.  They probably don't allow you to legally break your lease.  But that doesn't mean your landlord doesn't have to fix them.

A person in your position might go through the AZ LL/T laws you have already found, and see what the law says about the time-frame the landlord has to make repairs, and the notice requirements.

Then that person might go around their house and make a detailed list of everything that needs to be repaired, and send a letter--a letter that complies with the notice requirements in the law--to their landlord.  The letter should *nicely* point out that he has a responsibility to fix **all** this stuff, and to fix it within (the amount of time required by law).

Finally, that clever person might say something like..."I know my lease is up in 6 months, and maybe it would be easier on you if we just agreed mutually to end my lease early."  Be very careful here--make sure you get any agreement to terminate the lease in writing, *before* you stop paying rent.

Good luck!


Title: Parents are illegal immigrants, sisters boyfriend called immigration services on them.

Question:
So my mom came into the US illegally 19 years ago. She’s been working since the day she came in. We’ve moved around a lot and finally found a place to stay and we’ve been at this house here for about two years now. The house is under my stepdads name and my mom works under a fake identity to pay for it and the bills.

My sister isn’t exactly a smart person when it comes to picking out boys. She met a guy who gave her two babies within a couple of years and he’s batshit destructive and manipulative but that’s a conversation for another time. Her and her boyfriend got into an argument, he broke the windshield of her car, cops came and took him to jail for a day. The next day he calls my sister and informs her that his uncle called immigration services on my parents.

What do I do & what recourses can I use to help my parents situation with becoming legal residents?
Topic:
Immigration

Answer:
 You can hire them an immigration attorney.Answer #2: For one they need an immigration attorney immediately. Depending on the quality of the report and how busy HSI is at the time, the complaint may or may not go anywhere. The attorney can go over your parents rights, which are more than you might think. For example, an immigration warrant, unlike a normal arrest warrant, does not give agents the authority to enter a private home without consent.

If and when your parents are detained, they may be offered something called voluntary removal, which means that they are allowed to leave of their own accord. This may be better than being forcible removed in ICE custody BUT accepting this means that you are ordered removed from the US! Do not accept until you have talked to an attorney and determined that you have no claims against removal that you can raise in court. Think of voluntary removal like a plea deal in normal court, you get a benefit (leaving on your own) but you give up your right to argue your case.Answer #3: You need an immigration attorney. You just admitted your Mom has been committing a felony for years by using a fake identity and fake
Documents. Sorry this has happened to you but you should get an attorney well versed in immigration law


Title: What is acceptable jury attire? I’ve done business casual the last two days through the selection process, but now I’ve been selected for a two week trial... I don’t own enough “business” attire for this. Can I wear jeans? Leggings? Anything that isn’t revealing or inappropriate? Please help!!

Answer: Your jurisdiction might have a specific dress code, but generally you can use common sense.  Usually it's no shorts/tank tops, no flip flops, no hats, no offensive phrases or logos, no mini skirts, etc. Decent jeans, clean sneakers, and a nice shirt with sleeves and you should be good to go.Answer #2: You do not need business casual.  Respectable casual is just fine.  Jeans are fine.  I’ve had jurors show up in pajamas in LA.Answer #3: I find it hard to imagine a seated juror held in contempt over attire.Answer #4: According to the State of California jury training video, it’s not this: https://imgur.com/gallery/qglM9cO


Title: i need legal advice internet, im scared

Question: greetings reddit, this is my first post and i have never done anything like this before. but recently i was pulled over for going 81 in a 45 ( i know i was speeding but it was very late and i was just trying to get home) i don't remember the officer reading me my Miranda rights but he put me in cuffs and put me in the back of his squad car while we waited for the tow guy. the officer told me i was getting a class A misdemeanor, i don't know what this means but he said i could get up to a year in jail. im just very scared because im only a minor and i don't actually know if that true or not, this was my first ticket ever and im only 17. ps ive been getting letters in the mail like crazy from lawyers all saying i could get up to a year. i don't have money for a lawyer i just want to know if its true about the year and i got pulled over in IL.

Answer:
 81 in a 45 is pretty serious. You could lose your license, and yes, you could get jail time. You really should hire a lawyer. Talk to your parents and see if they can help.Answer #2: First things first: breath. This isn't the end of the world.

Yes, you could get jail time, and will likely lose your license. Still, prosecutors aren't in the business of destroying your life for your first offense. You should absolutely talk to your parents and hire a lawyer, because this is very serious, but I wouldn't worry about jail time just yet.

Okay?


Title: Gave my cousin a ride home from the bus station. He was carrying illegal drugs. (TX)

Question:
My mother's sister called me and asked me if I would mind picking up her grandson a ride home from the bus station. She is older, doesn't quite feel well and I'm closer so I said sure.

Her grandson, my cousin, was arriving from some time out in the Western U.S. and I hadn't seen him since we were in middle school. We didn't interact besides the occasional social media contact you usually give to far away and distant relatives.

I am 8 months pregnant and brought along my 3 year old. I picked him up and we headed towards my aunt's house. He was suppose to stay there for a few days to readjust and find a place of his own.

I had no clue what he was into out west. I know he worked for a nonprofit and was an activist of some sort. He is young in his early 20's. Not that his age really had anything to do with it.

He didn't smell like anything. He didn't look drugged out or anything. Puts his luggage in the back of the SUV behind my 3 year old. It is two huge bags.

I've this impossibly bad habit of not stopping completely at stop signs. It is horrible and there is no excuse but that night I did it.

Officer pulled me over. Routine stop for the most part. He was amazing and way more understanding than he should be. Doesn't give me a ticket.

He takes both our drivers licenses (me and my cousin) and goes back to his car. The officer comes back to car and asks me and my cousin to step out. We do.

Apparently, my cousin has a warrant. My cousin starts to get anxious. I am livid at this point because I've a nervous and scared 3 year old in the back who just wants to go home and I have no idea what is going on.

Another police car arrives and after talking to my cousin for a little bit, they try to put handcuffs on him. He resists and they get a little more firm with him as they try to calm him down and get him in one of the police cars.

They let me take my son out of the car and they search my vehicle. In his bag, they find a fairly (to me) large amount of something that they tell me is an illegal drug (not sure which one). They go over to the police car and talk to him some more.

They ask me if I knew it was in there. I tell them my story, give them the names of my husband and my aunt who both knew what was going on.

After about 10 minutes, they tell me to call my husband. I do and he comes and gets us.

They impound the car but they said I could get it back out at some point today.

I didn't get arrested. I didn't even get a citation. They didn't say they'd contact me again if they needed any information, nothing. I got a card to call about my vehicle and that was all and a card from the officer to call if I had any questions about my cousin.

My husband and I are kind scared.

I am not entirely sure what to expect from here, if anything.

I don't care that much about my cousin but what is my responsibility in this situation?

There doesn't seem to be the need for a lawyer yet. My husband has contact the impound place and they said our car would be good to go by this afternoon so I don't know.

We have the money for a lawyer but since we are getting the car back and I haven't been arrested, do we even need one yet?

Answer:
 You probably don't need an Attorney unless the cops want to question you further.Answer #2: My opinion,  your probably fine.  It is pretty clear those drugs are your cousins,  and you didn't know about them.  The police don't have a case to make in regards to you constructively possessing the drugs.

Just go pick up your car,  and if the cops ask you anything,  stick to the story you gave.  You can obtain consul if you want, but that costs money.  If they really want to talk to you,  just tell them that while you are not guilty of any crime, your not comfortable with being questioned unless you have an attorney present,  so you will choose to remain silent unless the police provide a lawyer for you at no cost for questioning.


Title: [California] Roommate moved his girlfriend in without consulting me. Now he wants me out by the 1st. What are my rights?

Question:
So, my roommate is the only one on the lease (actually, I think he may be on the lease with his EX-gf, I really doubt he ever informed the landlord of their split and my subsequent moving-in).  However, I've lived here for about 6 or 7 months and paid him a 50/50 share of the rent, utilities, and internet (granted, I've been paying him directly in cash, which in retrospect might have been a mistake).

During that time, his girlfriend has stayed overnight usually for at LEAST 25 -28 days out of the month, and her four year old daughter has stayed here for about 10 days of each month.

At first I was patient with him and didn't bring it up, but at some point about two or three months ago it became clear to me that she had officially moved in to the living space; she brought over many of her belongings, began staying here literally every single night out of the month (not always with the 4 year old, who I believe stays with her grandma primarily), and even would stay at the house almost all day long and use the kitchen and living room while my roommate was away at work.

About a month ago, my roommate gave me an informal verbal "30 days notice," and I said, and I quote, "Yeah, I'll probably wanna get out of here in about 30 days anyway."  Nothing in writing, however, as at the time we were still relatively friendly, and I wanted to get out of there anyway.

Now, as the 1st approaches, I kindly asked him if he could give me about 5 extra days into September when I'll get paid that Friday, which I need to be able to afford to move into a new place.  He was adamant that I be out by the 1st because "[he's] already so stressed about everything and [his girlfriend] is so mad every night [Editor's Note: she's upset because my girlfriend and I stay up late watching movies and talking quietly in my room, which apparently has thin walls; we've only been dating for about 5 or 6 weeks though] which could potentially be hurting my baby."

It's my understanding that even though I'm not on the lease, I have "roommate's rights" that mean that in order to start the eviction process, he has to get the court to serve me a 30 day notice.  Is this correct?  Basically as far as I know I have the right to stay here as long as I want until he serves me those papers, right?  I have plenty of proof that I've been residing here, such as billing statements to this address, and lots of mail and stuff.

Also, now that the gloves are off, I proposed to him that I want back rent from his girlfriend for at least as long as she's been living here officially.  The rub there is I don't know if I have any legal right to demand that.  I figure maybe if I could prove that at some point she was no longer paying for her own separate residence, that could constitute her becoming a "roommate" at this new place?

Finally, I think if things really get unreasonable, I might contact the landlord or property management company (who presumably doesn't know that I exist) and tell him/her/them all about the situation and see what happens.

Well, I guess that's about it.  Do you think I have any legal recourse to try to get some form of compensation for the time she's lived in the house without paying a penny toward the rent or any of the bills?  Or get him to pay her share, at least?  Thanks in advance.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 > Is this correct?

It is *not* correct.  The court does not serve 30-days notice.  Your Landlord/Sublessor will need to serve you 30-days written notice, but at that stage the court isn't involved.

Note that during that 30-day period you will still need to pay rent.  If you do not pay full rent on the first, he issue a 3-day notice to pay or quit, followed by an eviction action three days afterwards.

>Basically as far as I know I have the right to stay here as long as I want until he serves me those papers, right?

That is partially true.  There are a number of causes for eviction which can be done on shortened time. 3-day or 7-day.  But termination of a month to month tenancy is 30-days.

>that could constitute her becoming a "roommate" at this new place?

Even if she is, you have no standing to require her to pay anything, it's not part of your agreement with the master tenant; however if it is relevant to his lease with his landlord (how many persons are allowed to be living at the residence, named parties clauses, etc) you could pursue a course that will get you all evicted.

>  Do you think I have any legal recourse to try to get some form of compensation for the time she's lived in the house without paying a penny toward the rent or any of the bills?

Nope.

> Or get him to pay her share, at least?

Double nope.