Title: What rights do I lose or retain as a parent if my son's grandparents are given guardianship? Iowa

Question:
I am the biological father of my 11 year old son. His mother has had primary custody of him since he was born. We had never set up any sort of court order for custody, visitation, or child support but he has visited every weekend, and I have provided financial support to both him and his mother when necessary.

My son's mother passed away recently, and at the time of her death, she lived over 50 miles out of town. In order to try to maintain some sense of normalcy for my son and his half-brothers, I agreed with my son's mother's boyfriend, and my son's maternal grandparents, to allow my son to continue to live out of town, with his mother's boyfriend and my son's maternal grandmother (whose permanent residence is only about 2-3 miles from my home) until he finished this year of school, so that he could finish without transferring and having to move 50 miles home.

Now my son's maternal grandparents are trying to get me to sign guardianship of my son to them, and they are being very pushy about it. My son's half-brothers' father died a few years ago as well, so the grandparents are adopting my son's brothers, and I understand that it would be ideal to keep the boys together as much as possible. However, as I mentioned, we only live a few miles apart, and this is not the reason they have asked me to sign guardianship papers. They have only given me some pretty vague reasons as to why they are seeking guardianship, one being that without it, they cannot receive benefits for my son, another being that the public school in my district is not as good as the school in their district, and the last being that they don't think I'm making enough money to care for my child.

I can understand their concerns about school, and they are most definitely more privileged than I am financially. I am in kind of a rough spot currently, but working my way toward something better. Even the financial situation that I'm in right now is not, in  my opinion, anything that would impede my ability to take care of my son.

I had, however, floated the idea of signing Power of Attorney to the grandparents, at least for this year, so that my son could stay with his brothers in the year passing his mother's death, so that he could attend school in their district, and so that they would have the ability to act as my son's parents in regards to schooling, medical treatment, etc. without stripping any rights or contact from me. Initially, the grandparents were receptive to that idea, and even offered some potential support to me in terms of finding a bigger home in a better school district, but as of just a couple hours ago, they forwarded me an email from their lawyer to them saying that a guardianship would not strip me of any rights and could be dissolved at any time, and that they MUST continue pursuing guardianship.

I understand that guardianship alone would not completely strip me of my rights as a father, but information as to what happens with me specifically if I do sign over guardianship is limited and difficult to find. The grandparents have forwarded to me several emails from their lawyer who claims that none of my rights would be removed, and that I can dissolve the guardianship at any point in time without involving the court, but all legal information I can find is saying otherwise. Is their lawyer lying to them/ me?

I AM in the process of looking for an affordable lawyer for myself as well., and I have not signed any documents.

However, my son is moving back to my city tomorrow, and will be with his grandparents. Should I pick him up from them and set him up to live here? Can I legally do that? Will having him live with me or not live with me affect the outcome if his grandparents seek guardianship through the court? And what do I do as far as filing for benefits from my son's deceased mother while all of this is up in the air?

Also, if it comes to it, what kind of things can I do as far as my home and my lifestyle, etc. to increase the chances that they cannot terminate my parental rights?

Any and all help is very appreciated. I am just so anxious right now. Thank you.

Quick disclaimer: I don't really use reddit often, so this is my partner's account. But on this post, all replies can be directed to me.

Answer:
 Get a lawyer. Do not pass go. Just get a lawyer.

If they're being pushy, all I can think about is how pushy my grandparents were and how they basically stole my kid because of a shady lawyer and my lack of life experience.

Don't sign anything you can't understand. Don't ask their lawyer to go over it with you.

If you love your kid and  value your ability to even  visit him, please don't make my mistakes.


Title: Can my university deny my payment of change?

Question:
I tried to pay my parking tickets that they gave me through bullshit means (didn’t send me my parking pass, then charged me $40 when my temp that I got for BUYING an annual pass expired). I just tried to pay in coins and they refused it. They said it’s the university’s policy that they only accept rolled change. I’ve read that they must accept payment as long as it’s legal tender currency, any truth to that?

They said they can’t accept it because they don’t have time to count it (they’re too busy filing their nails). I’ve never heard of “I can’t count” being an excuse not to accept a payment.

Answer:
 Don't be a douche.

Right or wrong, just pay the $40 normally and then appeal the ticket with the evidence that you paid for a pass and they didn't get it to you in time (assuming there wasn't some other way to avoid a ticket - like paying for a spot for a day or two).


Title: I'm being extorted by someone help!!!

Question:
Ok so what happened is a so called "friend" got charged with 5th degree theft and is trying to make me pay for all his court fees because he thinks I snitched on him to get him arrested.

What happened was I told cops that I was responsible for the incident trying to look out but as a result they charged all of us even when I didn't include him in the responsibility.

As a result it says on the court paper that I told the cops me and him where there together planning to steal so he is angry at me.

He's demanding me to pay his court fees of 1 k and is threatening violence if not, threatening to go to my house to get his money etc.

He also is threatening to ruin my reputation telling everyone around me I am a snitch if I don't pay so its half blackmail half extortion.

I feel like he is a violent person who I just want to never be near me again, if I don't pay I feel like he will try something violent on me or my family.

If he threatens again or goes to my house demanding money what should I do, call the cops again?

btw I don't have any money to pay him but that doesn't matter, he's an idiot and will try to find a way to get his money he needs 140 dollars before Monday since that is when his court is.

How do I get this guy off my back, do I pay him or call the cops?

TLDR- I'm getting extorted/blackmailed to pay for an old "friends" court fees, what do I do to not get extorted he knows where I live to.

If it matters I'm in Iowa, I don't want to say exact location just in case.

Answer: Call the police. Don't give him any money. Answer #2: You call cops. Move. Find new friends.


Title: My ex has a restraining order against me; how do I inform him he (likely) has a baby?

Question: I can be a bit hot headed at times and when my ex and I broke up he was given a restraining order. It does not have an end date just a date issued. I have just given birth to a baby who I supposed was the baby of my last man (the one after the ex with the restraning order), but as it turns out, he is not the father. Since the only other man I have been with in the last 9 months is ex with the restraining order he must be the father. My mom said that a restraining order not only limits me, but that I also can't ask anyone else to talk to him. Is there no option for me to inform him he has a daughter and to figure out child support?

Answer:
 You will have to file a lawsuit in family court requesting a paternity test and child support. The restraining order does not prohibit lawful process. But you still cannot contact your ex at all; let your attorney and the process server/sheriff handle it.Answer #2: Depending on the state you live in, you may need only to contact the state child support services who will take care of establishing paternity etc for you so you don't have the need for a lawyer.Answer #3:
>I can be a bit hot headed at times and when my ex and I broke up he was given a restraining order.

Never have I ever heard of a restraining order being issued from being hot headed or breaking up.

You are omitting information.


Title: X-Post/r/personalfinance-My father is taking everything from us and my mom doesn't know what to do. (Arizona)

Question:
First off, I would like to get the apologies out of the way: I don't know if this is the right place to post and will cross-post as necessary. This will be long and all the information is coming from what I've overheard and what my mom has ranted about to me so I'm sorry for any missing, confusing, or lackluster details.

I'll try to keep it as simple as I can but I have no guarantees.

TL;DR-My father is forcing my mom to give up the money she is, and will be making just to spite us and the courts won't do anything about it.

Okay so here it goes. Background: After 30 years of being married, my mom decided to divorce my father around 6 years ago for cheating and lying. He didn't want to split up and has been trying as hard as he can to make our lives, specifically my mom's, as difficult as possible.

It all started when he refused to pay the mortgage and child support for me and my two siblings. The house was put up for shortsale but he wouldn't have it. My father refused to acknowledge the house was worth as little as it was. As a result he tried everything he could to delay the sale, including kicking us out. (This is where the shoddy details come in) As I've come to understand, according to him "They're still living in the house, so it can't be put up for sale yet," or something like that. Sooo.. me, my mom, and my sister (My brother was kicked out because we couldn't trust him anymore for working for and telling secrets to my father) were forced to move in to a 2 bedroom apartment while he "fixed it up."

The house was in terrible condition because we literally couldn't afford to fix it so it started to fall apart the last couple of years we were living there. In order to sell, my father was ordered to renovate but would do only the absolute minimum that was asked of him by the courts. This went on for around a year. In this time period no one was living in the house and no mortgage was needed to be paid as far as I understood. But my father was paying the mortgage anyway! And in doing so he was COMPLAINING that he had to pay it. So he did the only logical thing he could think of: sue my mom for the payments, Yayyyy!

That has been going on ever since and my mom has been dragged in to court by my father every few months to discuss how much more my mom has to pay and how much my father doesn't. As far as I can tell the majority of the house issue isn't that relevant at the moment.

(This one will definitely be all over the place so bear with me) My Father has been lying on his taxes ever since he moved out of my mom's house saying he can't afford to make a living. That's funny, cause he can sure seem to afford to take us to court every few months with no problems. Anyway, I actually saw a copy of some tax form he filed and it said his company made over $700,000 that previous year. He got around it by saying something along the lines of "That all went back in to the company. I got none of that. I'm living in a warehouse." Yeah sure. Okay that was around 2 years ago now. So my father, who most likely makes over $1mil a year, is forcing my mom, who is making under $20/hr and paying for 2 kids to pay HIM for his living costs. This has been going on since this shit began.

This brings us to the most recent occurrence. My father took my mom to his lawyer's office today in order to make a settlement of some kind. Well my father owes my mom almost $50,000 in spousal/marital something, I think. I apologize; I forget what it's called, but it's money he was supposed to pay when they split or something. My mom said she would take $30k to just end everything there. No more court, no more contact. He refused and said $10k. My mom has been going to school for the past 3 years in hopes of getting a better paying job so we can actually do more than just get by; well my father came back with his lawyer and they said something along the lines of "Once you get a better paying job, I will sue the extra money off of you." My mom said something along the lines of "Why can't you just leave us alone? We want nothing to do with you." and my father's lawyer just smiled like a smug shit

This kind of stuff has been going on for years. My mom would try to make deals to just end everything but the judges all side with my father and believe everything he says. The believe when he says he has no money and they lower his child support and alimony payments and he comes and sues us anyway.

We're getting a new judge later this month and all my mom is able to do is hope they will be smart enough to see that my father has been lying and needs to pay what he owes. If he keeps this up we won't even be able to afford to live in this apartment and if my mom makes and extra money he will take it as well because the courts keep siding with my father. My mom is thinking the only option she will have is to keep her shitty job just to keep him from stealing more money from us.

I can guarantee I left some information out so I will answer any questions you have and hopefully I can get my thoughts out clearer on a small area.

We don't know what to do.

Answer: You'll get better advice if you minimize the running negative commentary. Your feelings are understood but giving second hand info on your father's lawyer's facial expressions and statements on the intelligence level of the new judge doesn't help much.


Title: Mother Wrongfully Banned From Casino

Question: My mother recently stayed at a local hotel and casino in MN.  She didn’t have any issues that she was aware of until she received a letter that said she was banned for a year.  She sent in an appeal letter to see what happened and they said she was in possession of illegal drugs and is now banned for life.  My mother is 62, loves casinos, and doesn’t do any drugs outside of her blood pressure prescription.  Is there any way I can help her?  Her main concern, does this somehow go on her permanent record?  She really doesn’t do anything bad, never has, and she is freaked out.  Any advice I can get even if it’s to calm her mind, I would appreciate it.

Answer: The casino can probably reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. There is no "permanent record" but as a business, they are under no obligation to serve her.


Title: Can my grandparents get legal custody of me?

Question:
I turn 15 in a few days so I was thinking maybe I could choose who has legal custody of me? I don’t really know but I’ve heard about it before.
My dad currently has custody but we live with my grandparents. He’s never hit me or anything before but he’s threatened to seriously injure me. Basically anytime I talk back to him he threatens to move out and take me with him or destroy something that’s important to me. (He’s disabled and cant get a job(or doesn’t try to)) Recently he told me he was going to kill the ducklings my grandparents got me for my birthday and I’m getting tired of dealing with it.
I know people say things they shouldn’t when they’re angry, but I’ve thought about this and I’ve wanted my grandparents to have legal custody of me for years and they want the same. I’m not comfortable sharing why I don’t want to live with my mom, but that is out of the question.

I live in Georgia btw since custody laws depend on the state.

Answer:
 No, courts do  not allow teenagers to simply decide who should have custody.

Your grandparents, or you, can involve CPS if they/you feel that your dad is unable to act as your parent. Generally both of your parents will have to be deemed unfit by a court before anyone else gets custody.


Title: No memory of yesterday in which I got arrested with 3 charges (MD)

Question:
To be clear, I do remember short instances, but I can't remember most of the day. I was at my friends house just hanging out the night before, having a few beers. As the night was about over at 3 in the morning, one of the guys there offered me a standard 2mg Xanax which I figured would help me sleep. So i take it and I don't remember anything about 20 minutes after I took it. Next morning i'm in my car halfway in a ditch getting arrested at about 9AM. I believe I was by my friends house. He also said that I spent the night there. The 3 charges I got were "Negligent driving vehicle in careless and imprudent manner endangering property, life and person" ( $140 fine) "Driving veh. while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance" and "Attempting to drive veh. while so far impaired by drugs, drugs and alcohol cannot drive safe". ( Must appear in court for last 2) I don't remember the encounter with the cops almost at all. All i remember is him reading maybe one of my miranda rights, taking a breathilizer test which came out as 0.00%, and me giving him my sisters phone number to call so she could pick me up. I feel like I also remember signing something, it's all vague though. Really i'm just looking for any sort of advice. This is my first offense. I have no idea where to go with this.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 The first thing you should do is find a lawyer.  Tell them what you remember and your charges.

Listen to them.


Title: May have found a skinned finger print in progresso soup

Question: So me and my significant other made two cans of progresso soup and while we were eating it my girlfriend spit out what looks like a partial print of someone's finger that got skinned off- it's about 1/2 inch in size. Sooo we don't know what to do. I called progresso and reported it, they want pictures of it. Any advice would be appreciated cause we are still shocked

Answer:
 Send them the pictures and collect your coupon for a free can of soup or something. Answer #2: Pictures or it didn't happen.Answer #3: You're pretty much only entitled to the replacement value of the soup, you have no other damages.

Are you sure it's not just a potato skin or something?


Title: Demand letter refused by addressee

Question: Hi- I sent a demand letter via certified mail, and the addressee has refused delivery. Essentially, this is a mandatory step prior to filing small claims. What do I do? Do I move on to small claims (is this sufficient effort)?

Answer: Send the letter via regular mail, too. That, plus the refusal to accept certified mail, should be sufficient for small claims.


Title: How fucked am I?

Question:
I’m an F-1 visa international student in Virginia. I was driving a rented car today, was stuck in a traffic jam and was going 100 on a 70mph highway and tailgating people to return my car on time. I was pulled over by an officer and he gave me a summons for reckless driving and told me I should appear in court. How fucked am I from every possible perspective?
P.s. This is my first getting pulled over.

Answer:
 I'm not sure that 100 MPH qualifies as a "traffic jam", but you sure did earn that charge.

Virginia, as you have learned, treats excessive speed as a criminal offense of reckless driving.

Hire a defense attorney, and make sure they're aware of your visa status.

In general, reckless driving is not a "crime of moral turpitude" for immigration purposes unless it results in death.   Even if you are convicted (rather than receiving a deferred adjudication and probation) the offense will not prioritize you for removal or jeopardize your visa.Answer #2: >  I was driving a rented car today, was stuck in a traffic jam and was going 100 on a 70mph highway and tailgating people to return my car on time.

It would have been far cheaper to pay for an extra day on your rental car. You will be facing criminal charges.Answer #3: In VA reckless driving is a Class 1 misdemeanor. It carries maximum penalties of six points, up to a $2500 fine, and up to 12 months in jail.


Title: Talking to a doctor about sadness

Question:
I’m sorry ahead of time if this isn’t the right place. I’m 15 years old and for awhile now I’ve been sad, a few years, and I’ve only really taken care of others. I wanted to go see a doctor or something, but it’s hard to do because I live outside of town by awhile. I was wondering in Canada am I allowed to see a doctor without my parents permission or knowledge? And how would I go about doing that? Thanks so much, if you guys have other places this would be more well suited that would be much appreciated!
Topic:
Medicine and Malpractice

Answer:
 Don’t take this the wrong way.

You say you have been sad for a while.

My daughter has been drawn into helping a student at school who will only admit to her parents that she is “a little sad”, but has been sharing with daughter and a few others suicidal thoughts.

Even if you have not considered self harm, Please call one of the suicide prevention hotlines in Canada. They have people trained in dealing with depression and would likely have suggestions for resources your situation.

  https://suicideprevention.ca/need-help/Answer #2: There's no set legal age at which you require your parents consent in Saskatchewan, as Sask recognizes mature minors.

I work in Canadian mental health, but in Alberta.  I understand that the rural services available in Saskatchewan can be a challenge. If you google 'Saskatchewan youth mental health' you can find resources based out of Regina and Saskatoon. Even if these places are too far for you, you can give them a call and ask about services in your area. They will likely connect you with other resources to contact.


Title: This is totally illegal, right? (IL)

Question:
My girlfriend is pretty into femdom and humilation. Im partial to the first not too much the second. Basically, she wants me to wear a chastity cage and go get a physical from my PCP.

This would be like, totally, super illegal right? I can't see any scenrio that dosen't involve me getting pepper spray in my eyes, mouth, nose and possibly penis.

Answer:
 Not illegal

The doctor can ask you to leave or they may ask about it or ignore it.

Its not the best to force people to be part of your kinks though so just keep it between you two and willing peopleAnswer #2: Not illegal, but involving nonconsenting third parties in your sex life is questionable at best. Answer #3: It’s ain’t illegal to wear a chastity belt, so you wouldn’t get arrested or pepper sprayed. It’s still weird though.


Title: [CA] How long can an employer legally make me commute??

Question:
Hi r/LegalAdvice,

Here's my situation:

I'm a salaried employee for a large subcontractor in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company is headquartered in the East Bay Area and I specifically moved within 20 minutes (<10mi) of the main office in order to avoid the atrocious Bay Area traffic and maintain a quick commute to work. Another criteria was low (relatively speaking) rent. When I was hired, the expectation was that I would work out of the East Bay Office 100% of the time.

As of the last few months, I have been assigned a new project up in the San Francisco Area. This new project has a contractual obligation for me to be onsite at this new project 5 days a week. My commute is now between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours (>40 mi) depending on the time of day.

For various reasons, I'd like to stay with this company for the time being, but the commute is KILLING me. I cannot be reassigned projects at this point and I have looked at moving closer but cannot get a <20 minute commute without a substantial (read double) increase in rent. I have approached my employer with subsidizing the difference in rent but thus far have not gotten anywhere with them.

So with all of this new drive time, I got to thinking:

1) What is the farthest that a company can legally require you to travel for work on a daily basis?

2) Is there a legal limit for a situation like mine, or is it up to the employee to say "enough-is-enough" and quit if they don't like the new commute?

Any resources that you could throw at me would also be helpful. Thanks in advance guys!

Answer:
 Globally there is no restriction on length of commute.  You can, of course, ask to be compensated for the time.

Is this at your employer's office, or at a client's office?


Title: Pushed my friend into a wall

Question: A few months ago, during the lunchtime in high school, some friends and I(rising junior)were having fun. One incident was where a friend pulled down my pants only while another took a video. Afterwards, I was allowed to delete the video, so I took the phone, with permission, and started deleting. However ,"Jack" didn't want me to delete so he started to grab phone away. As a result, I pushed him into a wall, breaking one of his finger. Now, Jack's parents wants my parents to pay all his medical bills, including that of 2 or more surgeries and any other bills that come henceforth. He doesn't have any insurance. Advice on how to proceed?

Answer:
 /u/citicop pretty much nailed it but can I add in.... stop pulling down other peoples pants. In 1998 no big deal, today someones going to yell **sex crime**.

(Edit: Before someone chimes in... yes, I know OP was the victim of the depantsing. However, I'm seriously doubting this was the first instance of pants on pants crime out of this group.)Answer #2: Let your parents handle it. This may be covered by your parents homeowner's insurance.


Title: Plea Bargaining

Question: I need some advice. I'm not trying to convince anyone here of anything and would appreciate everyone keeping this friendly. I'm being charged with a crime which is only a crime in the military but not illegal in the civilian world. It's a misdemeanor and the prosecutor is offering 6 months. Neither me nor my lawyer like the deal. In fact my lawyer believes if found guilty I would most likely face 1 1/2 months minus time served and there's still a chance I'll serve no time do to having a severe mental illness. The only thing is I am extremely emotional and I keep regressing further and further. I mean I've recently cut my wrist over perceptions that ended up to be untrue. I need an alternative solution. Is it possible to submit an offer to forfeit my VA benefits in return for an administrative discharge and 6 months of volunteer and or community service work and donating a portion of my income to charity? That way I allow them to win while actually making a positive impact and doing something constructive. I appreciate any advice. If it helps with the plea bargaining at all I am a war vet with a 120 GT score and a secret security clearance. I know there has to be another way to appease the government and serve their interests.

Answer: I would go to prison for a month in order to get VA benefits for life. That is an easy decision for me.Answer #2: You'll really need to talk to your lawyer about this. This is beyond the scope of what we can help with here.


Title: [Michigan] Girlfriend's thoracic spinal fusion surgery resulted in Bacterial Meningitis. This happened Feb 2013, what are her options?

Question: This has resulted in a lot of various medical issues (headaches, mental issues, pain, memory loss). Her parents didn't want to pursue any legal action at the time, but she (and I for what it's worth) think this is serious situation, and want to know our options.

Answer: She can certainly speak to a malpractice attorney. But all surgery carries risk, including infection. The general test is that you need to show the standard of care wasn't followed. Just because something went wrong doesn't mean anything wrong was done in terms of the surgery or care afterwards.


Title: [IL] Work for a large Corp: Filed a 10-page sexual harassment claim, two co-workers filed as witness, several others listed as witnesses; no one interviewed but me. Employer closed “investigation” and did nothing.

Question:
Located in Illinois-
On mobile, so please forgive me if this is a mess.

I work for a large corporation as of Sept 2018. I’m going to try and be vague about company details.

I was placed for training in my department Nov 2018, and the main incidents of sexual harassment occurred from 11/2018 until I completed training and moved to my shift 2/2019.

I had reported to a rep while in training and he reported to my supervisor. My supervisor tried to brush me off about it, but told me it was being handled.

The harassment continued but I completed training and moved to shift, obviously assuming too much. I reported the incidents to my new supervisor, only to find out that the supervisor I had during training had done nothing at all and nothing had happened. I filled out a 10 page statement that night and listed all witnesses (5) to the incidents that occurred prior to my moving to shift. Two coworkers also filed statements that same night on my shift.
I spent nearly 3 hours with labor relations/HR the next day. I do know full well they’re not there to invoke any kind of justice on my behalf, but I did the basics of going through everything in my statement. They told me they would be doing an investigation and contacting everyone blah blah blah.

Fast forward a couple of months and my boss goes on medical leave and the boss I had during training, who failed to do anything, retired. I knew the day I started that he was retiring, it wasn’t forced because of my situation.
I met with LR/HR and they informed me that they had closed the investigation. They didn’t give any details, which I knew wouldn’t be possible, but I immediately knew nothing had happened with my “case”.

They never interviewed or called on any of the witnesses to my harassment and none of the harassers were disciplined in any way. One of my harassers has done other things to other workers and is also a registered sex offender. I assume they received a written warning or something, but that’s been it. My company has a very strict disciplinary process and will visibly walk people out for certain periods. My training boss had a very “good ol’ boys” club thing going on with the individuals and typically went out of his way to protect them.

To give some detail as to what happened to me: My ponytail was yanked several times while I was performing my job, I was touched, propositioned, and so on. My coworkers from my training shift retaliated once they found out I  had reported SH and started messing with my work equipment, shutting off the power to my machinery, spitting in my area, and spread a lot of nasty rumors about me.

My union rep said there’s nothing they can do to help me but encouraged me to pursue this further. The LR rep in charge is new and is now being promoted to something further in HR.

It’s very obvious they did nothing and it seems they decided I was the liability in the situation. It seems they decided that since I changed shifts, there’s no longer an issue-so why bother?

The individuals who harassed me also have way more seniority in the company and it’s widely known that my training boss was partial to that/them.

I don’t ever want this to happen to anyone again. I’m so disappointed and upset about how this has all played out as well. It’s really taken a toll on me as it’s been going on for months. I relocated from out of state for this job. I feel completely deflated now in a company I was initially very stoked to build a career within. I come from several generations of retirees within said company. This has really been a huge weight on me.

What can/do I do?

Answer:
 I don't want to discourage you from speaking to a local employment attorney, or reporting to a government agency, but one thing for clarity is that an employer is not required to discipline people. They are not required to give you justice or, generally speaking, to punish the people responsible.

They are only required to make sure the behavior does not happen again, which often can be accomplished by privately telling the offender "cut that out, don't do it again." Now if it happens again, you should pull out all the stops. And since are already talking to your union, ask them what they think your next steps should be. Good luck.Answer #2: File a claim with the EEOC.  There are strict deadlines, so be aware.
https://www.eeoc.gov/employees/howtofile.cfmAnswer #3: Call the IL helpline: https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/sexualharassment/Pages/Legal-Protections.aspx

I would also consider making a police report. The police probably won't take action either but it may be helpful to have a report if you can push them to take it. The helpline can probably advice you whether or not you can do this.Answer #4: As someone else said, legally, they're not required to discipline or fire your harasser but are required to "maintain an environment free from harassment", so changing your shift or work duties to remove you from the vicinity of your harasser counts as handling it appropriately.

What I wonder about, though, is this:

>My coworkers from my training shift retaliated once they found out I had reported SH and started messing with my work equipment, shutting off the power to my machinery, spitting in my area, and spread a lot of nasty rumors about me.

Did you report the retaliation?  If you did and nothing was done about it and it continued, you may have some cause for action based on that.


Title: I don't want to have to register as a pedophile guys

Question: so i met this girl online and we talked a lot, we also sexted a lot. no pictures just text. I didn't think much of it at the time but her parents found out. we are both 17 she is only a month younger than me. Could I be charged for anything for sex talk as a minor with another minor?

Answer: Two 17 year olds video chatting and texting?  I don’t see an issue here.


Title: [RI] Grandparents are giving some care to a neighborhood cat, against the owner's wishes. Can they get in any sort of trouble for this?

Question:
To make a long story short, my grandparents' neighbor (an owner of two cats) recently adopted a puppy. One of the cats, apparently alienated by the adoption (and lack of attention from its owner), has been leaving that neighbor's property and warming up to my grandparents, who've been giving it food and shelter (when it needs shelter). They'd been caring for this cat in this fashion long before they known whose cat it was.

The cat's owner asked my grandparents to stop feeding and letting the cat into the house, but my grandfather has dementia and thinks that cat is their cat (who passed away a few months ago) so he still constantly lets the cat in and feeds it. My grandmother brings the cat back to the owner when this happens, but the cat realized it can just run up to the second floor and they're unable to get to it then. Frankly, I think it would be nice if my grandparents could continue to care for the cat (my grandmother could certainly use the distraction, considering her husband's illness), so: can they run into any problems in caring for this cat, whether intentional or as a result of my grandfather's dementia?

Answer:
 If they don't want people caring for their cat, they need to keep it in their yard.Answer #2: They should not be feeding a cat or letting it into their home when the owner has told them to stop. However,

\>  but my grandfather has dementia and thinks that cat is their cat \(who passed away a few months ago\)

Have you explained this to the neighbour? They may be more lenient about the situation if they understood the context of why the cat keeps being let into their house. Your grandmother should get rid of all the cat food they have though, so that they are not feeding it.


Title: (VA) First DUI

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > "first" DUI

Let's hope it's your last DUI.

You don't get a PD if you can afford a lawyer. You blew .14, you aren't getting out of this. I doubt you've been presented a plea bargain, so there is no way to say if you should take it.

What you need to do right now is do everything you can to show remorse. Stop drinking entirely. Start going to AA meetings, sign up for a rehab course or rehab itself. Start volunteering. Do whatever you can to show the judge that you understand the severity of this situation and that you are trying to change.


Title: (NZ) Cross-lease neighbour says they can order us to pay for a new cross-lease title/flat plan.

Question:
We bought a house which is joint to another house and it is a cross-lease.

Our house has a deck which was built by the previous owner.

We had a minor unrelated dispute with our neighbour and they out of the blue threatened us that the flat plan wasn’t updated by the previous owner when the deck was added which means the flat plan/cross-lease title is now defective and they can order us to update this or get the deck removed.

We have been told that updating the flat plan can cost around 10k.

We spoke to the previous owner who said they got verbal consent from the neighbour to build the deck and that the deck didn’t require building consent as it isn’t enclosed and is less than 1m off the ground and isn’t joint to the house. They said it was landscaping rather than structural.

We have been unsuccessful in finding any info online around what additions to a property would make a cross-lease title/flat plan defective.

Would the deck described above make the flat plan defective? What are our options in this situation?

Edit: Location is New Zealand.
Topic:
Non-US

Answer: No idea about the specific laws in New Zealand, but you can certainly spend a lot less than $10,000 making a quick phone call to a real estate attorney to discuss the matter and put your mind at ease.Answer #2: Nal but an nz lbp builder here. You do not need to update the plan for a deck unless the work requires building consent. The person to call if you are still worried is your local council and ask to speak to a planner they will let you know what the specifics are. Your neighbour can pound sand


Title: Salaried taking FMLA told 40 hours is PT

Question:
I work for a company where a 50 hour work week is pretty common. The last 6 months have been 60-70 weeks and have taken a toll on my health. I'm disabled (born with Cerebral Palsy) and I now need 4 hours a week to take care of medical things. My leave was approved I figured 2 days a week I would work 6 hours and take 2 hours of leave.

My manager stated since we typically work over 8 I could come back and work more the same day. I pushed back and he wanted to know the leave policy which states if a person were to have hours to meet a regular work day they cannot burn PTO on leave. He got really pissed I want to see the policy where is the document in writing. I show him and he says he interprets that I can work more as I'm salaried. But I stated what if I worked 40 hours and then took 4 hours of leave. He said if I could only work 40 then I'm PT. Keep in mind I have this in writing and in my offer letter it doesn't state 50 or 60 hours as standard.

I told him I want to know HR stance on the policy not just his. Legally how does this look? My state is Florida if that matters.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 40 hours is full time by law. Contact the department of labor wage and hour division.

There is supposed to be a big poster with your rights under FMLA, etc. posted in your workplace.Answer #2: AFAIK FMLA only cares about if you've worked 1250 hours in the last year.


Title: Charged $750 for a negative review

Question:
Hi all! My parents recently just took a vacation to Key West, Florida. While there, they paid to take an hour and a half jet ski tour. While on this tour, the tour guide sped through and it ended up only being a 50 minute tour. She told the tour guide about their displeasure with the tour, speeding through and not being able to see as they sped through, and the tour guide was very rude and dismissed them. My mom took to Trip Advisor, Yelp, and Google to leave a negative review about their experience with the tour company. The next day they were charged $750 by the company, my mother called, and was told by the owner that they were charged the $750 due to leaving negative reviews which was slandering their company and then proceeded to hang up.

Is there anything they can do? My parents reported it to their bank as fraud, the bank said it wasn’t considered fraud and that it was a dispute. The local police also were no help when called.

Since this situation occurred, the company owner has used my mother’s Facebook pictures and shared them all over Facebook, with messages saying she was extremely drunk, and didn’t know what she was talking about. (If she was drunk why would you let someone on your jet skis? Is that not a liability? 🙄

My father then called, threatening a lawyer and the money was eventually refunded.

I just wonder how much these people have made off of people leaving negative reviews about their company. Is this legal? Can you be charged for leaving a negative review? I’ve never heard of such a thing.
Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 Someone below has probably mentioned this, but I’ll add for good measure. I highly recommend your parents change they cancel their current debit/credit card immediately and request a new one. There is nothing from stopping this company from doing shady things in the future.Answer #2: That was an unauthorized charge. It was illegal. Your parents probably have a few causes of action against them, but I dont know how much they would get in damages. Probably the best way to handle it is to report them to the attorney general or whatever agency regulates business. This is egregious misconduct, and ironically, although they accused your parents of slander, what they did with her pictures was actually slander(probably).

You could also talk to the local chamber of commerce to report it. The way to ensure that the business doesnt carry on with that kind of shit is to report them to the appropriate regulatory bodies.

Not a lawyer.Answer #3: Best to use actual credit cards for these types of transactions. You can call Visa & dispute these charges. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but i think the credit card companies will step in to investigate the details.Answer #4: > My father then called, threatening a lawyer and the money was eventually refunded.

Shouldn't this legit be the end of the post?


Title: Injury settlement - is my daughter entitled ?

Question: My ex is receiving a large settlement and I was told that my daughter is entitled to 17% of the money plus his back child support ... Is that true ? Will we receive 17% of the settlement ? NYS Child support ...

Answer: You daughter isn't entitled to it; you, as the custodial parent might be in order to provide for your daughter. Where does the 17% figure come from? Is that what a court has ordered?


Title: (IN) Want custody of my stepson, how can I make it happen?

Question:
About nine months ago, my husband "Mike" abandoned me, our two children, and his  11 year old son from a previous relationship "Daniel". I haven't bothered to file for divorce or custody of any of the kids yet, since as I understand it until he's been gone a year I can't pursue that (please correct me if I'm wrong!) and because I worry what may happen to my stepson.

Currently, my husband has sole physical custody of Daniel while sharing legal custody with his mom "Angie". I'm curious as to how I can go about getting custody of Daniel myself. Angie has rarely been in Daniel's life. She's always struggled with addiction and is bipolar yet refuses to take her medicine. The few times a year when she bothers to call and talk to Daniel, she's "in between" jobs "staying with friends."

Regardless of her issues, Mike has always been generous about letting her visit with Daniel and spend time with him when she is in town (Normally she is either in California or Washington). The last time this happened was in 2018. She was supposed to return Daniel the next day but went completely AWOL. The police were of very little assistance and we had to end up hiring a PI to find them. Daniel ended up missing three weeks of school due to this and when we picked him up from the location, there was drug paraphernalia on the coffee table in front of the child and the only adults there were asleep (Angie wasn't even in the house. She hasn't seen Daniel in person since this event).

Today I get a text from Angie, she's coming back to town this weekend and wants to pursue getting custody since Mike is gone. Obviously, I am quite concerned as to what would happen to Daniel if he was in her care permanently. I know my chances of getting custody of Daniel are low, but is it impossible? When I do file for divorce from Mike, what are the chances the judge will award me custody of Daniel as opposed to Angie or one of his blood relatives?

Angie has been quite flaky in the past, so I'm not convinced she'll at all follow through with any of this. But if she does show up here this weekend, do I have to let her take Daniel since she's his biological mom?

Thank you for any advice and I can answer any more questions you have

Answer: You should get an attorney for your divorce and custody of your bio children. But unfortunately you have no legal relationship to Daniel and therefore it will be nearly impossible for you to get custody of him unless you get the consent of both parents. If his mother takes him and you become concerned you can call cps and let them know as the mother of his half siblings you’d be willing to take him


Title: I am in desperate need of FMLA for work caused anxiety

Question:
I'm in a toxic work environment with a toxic boss who is trying to push me out or get me fired. He's been harassing and bullying me for months. I have 16 years of excellent evaluations with this employer, 26 years in the state pension system so I can retire if I have to. I don't want to but I have it as an option. I am being pushed toward this involuntary retirement, threatened that I will be let go/laid off, and that I could be fired even though I haven't done anything wrong. I was offered a demotion that came with a hard end date and a salary cut. It also came with another year and a half of harassment. I turned it down. HR seems to be doing nothing. They don't care. I've told them and they seem hostile, too. All this is causing me severe fear and anxiety.

I am terrified that I won't be able to find another job, or make it to retirement (10 weeks away), that I'll lose more of my pension and my health insurance. I am afraid of my boss. Anxious all the time. My heart races,  my hands tremble, I sleep poorly. I think about my boss 24/7 - Awake, I'm brooding on it and wishing I didn't have to go to work; asleep I'm dreaming of it. I've started drinking ... way too much. We live in the same town. I can't even go to Walmart or the grocery store without looking over my shoulder, afraid I'll run into him. I want to sell my house and run away, leave the area completely, so I won't run accidentally run into him away from work.

I am afraid to open my email for fear he'll have sent a nasty gram email. Afraid when I hear the elevator doors ding open that it's him. Afraid to answer the phone. Afraid when I hear footsteps coming down the hall. Afraid to be alone with him in his office during our one on one meetings. Afraid every time he talks to me that I won't have time to push "record" on my phone or he'll see me recording him. Afraid that he's going to browbeat me in our conversations like he did today. He's abusive and he doesn't just bully me, he bullies everyone, but no one will help. I've see the work counselors but they can't help much. The coping techniques only go so far. I've seen the Ombuds but they can provide coping techniques and little else.

I have an appointment with my regular physician in 2 weeks. I have another appointment with the work counselor tomorrow. I have a 2 week vacation coming up and I am going to try to get the FMLA paperwork. I can't face work the rest of this week so I'm going to call in sick. I just can't handle it. I feel like I could have a mental breakdown with just a little push. I cry all the time and I'm not a crier. Someone at work asked me how I was and I burst into tears.

Do I have a chance of getting FMLA? What do I need to tell my doctor to get the doctor's note? I'm terrified I'll go in and she'll tell me to suck it up and won't sign. I just need some time to make these life-changing decisions in a safe environment, with a clear head, and without being bullied into it. Am I going to be screwed here because I just don't know what I am going to do if I have to go back to work when my vacation is over in January. TIA

&#x200B;

Answer:
 If you’ve been there for a year and worked 1250 hours in the last year you are eligible for 12 weeks (480 hours) of FMLA.

Ask HR for FMLA paperwork to give to your doctor. Your doctor will decide how long you should be off of work (could be x amount of hours, days, weeks).

IANAL, but I work in HR.


Title: Just bought a car. Paid too much. I don't want to be fired.

Question: I have a meeting with HR today at 4PM. I was reported by my co\-worker for a racial slur. I bought a car, I think I paid too much, and co\-worker was giving me tips that I wish I had known before. Anyway we were discussing I said I wasn't good at getting a good deal because I was too timid and gentle. Co\-worker flipped out and went to HR saying I made a semetic slur. And they seem to be taking this seriously because there's a meeting. What is going on here? What should I do. Do I need a lawyer? I really don't want to lose this job. I've never been in trouble before except one speeding ticket when I was 24. Thanks.

Answer:
 Genteel is a Southern term that means refined and well bred.

Tell HR that is what you were angling for.Answer #2: So you definitely said gentile instead of gentle and your defense is a misunderstanding of the definition of gentile? Yea that could easily be misconstrued as racially insensitive. Unfortunately, there is no legal advice to be offered here, other than definitely don't bring a lawyer to an HR meeting.

You can be fired for this so just plead your case and hope for the best.


Title: Dad is getting sued by someone who claims he hit her with his car

Question:
I just want to preface this by saying that my dad and I are both clueless about the law.

My dad was driving his car when a woman hit the side of his car (she was crossing from the middle of the street or jaywalking). However, she claims my dad hit her full on and demands compensation. Apparently compensations are too big so the case is going to the Supreme Court of New York (does this make it more severe?). We're not exactly well-off enough to be able to pay whatever she's demanding from the tone of the letter she served us. She claims it affected her emotional and physical health and made it impossible to do activities (which I highly doubt). She also wants us to cover costs and disbursments.

My dad believes that if he lawyer up, he'll end up spending more money. I don't know what to do (I'm 17), so if there's anyone who can give me advice on this so I can start on something. Thanks.

Also, how would one "answer" a "complaint"?

Tldr: dad hit woman, got served papers demanding $$ , need tips

Answer: He needs to call his insurance company. This is what he pays them for.


Title: [Earth] If an alien was in my garden and I killed it. Could I be arrested for murder?

Question:
Lets say an alien landed from the planet Zog and I shot his ass dead. Could I be arrested for murder?

Thanks

California

Answer:
 Sure you could be arrested, but that doesn't mean you would be convicted.

I am not going to look up the CA statute for murder, but I assume it includes language that makes it only applicable to the killing of another human. You probably wouldn't meet the statutory requirements of murder.

That doesn't mean there isn't another crime you could be charged with.


Title: 2016 Subaru no longer works. Will no longer come out of park and can't drive (details inside)

Question:
Long time lurker - First time poster in Legal.

&#x200B;

Hi everyone.  Out of nowhere.... here I am. About 3.5 years I bought a brand new car.  It is a sedan with no accidents (got a scuff once but was paid / replaced back rear fender).  38 K miles.

&#x200B;

Out of nowhere, my car has no longer been capable of driving.  It keeps stalling in park.  I can't reverse, drive, or anything and my car sits idle (with what seems like forever) until I jerk the brake / console / emergency break, etc., until it runs with the dashboard lighting up with a litany of problems.

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Obviously I will get my car serviced, but I am not keen on the idea that it no longer provides a viable means of transportation as this has been ongoing.  I am also not in place where I would entertain dropping another $25K for another car that I got not even 40K miles (about 6 months shy of 4 years)

&#x200B;

I am going to head to the dealership and will pan out the money to get it fixed.  However, if this is an ongoing, persistent problem where I cannot be mobile with my car, do I have a means to sue?  I don't want to  go there as it is the last thing I am considering, but I don't feel secure with a car where I have to keep stalling out and not being mobile due to inefficiencies with the car.  Does this warrant any type of pay out? (if that is the proper term)  I can't have this keep persisting.

&#x200B;

Thank you all for your comments!

Answer: Take it to the dealer, ask for a warranty repair, and ask for a loaner vehicle. You’re jumping quite a few steps in the process to even think about having to sue.


Title: Is it illegal to communicate with prostitutes by SMS/phone call (via information on websites) in Canada?

Question:
One night I was so lonely then I looked for a hooker on a local website. She came to my place (a university hall). We came to my room and I secretly turned on my phone camera. Then I gave her $220 as she mentioned in the text message. Then she went to the toilet, and went out pretending she was talking with her family member about her ill son. Then she said her phone ran out of battery and required me to give her my phone. I denied because I felt that she would run away if I go inside. Then she asked me “Why you could not give me your phone? You want to record you’re f***ing me right”. Then she ran away. After that I sent a sms to her mentioned that I will call the police that she stole the money from me based on my video. She replied that she’s licensed and would report me in Backpage and local authorities since she got my address, my phone number and my ID address (ID address might be a lie). After that I did a research and found out that hiring a prostitute is illegal. I told her that let consider that money I gave her was for her time and pls do not report anything. She replied me she would report me still.
Now I would like to ask a question:
1.	Is this illegal to send text message/give a phone call to communicate about sex service?
2.	What type of report can she do to local authorities?
3.	Does she just want to threaten me or she will actually do that?
4.	What should I do now?
PS: I’m a new student in Canada and come from a country where prostitution is legal. I have no idea about the legislation here. I don’t want to get any trouble. It will ruin my career.
Thank you

Answer: It is illegal. You basically hired a prostitute after giving her the money. Assuming you're not going to go have your fun anyways, you can't really go to the police for this... you'd get arrested...


Title: [USA] I want to sue my parents.

Question:
For reasons I can't be certain where I may take this to court, if I do take this to court. I will assume it is in the USA.

I would appreciate it if you would detail the relevant laws to what you are mentioning.

I am a minor, but not currently in the usa.
I want to sue my parents for various things.
Some of these things did not take place in the Usa, but AFaiK the "alien tort act" would allow me to take  them to cort over them anyways.

1 of my parents is apparently not my legal guardian, despite serving as 1 in the de jure sense.

The stuff I want to sue over is physical abuse and emotional trauma.

while I can't provide physical evidence, i can get them to talk about their actions and video-record this.
What is the possibility of using this as evidence if it was recordd without their knowldege.
What about if it was with their knowledge?

will confesions about mistreatment of an other sibling, help me in this? (like circumstanstional evicence?)

I think one thing 1 parent did make my smaller sized sibling eat his puke because he vomited it up because he didn't like the food.

What problems will I enounter?
What do I need to know to do this?
What resources are goo to lern more about this?

If you want me to elaborate ask me.
if you find some mistake I made here then tell me.

Afterword:

Please do not best of this post.
Please do not vote up this post if it hits past 200
I want it to remain low key.

EDIT:
While i am not done talking, i  still would like to say thank you to all of you people who posted here.

Answer:
 If you are the victim of a crime, you need to call the police, not ask Reddit how to sue people.Answer #2: > Some of these things did not take place in the Usa, but AFaiK the "alien tort act" would allow me to take them to cort over them anyways.

If the activities took place outside the USA, and your parents are not now in the USA, then US courts will have no jurisdiction.

> The stuff I want to sue over is physical abuse and emotional trauma.

It is very difficult to sue solely for "emotional trauma".  Unless you have lasting physical injuries and quantifiable damages, it's unlikely that you will prevail in a suit there.

If you want to pursue this, you should contact an attorney in the USA and run this past them.  They will very likely tell you you have no case, and not to pursue this any further.


Title: [NYS] Renting a top floor APT, Downstairs neighbors have been playing loud music during early morning hours, smoking inside...

Question:
Hello bot, New York State!

I have humbly come to /r/Legaladvice for some help. Our new downstairs neighbors moved in at the beginning of November. We have been renting the second floor apartment since June. For the most part we are quiet people (me 30F, a 31m, a 8f, and 19month old male) and the loudest thing we ever run is our 25 year old washing machine (old but great).

For the last week they have been playing their music loudly after we go to bed, the adults in our household both work, he works mornings (except for Saturday which is our only late night) and I work nights for the most part. This has been keeping both of us up, and I was able to get to bed this morning (1/2/16) at 4 am. I worked from 9 am - 1 pm, as is my usual Saturday morning shift. I did call the cops on them this morning for the noise.

The other thing is that they have been smoking inside. I politely asked when they moved in if they could please smoke outside as my son and I both have sinus issues that smoke complicates. They still smoke inside for the most part. This morning I smelled weed after I called the cops, and am not sure if the cops smelled it as well.

Is there anything I can do beyond what I have done? I have documented audio/video of this morning's noise, and there is no true way to document smells so I have no proof other than I know the smell from previous encounters at outdoors concerts. Should I bring this up to the landlord's office? Is there anything I can do about the marijuana smoke rising to my apartment?

The only thing in our lease is to be "Considerate of others in the unit/building" and we do that to the letter and beyond.

Thank you all in advance.

Answer: Complain to the landlord.


Title: Fucked out of pay?

Question:
Sorry for the way i wrote this, its sloppy i am not good at writing and structure.

I live in Massachusetts

I work at a local ski resort and i am 15. They hire at 14/15. I was trained for the months of November and december to be a snowboard instructor. I put in a ton of hours there and taught kids how to snowboard in the process. They decided to put me in ski with me which is a program to teach young kids to ski. I am supposed to catch the kids that dont stop. Now onto the part where i am fucked over. I have shown up so many days and have set up ski with me area for the kids and then have been told to go home because they dont have work for me in there for the day. One day i showed up and the ski with me boss told me to train a snowboarder to be an instructor. I did that for the day, 6-7 hours to be exact. I asked my boss what to do to fill out a card to be paid. He was upset and said technically i shouldnt have taught the snowboarder to become a teacher because im not technically an instructor. Through out training i memorized the 7 steps to be an instructor and the moves we have to preform. Ive also snowboarded for about 5 years so i know what im doing. So back onto working 7 hours and being told i technically cant do it. He also tells me that they couldnt pay me because the mountain has a serious money issue apparently. Now i dont mean to toot my own horn but i am a very good snowboarder and i had the stuff memorized well. My theory is that i wasnt an instructor because they cant afford  to pay even though i was hired. I did investigation and found out 90% of the snowboard instructors were not being paid also. They were long time employees so i think they are just doing it for charity now. I also paid $299 for a season pass which I receive for free for being an employee. They said i should be refunded if i do a lot of work. Now them being broke and telling me i dont do work when i do i do not think i will receive a refund. What do i do?

So sorry about the layout of this. Ask questions and i can respond there better.

Answer:
 [Read this.  It is your state's guide on teenagers working.](http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/occupational-health/ma-guide-working-teens.pdf)

> I put in a ton of hours there and taught kids how to snowboard in the process.

Ton is a measure of mass (metric) or weight (imperial).  How many hours exactly did you put in?

> He also tells me that they couldnt pay me because the mountain has a serious money issue apparently.

Alarm bells, alarm bells.

> My theory is that i wasnt an instructor because they cant afford to pay even though i was hired.

Do you get some sort of certification once you become an instructor, or is it just held to a company standard?  If there's an actual certification process involved, you might not be able to be the instructor.  You still have to be paid for that, though.

You didn't say if you were an hourly employee or a salaried employee.  This is important.  How much should you be paid hourly, or what was your salary?


Title: [Southern California] Landlord refuses to rent to me citing "prefers to rent to family"

Question:
So I applied for a condo in San Diego. I passed all the credit/background checks the property manager put me through, and I was scheduled to meet and sign the final lease. The day before signing the lease, the property manager contacts me and apologizes that she cannot rent to me because quote "I am so sorry that after discuss with my clients, they prefer to rent their unit to a family. "

So I thought this seems wrong. There's no reason why not to rent to me. I went online to http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/discrimination.shtml and found unlawful discrimination.

Because she used the words she used in email AND text message, could this be deemed unlawful discrimination for family/marital status?

Let me know if more information is needed.

Answer:
 Very well could be. Your title is so misleading though. I thought this would be a landlord who only wants to rent to their family, i.e. they have a cousin or something who wants to rent.

Contact your local fair housing org. http://www.nationalfairhousing.org/FindLocalHelp/tabid/2574/Default.aspx

Get some of that sweet sweet justice pie. Preserve everything.


Title: I'm 18 in 2 months, can I easily become emancipated before then?(KY)

Question: So I'm 17 atm, but I'll be 18 in December, and I currently live with my dad in KY. Me and my dad have pretty much always gotten along, and it's not like he's doing a bad job of caring for me or anything, but he and I don't really see eye to eye on how my future is gonna go post-December. Is there any sort of loophole I can take to get emancipated before December, considering that I've been working since I was 14, and I could easily provide for myself. If not, am I still able to drop out of highschool without a parent's consent?

Answer:
 > Is there any sort of loophole I can take to get emancipated before December

No.

> If not, am I still able to drop out of highschool without a parent's consent?

Why would you even want to do that? That's like quitting a race one step before the finish line.Answer #2: Don't be a fool, stay in school. Don't have high expectations on getting an expedited emancipation.


Title: Cousin wont vacate Grandmother's house now that we need to sell.

Question:
My grandmother has had congestive heart failure for years, and recently, had a very severe heart attack and stroke in quick succession.  She's alive and concious, but we've all agreed she needs to be in a home where she can have the help she needs in case things like this continue to happen.  The house being sold is where the money for her nursing home is coming from.  The issue is, my cousin has been living with her for 6 years since he was kicked out of his parents house.  He argues its his house now, and that we have no right to remove him to sell it.  We gave him months of notice this might have to happen, and gave him time to make arrangments.  I even called his brother in Ohio to get him a plave to stay.  But he argues he was a caretaker for years.  A quick rundown on that; in the 6 years he has never taken out the trash, never made her dinner or brought her her medicine, left garbage bags of diapers he wears sometimes in the bathroom, and bottles of his own pee in the hallway.  He has never even looked for a job, and spends most of his time playing video games in his bedroom.  Ontop of that, we recently found out hes been taking advantage of her in her old age and addled mental state to funnel about 7000 dollars from her accounts into his own.

The issue is, its only been 3 months since all this, and he argues legally we have to give him an additional 3 months since hes been a resident for over a year.  We need this money in the next month to pay for my grandmothers treatment.  Can I just call the police on him and have him removed?  I hate his guts for this, but I dont want him to end up in prison or anything either.  What legal grounds to we have to remove him without pressing any charges?

Answer:
 What state are you in?

He's a month to month tenant, so you have to give him notice to vacate and if he doesn't comply, you have to go to court to get a court-ordered eviction. This isn't going to be a particularly quick process, I'm afraid.


Title: Texting someone after they said to leave them alone?

Question: I made my much older cousin pretty mad at me back in November of last year.   I kept trying to contact him up until I believe March of this year.   Then he threatened to file charges if I called or texted one more time.   He was in a rough place after losing his wife and so he lashed out on me.   My question is,  can I ever text him in the future?  Is there a certain time period I have to wait until his request no longer stands?  I know that sounds rude and disrespectful but I’m seeking reconciliation.  And I just thought maybe I’d start with “is it okay if I text you?” first instead of anything else.   I was planning to wait until winter time however so it’s more time passed.

Answer:
 > I know that sounds rude and disrespectful but I’m seeking reconciliation.

It doesn't sound rude and disrespectful it is rude and disrespectful and you don't want to know how often we have heard that of abusive people who have been told to stay away and not contact somebody over and over again. (So no you don't contact him anymore unless he opts that he wants contact with you).Answer #2: Don't risk it. Doesn't matter that he's family or whatever you thought was the reason, he told you he'd file charges if you contacted him again. So don't contact him. Wait for him to talk to you, *then* ask if you can text him.


Title: What are the laws regarding jail broken FireSticks? (NC)

Question:
I am considering buying a jail broken FireSticks in order to watch tv (an antenna won’t pick up where I live). Plus it would allow me to watch cable tv. Just wasn’t sure what laws discuss this matter in detail, or if it has pursued in court before. I live in N.C.
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer: Having or jail-breaking a fire stick is not illegal. Streaming content for free that you would otherwise have to pay for is illegal.


Title: [IN] Seller AirBnB'd house 3 days before closing

Question:
Hi legaladvice gurus!

So, to be straight, I'm not planning on doing anything legally about this. It happened to me last year and we've just been chalking it up to "wow, that was a dick move". However, our realtor had never heard of anything like this happening, and I thought it'd be interesting to know what you all think about this from a legal perspective.

Here's what happened - we bought a house in a college town (huge football program, yes I'm sure you know it). We put in an offer, it was accepted, we signed all the paperwork, put our earnest check in, all good. We did put one addendum into the paperwork that was agreed to by the seller - we wanted to replace/repair some of the floors, and requested to be able to have a contractor in once with 24 hours notice to give us a quote and schedule it.

Here's where we first realized something was odd - we were set to move in September 1st. Unfortunately, the sellers told us that they couldn't do that, as the moving truck wouldn't move them then. Okay, sounds legit, we push it back. Funny thing, though - that weekend was a HUGE football weekend, and it's common for folks near the stadium to AirBnB their houses to make some bank.

We request that weekend for the contractor to drop in, thinking it'd work out great, their stuff will be mostly packed, we close a couple days after, we can get that started. The sellers tell us no, they have "friends" staying at the house, and they can't be bothered. Fishy. Annoying. We could've pushed it since it was in the paperwork, but we didn't.

Final walkthrough comes along. The sellers left the paperwork discussing the AirBnB rental on the kitchen counter. He tried to shuffle it out of the way as soon as he realized we noticed. Uh huh. The realtor was blown away - she had never heard of anyone doing this before a closing, as it'd be ridiculously risky in case of damages. We didn't have an attorney on the sale because that's not a thing here.

What do you all think about this? Is it legal for the seller to have done this? Or just morally shady?

TL;DR: Bought a house, seller AirBnB'd it for a football weekend right before we closed. Legal?

Answer: Until the deal closes, it's still their house and they could do with it as they please barring some contractual restriction.


Title: [Maryland] Cop was nice with First Speeding Ticket; Not sure what to do

Question:
Got my first speeding ticket ever the other day. I was on the highway doing 86 in a 55 (I know...). Cop was nice and he tickets me for 83 in a 55, which is a $90 fine and 2 points in MD I believe. He said if he ticketed me for higher, that would've been reckless speeding which is $106 and 5 points.

What should I do?

If I fight it:

* He might not show up in court, in which case I get this dismissed

* People in this subreddit have said that the cop can amend the ticket to be reckless. He already cut me some slack already.

If I don't fight it:

* My parents don't know about this yet and they pay for my car insurance, which I heard goes up with points. I am college-aged.

Answer: Just pay the thing and move on. Look into if you can do traffic school to avoid the points going on your license.


Title: Ontario, Canada - Landlord owes me $13k (court order). Refuses to pay. Now what?

Question:
Hey friends,

To the point - The courts have ordered my landlord to pay me $13k, and today was the due date before he starts accruing interest, and he's told me he has no intention of every paying it.

What's my next step regarding enforcing this court order in Ontario, Canada?

Thanks!

Answer:
 Landlord & Tenant Board orders can be enforced through the Ontario Small Claims court system. Contact your local branch and ask the clerk.

Enforcement may involve seizing his bank accounts and wages, or placing liens on his property.

For the amount in question I think a check-in with an attorney would also be a good idea.


Title: Today my neighbor's german shepherd ripped my 15 year old cat in half. I want to press charges but don't know how to go about it.

Question: Today, at around 9 in the morning, a german shepherd and another dog belonging to my neighbors came and ripped my first cat, quite literally, in half. I wasn't around to witness it but both my mom and brother were there. The dogs broke his back and my cat was suffering immensely until my brother was forced to put him down himself. There was no chance of survival and we are INCREDIBLY heartbroken, as again, this was our very first cat. My brother messaged the son of the first family (who is 18, my brother's age) and told him about what happened. He apologized for it but did not say they would do anything to keep the dog put up. I messaged their daughter (20, my age) and also let her know about it. She was incredibly heartless and told me she knows her dog and the neighbor's dog always get into trouble, but there was nothing they could do about "what the dogs did with their time". We know it's their dog because it's the only german shepherd in the area and the father frequently runs on our road with said dog. The other dog is brindle-coated and has been spotted for years at the other neighbor's residence. We have no doubts that these are the same dogs that killed our cat in our own yard. George doesn't leave our yard as he is old and feeble. We want to press charges to get the dogs put down or have some kind of action taken but we don't know how we would be able to prove it or if any measures at all would be taken. We are in the city and county limits and there is a law saying dogs can't be left out to run around on their own. We are so, so heartbroken.

Answer: This is very unlikely to be a criminal issue. You should call animal control and report that the loose dogs attacked a cat. You can also sue the dog owner(s) but you'd be limited to the market value of a fifteen year old cat.


Title: [Maryland] I might become a civilian employee of the US Army. What are my rights regarding political activity?

Question:
The title is pretty much the entire story. I might be getting a job in the US Army, but as a civilian. What are my rights regarding political activity (criticism, donations, protests, etc.)? I've done my own research, but most of it addresses the military, not civilians.

Location: Maryland

Answer: What's you plan for getting around the freeze? Last I heard was even civilian DoD positions were included; unless that specific position was exempted by the Secretary.


Title: AL I made a deposit of 70 dollars at an ATM, and I just realized I might have fucked up

Question:
My credit union has a drive-thru ATM that has a deposit function. it's covered in Cameras. I recently made my first ATM deposit for some black Friday deals.

&#x200B;

I was talking to my buddy and he asked if I used an envelope. I did not use an envelope, and I just confirmed that there is a sign that states that you must use an envelope and that lost money is not their responsibility. It's about 10 inches to the top left of the actual screen and no one would ever see it unless they were diligently scanning the structure, but it's there.

&#x200B;

I'm wondering if that sign is enforceable. I can't really just eat a 70 dollar hit right now. I have a receipt and the credit was instantly applied to my account, but I'm worried they might "lose" the money and try to say I didn't give them any money.

Answer: If they treated their customers that way they probably wouldn’t have any. I think you’re fine, maybe just call the branch to confirm it got processed ok. I doubt you have any legal options though.Answer #2: That probably just means it’s the type of ATM where the deposits drop into a sort of bin and then get hand-processed by the bank employees. Money doesn’t usually get lost inside of them, but if there’s more than one cash deposit without an envelope, the money could mix together and if there’s an offage it would be hard to tell whose deposit was short. I don’t think you have anything to worry about, but try and use an envelope next time to make it easier for everyone.Answer #3: I work for a financial institution which uses these kinds of machines. Call either the branch or their call centre and give them a heads up. It's a minor pain but happens regularly. You'll be fine.Answer #4: Are you sure the sign is still correct? If the machine automatically counted the money, it might be designed to handle deposits *not* in an envelope (AFAIK newer ATMs are moving that way). The sign might have been for an older model.Answer #5: The bank will reconcile all the unenveloped deposits so you should be fine. Just to be safe I would stop by the branch Monday, or tomorrow if they are open, and talk to them. 99% of the time you will be fine.


Title: [Illinois] How much money could a woman get from a "trust fund kid" if she got married and pregnant?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: "Trust fund kid" is not a term of art and can mean any number of things.  Depends on the terms of the trust, the man's assets, etc.


Title: New landlord hates privacy. Help

Question:
I recently found myself needing a month to month lease for between six months to 14 months in Baltimore, which I was unfamiliar with.  The apartment I found is a small efficiency in an older building.  They agreed to a standard lease for the first six months, followed by month to month lease.  I was to be the first tenant, when I toured it six weeks ago, workers were painting the rooms.  The landlords son is living upstairs, and this is my landlords first time renting.  The lease was obviously pulled from a form and seemed standard.

There is a clause in the lease which states that I can't install curtains rods or hooks.  This seemed standard as well, I had similar at my old apartment.  I assumed there would be some sort of curtain provided, and this was in regards to additional curtains.

I moved in Sunday, and found the landlord had not installed curtains at all.  At this point, I assumed the issue with curtains was the potential to damage to the wall.  So, I bought tension rods that require no hardware and used them to hang curtains.

Monday afternoon I got a text from my landlord saying I needed to remove the curtains.

The building is on a street corner with a fair amount of foot traffic.  Between the four windows, you can see all of my apartment with the exception of the portion of the bathroom with the toilet and tub.  Not only does this mean I have no privacy, but the neighborhood is slightly sketchy after dark.  The nearby buildings have bars on their windows.  Anyone passing by not only can see my possessions, but whether or not I am home.

I expressed this to the landlord in my reply over text.  He replied to reread my lease.  I left them up overnight.

I had orientation this morning and came back to find the curtains removed and no where in the apartment.  I discovered this before entering the building, as two guys were outside one of my windows and looking in my apartment.  They left when I entered the building.

I messaged the landlord saying he didn't have the right to enter the apartment and asked for the curtains back.  He again said to check my lease and then commented that I needed to finish unpacking as it looked messy in my apartment.

I had to head to a work event so I couldn't follow through more, but I moved my electronics to one corner and used a bookshelf to block one of the windows so they weren't visible.

While at the event, I got a text from the landlord with a picture of the blocked window, captioned "whatts this"

What can I do to prevent my landlord from entering the apartment unannounced and to compel him to allow some form of curtain?  Alternatively, how do I break my lease three days into it?  This is too crazy for week one.

Answer:
 > [Updates: Landlord texted me "Sweetie, I didn't think you'd be like this."](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/7buau0/update_privacy_hating_landlord/)

I see from your post history that you're a woman. Get some mace.Answer #2: Tape aluminum foil or parchment paper to cover the windows. I doubt it's against the lease. I'd also file a police report over the stolen curtains, if they tell you it's a civil matter ask for a supervisor. Before you leave home I suggest taking pictures of what's inside your drawers just so you'll be able to see if anything moved. If your drawers are neat and orderly, throw in some scraps of paper that are different shapes and sizes. Also I would respond to that text with "Privacy from creeps and nosy people" Answer #3: Did you look OUTSIDE for cameras facing inwards? This landlord sounds really gross. Good luck, OP. Please post another update soon.Answer #4: Just saw your update; so glad your company has your back.

Hope it goes well.Answer #5: Does you lease say anything about window [shades](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Window-Treatments-Shades/N-5yc1vZch27), [blinds](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Window-Treatments-Blinds-Mini-Blinds/N-5yc1vZapzq) or [window film](https://www.homedepot.com/s/window%2520film?NCNI-5)?

You can buy basic shades or blinds for as cheap as $10 or $15 per window to start with.  Obviously nicer looking decorative coverings go for much more.   Hardware stores will have inexpensive models they can cut to size for you.


Title: What does the law say about being married in two different countries to two different people?

Question:
A dear friend of mine recently proposed to his boyfriend, who said yes, but said friend refuses to acknowledge the fact that he was once married in Canada. Here's the situation: dear friend A got married in Canada a few years ago in an attempt to stay in Canada so that him and his partner might be able to actually date without being thousands of miles away. Things didn't work out with them nor did it work with his Canadian citizenship. The Canadian partner refused to deal with divorce papers and to this day they are still legally married. Present day friend A has been with his new partner for years, locally this time, and they both plan to get married. Will this marriage be valid or legal or will they have complications?
TL:DR - Gay man married in Canada years ago, didn't work out and old partner refused to handle his side of divorce papers. Gay man now with someone new and both wanting to get married.

Answer:
 Bigamy -- being married to more than one person -- is illegal in both Canada and the United States. Any marriage that occurs after the first one, without first dissolving the first marriage, will be void by default. Your friend could also be facing prison time.

Take care of the first marriage, first. We have procedures for when one spouse refuses to comply with divorce proceedings, I imagine Canada has very similar rules.


Title: [TX] How many posts here lately seem to be creative writing or something other than what's presented? (location irrelevant)

Question:
I have been lurking here for awhile and I feel like occasionally we see a lot of the following:

Aspiring writers presenting scenarios looking for research

People on one side of a dispute claiming to be on the other side to see what advice their adversary may be getting

bored people just plain making stuff up

Of course we've all seen the crazy people who think aliens are conspiring with their landlords to install tracking devices on their cats or whatever but those are usually pretty obvious (and a little sad)

Not sure it would be wise to point out any specific posts (cause who knows really) but, just wondering if anyone thinks this is happening more than a little.

Answer:
 Plenty. I just don't think it matters that much. Two things:

* You'd be surprised how stupid people are. Ask any attorney here with a private practice, they'll be able to tell you a dozen stories that are crazier than we see here.

* Beyond that, what does it matter? So somebody gets some free legal advice for their fictitious problem. So what? Maybe somebody else learns something of value. Maybe somebody in a similar situation stumbles across it next week, or next year.


Title: Summoned for Jury Duty in NYC, took a 6-month postponement, moved to MA in the meantime. What's my responsibility? [MA, NY]

Question:
Dear Legal Advice,

I lived in NYC for about 5 years (between 2012-2017.) Towards the end of my time there, I got a summons to serve as a juror. Normally, I'd be happy to serve and get the stipend, but because I was hustling to finish up my Master's degree, I took a 6-month postponement. Since that time, I've moved to Mass; I've changed my voter registration and everything. My 2nd jury duty notice has arrived at my new address (thank god for post office forwarding, or it would've been sent to my old place) and I'm not sure what my responsibilities are. I tried calling the juror questions line in NYC, but it's just a pre-recorded phone tree and they didn't have an answer for my situation.

So far, I've sent an email to the NY County Clerk division of jurors explaining my situation and included supporting documentation (new voter registration, utility bill from my MA address, copy of their notice to me.) And I'm gonna mail a copy of my letter to the clerk with all that stuff included, just to be on the safe side.

Should I do anything else? I'm open to serving as a juror in MA, but going back to NYC to serve jury duty doesn't make sense from a practical standpoint. And even if it did, I'm not sure if I'm still eligible, since I'm no longer registered to vote in New York County. How should I proceed?

Thanks in advance for your advice. I really enjoy reading and posting in this sub and I've learned a lot about different legal matters by doing it. I'm hoping you guys can assist here.

Answer:
 Notifying the NYC County Clerk division of your move to MA which makes you ineligible to serve as a juror in NYC is enough.

Use a certified letter and send it to the address that the juror form contains for such notifications.

You have no duty to notify MA of your move - they will figure it out by themselves.


Title: [California] Being sued by Ford Motor Credit for not returning my leased car on time even though I tried to return it twice and they have it on video tape.

Question:
In 2010 I leased a car from Ford. When it came time to return it in 2012 I had gone about 500 miles over what I signed on for. Which was fine. I was/am totally ok with paying for the extra mileage as I had gotten good use out of the car.

However, when I went to return the car the financial manager said I had already paid for the whole month and seeing as how the month wasn't over I should just keep the car for a couple more days. On top of that, he was busy and he said he didn't really have time to process it right now anyways.

So, a few days later I call and ask if it's ok for me to bring the car back and they told me to wait until I get a call from them. A day after that I get woken up around 3AM from the sounds of my car being towed. Ford had just repossessed the car that I had tried to give back to them twice.

Since then it's been back and forth trying to get this cleared up. I'm willing to pay for the extra mileage but should not have to pay for not returning the car on time or for the repossession as that is entirely their fault. It's also a big ugly mark on my credit score right now.

Last week, I was served papers telling me that Ford Motor Credit had filed a civil law suit against me.

We found out that they have cameras all around their building that should show me trying to return the car but they are just dancing around that topic claiming I need to pay them every dime of the mileage overages and everything involved in the repossession and not returning the car.

I apologize if this sounds rambling but I'm incredibly frustrated and stressed out at this whole situation. At this point I feel like I should contact a lawyer but I feel like I am being conned and this shouldn't have ever gotten this far.

What can/should I do?

Edit: I should also mention that they've quoted us twice on separate occasions with the number of miles that I went over. The two numbers that they quoted us have a 100 miles difference between the two which makes this even more shady.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Returning a leased car can be an insanely difficult process because the dealership has no real incentive to help you in you're not interested in purchasing or leasing another car. You probably should have held your ground at the dealership and refused to leave without returning the car or gone to a different dealer to make the return.

You may very well be responsible for the additional costs of Ford having to come get the car from you.Answer #2: File a general denial if not a verified complaint and at the same time countersue for breach of contract and fraud.  Before you do this, call attorney and offer to settle on what you owe.  If they don't  make sure to countersue.  At the first cmc, ask for a jury trial, will cost an extra 150 if the haven't settled yet.  Check local rules on timing of this, but usually this is the time to post jury fees.    At some point will settle, but if feeling adventurous hire a lawyer to help and take it to trial and seek attorney fees if you get the jury to side with you.  Will be cheaper to settle, but if you can afford it take a stand.  CA attorney involved in a similar cases.  Can Google for sample responses and they will work for you situation.


Title: [California] Can a non-profit not hire someone because they are not Latino?

Question:
I volunteer with a 501c3 with 3 paid employees and have been helping conduct interviews for an open position. The position is working within a heavily Latino community, so the CEO wants someone Latino because "they can better relate to the community". We interviewed someone who is by far the best candidate and speaks Spanish, but she is white so the CEO doesn't want to hire her based on that reason alone. Any problems with this?
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer:
 > 3 paid employees

How big is the overall non-profit?

IANAL, but the 3 paid employees jumps out at me, as some of the discrimination laws (e.g. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which is the first thing that comes to mind for employment discrimination) have exceptions for small employers (e.g. CRA 1964 only applies to employers with 15+ employees).

So size may be pertinent to getting the most correct answer.Answer #2: Not a lawyer but I was questioned about hiring practices after someone we interviewed made several complaints.

The key would likely be: Is being able to relate to the community an important function of the job?

Basically- at my previous job we had someone claim that they were denied employment because we hired a women who didn't have as impressive resume as the male candidate. When our company lawyer interviewed us we were very specific in our reasoning - the job required you to interact with non-tech employees and the male candidate became very flustered when we gave him multiple chances to explain a basic concept to us without any tech jargon. The female candidate was able to this very gracefully. So we hired her as that was a big part of the job.

Sure, when you compare the paper resumes of the two candidates it looked like she a quota hire, but when we interviewed them to get a sense of who they were it became clear that she had other traits that made her the best candidate.

TLDR; Resumes aren't the only thing that determines who is the best candidate for a job.


Title: Concerned about my job now that I'm pregnant. [NY]

Question:
I work for a very small company, less than 10 people. I am due in the summer, which is the busiest time of year for us and we cannot take vacation days during that time.

I understand NYS does not have a maternity leave law and my company does not offer their own leave. And the website where I found FMLA information for NYS states that only 'certain employees' can be provided with the 12 weeks unpaid and protected leave.

It also states:
"Employees are eligible for leave if they have worked for their employer at least 12 months, at least 1,250 hours over the past 12 months, and work at a location where the company employs 50 or more employees within 75 miles."

So, would this mean my employer can fire me for being pregnant? Or would that be discrimination? Would it mean that as my due date arrives, I won't be able to keep my job?

Answer:
 You aren't covered by FMLA because your company does not have enough employees.

Congratulations on your child!!


Title: MA Controlled substance kept in home I was 'evicted from' via restraining order. Doctor will not refill prescription for two weeks. Should I file larceny charges against the homeowner?

Answer: They didn't steal the medication from you, so there isn't a basis for larceny. Also, you don't file charges, the DA does.Answer #2: Go to the police station, explain the situation, and ask if there's someone (an officer or other police employee) who can go retrieve your medication for you. Don't be aggressive about it. From what you've written here, you seem to feel as though your medication was stolen from you. That's not the case and having that attitude with the police is not going to work out well for you.Answer #3: Call the police and ask for a "civil standby" to retrieve your essential property. Be forewarned there could be a time limit on how much stuff you are allowed to get. Do not violate the order.


Title: How long can a hospital keep me for psych hold?(NH)

Question: I had a really bad tooth infection and didn't get any sleep for about a week. I don't have much memory of the events but I was brought to the ER because I was confused and slurring my speech and delusional. I was given sedatives and returned to normal after a nights sleep. While here I have received IV antibiotics and my tooth feels better enough that I have been able to sleep. The psychiatrist wants to send me to the state psych hospital but I am 20th on the list for available beds and have now been stuck waiting in the hospital for two weeks and could be here for weeks more waiting. I was under the impression that they needed a court order to hold someone for long then 72 hours? How long can I be held here, I'm worried I'll be here for a month waiting while missing work and racking up a massive medical bill.

Answer:
 An wondering if there's something you're not telling us. Would the Dr really recommend inpatient stay for one day of being a bit incoherent from an infection?Answer #2: Have you tried telling them you want to leave?Answer #3: https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dcbcs/nhh/eligibility.htm

Found this for you. Hope it helps


Title: Haven't signed the lease yet and I want my money back

Question:
So I'll be honest, I have learned a lesson to not give money upfront.

My 2 roommates and I found a place. Great location, they were fixing everything up and the work so far looked great. We gave a check for $650. $50 for background checks and $600 deposit. The remaining $300 to be paid after the walk through. He cashed the check right away. I emailed him and told him that was for holding. We still want the place so we don't make a huge deal.

A week later I call schedule the walk through and meet him with my roommates. It's not done. He gives me keys, I give him the check because he said the repairs I asked for on top of what he was finishing would be done in 2 days, minus the window he ordered. Okay so I email him some of the big damages and wait for days for him to email the lease.

I read the lease thoroughly and have many issues. One for example is how they don't need to give any notice before coming, regardless of emergency or not. I tell him I want it changed. He says no. I bring my father over to inspect the repairs I am not happy with. My father comes to find code violations with the gas line using a water pipe to the stove (I had no idea) and multiple other issues with duct work and the overflow valve for the hot water tank. He confirms they are violations and working to get the building inspector out to make it official on paper.

Besides not signing the lease, not giving them any more money, getting the building inspector out there, and not moving anything into the apartment, is there anything else I should do? Our lease was to begin for October 15th and the place wasn't done yet. My father suggested writing a letter and ending it certified. I have copies of all the emails and we never signed the lease. I did say in an email we would sign it but that was before the violations.

Also I have pictures of the place top to bottom. And videos.

We are in Pennsylvania.

Cliff notes: gave check for $650, repairs still being done. Check was cashed but meant to hold. Walk through. Repairs not complete. Got keys, gave $300 check. Father found code violations. Never signed lease. I want my money back.

Answer:
 I hope you got pictures and documented everything.  You are going to have to sue to get the money back.  You'll need the evidence to prove that the house was not fit to rent when he accepted the money.Answer #2: > One for example is how they don't need to give any notice before coming, regardless of emergency or not.

In many places, that is just plain illegal... so it wouldn't matter what it says in the lease, he can't do it.

Out of curiosity, why on earth would you give someone money before signing (or even *looking at*) a lease?!