Title: (US)(South Carolina) Question on common law marriage

Question: Hey r/legaladvice. I am a 21 year old who resides in south Carolina. I am going to college but would like to stay out of debt. My parents make little money to support a big family but too much to get me good financial aid. I am engaged to my gf of 4 years. I have been thinking about common law marriage to help identify myself as independent on fafsa. Now my question is about the exact requirements of common law. We don't live together bc of both of us attending college and not having much money. Also, would fafsa allow a common law marriage? I would like all opinions on the subject please. Thanks for reading!

Answer: Why not just get married? Then there won't be any question.


Title: My GoFundMe was hacked.

Question:
Long story short, I started a GoFundMe for a human trafficking organization. I was hacked by people who can’t get over stalking me. I contacted police and a lawyer. When I went to check it today I saw [this saying liberals for Las Vegas shooter. ](https://i.imgur.com/odIEu1U.jpg). My original image was [this. ](https://i.imgur.com/yhGqYlV.jpg)

I wanted to donate the money to human trafficking fighters. They said I scam everyone (I never have) but I don’t want people to think I’m scamming using PayPal.

Any advice?

Answer:
 >for a human trafficking organization.

Don't they already make enough money trafficking people?Answer #2: OP I hope you seriously consider getting help. I could sit here and say how horrible you are for scamming drug money and it would be true, but right now I think you need to muster up enough self esteem to realize that this is not the life you were born to live. You can have and should have so much better than this. I'm on the total opposite side of the US so I'm not 100% positive on what resources are available to you. But maybe you should spend your time on the internet checking them out instead of trying to save face for all of these anonymous strangers. Please. Answer #3: http://www.norcalna.org/na_meetings.php

best advice I know ofAnswer #4: What is a 510 friend?  Answer #5: Please, please go to rehab.Answer #6: hahahahahahaha


Title: Someone rear ends and totals my car, but gets to walk away clean

Question:
So this is happening in michigan. Here's the full story:

I get a flat tire on my way home and change it, so I'm riding on a spare tire, the maximum speed limit on it is 55mph.

I'm driving slow on the highway because of the spare tire and I'm paying attention to my surroundings as I always do.  out of nowhere, someone rams into the back of my car -- he must've been going 85-90mph or I would have seen him coming.

fast forward to when the cops get there, I told them that I was going about 50mph because of the spare and find out that the guy who caused the accident was texting and driving (remember, he was going really fast). I learn that the legal minimum speed limit on the highway in michigan is 55. I thought it was 50.

neither of us get a citation because we both "technically caused" the accident. him for texting and driving, me for driving under the speed limit.

found out today that my car, my baby, is probably totaled -- and the shit head who totaled her doesn't have to pay a dime or even have the accident on his record.

I'm having trouble with the fairness of this (I know that legality and fairness are not the same thing) because I could have been going 55mph and he still would have rammed into me. I could have been going 70mph and he would have rammed into me. he was way more at fault than I was there -- he could have killed me or someone else, whereas I was posing much less danger.

is there anything I can do to make this asshole pay for destroying my baby? or the psychological damage he's caused? I didn't mention it but I keep having these dreams about the accident that wake me up suddenly -- I've had about 10 hours of sleep since the accident, 5 days ago.

if I can't make him pay, is there anything at all I can do to make me feel lees like I've been cosmically shat on. thanks.

I'll provide more info if needed.

Answer: Michigan is a no fault state. Your insurance,  assuming you carry collison, covers your damages,  his insurance covers his. You can sue him civilly for your deductible.


Title: [Kansas] How far an a Confidentiality Agreement go before it becomes an unreasonable burden?

Question:
I work in the state of Kansas, and recently my company has just released a new Confidentiality Policy, to which we must sign a new confidentiality agreement. It is fairly standard, in that we (the employees) agree not to disclose non-public information and accept immediate termination if we do disclose such info, by accident or otherwise.

In this new contract, though, unlike the one before it, the company has included a clause which allows them (my employer) to apprehend immediately, at any time and place, all of my personal electronic devices, during or after employment with the Company, in order to verify that "any and all applicable confidential and non-public information is not stored on such devices".

I am entirely okay with signing an agreement to promise indefinitely that I will not disclose trade secrets or other confidential info, but I am absolutely not willing to allow this company to search through my phone, laptop, etc. at any time, now or in the future. I plan to talk with HR about it, to see if I can sign an agreement which does not include that clause, but I have a feeling that they won't change the language and will fire me if I don't sign.

I like this job and would like to keep it, but this feels absurd and entrapping. I never signed a contract of any kind, besides a confidentiality agreement and another agreement covering my usage of company computers, but in my employment handbook it does mention several times that I am "employed at-will" and can leave, or be fired, at any time for any reason.

Would a court in Kansas uphold this sort of agreement? Can I really be fired reasonably for refusing to allow them to demand my electronics at any time whatsoever?

Answer: I can't give you advice whether to sign it or not, but I can tell you that a requirement that they be allowed to examine your personally owned devices after you have left their employment whenever they want to would never be enforceable.  As far as your personal devices at work are concerned, you should have a passlock on them anyway.


Title: NYS: Enforce a home equity loan when only one spouse, the decedent, signed the mortgage?

Question: Dad had a stroke and subsequently died this year. Mom learned that he took a home equity loan on the house back in (around) 2007.  She’s not listed on the account and never signed the note. Has been on the deed in the NYC house since 1967. Citibank refuses to turn over paperwork my father originally signed. They claim the mortgage follows the property so now Mom is liable for the mortgage or they can foreclose. Isn’t this a defective mortgage? Can they enforce a defective mortgage?

Answer: The best answer I can give is maybe.  Your mom needs  to get a local real estate attorney.


Title: I have full custody of my children but mother is in hiding with them

Question:
I was recently granted full custody of my children because my ex wife didn't show for court. I'm in need of advice on what I should do next. I haven't seen them in over 70 days. Where should I start in finding her location and getting my babies back?

Edit: To make it clear, in the original divorce complaint I was giving her full custody and I wanted just standard visitation. She didn't show up and judge granted me custody.

No I'm not an abusive person, I'm a father who loves his boys more than the world and I just want to be in their life.

I'm only 23 and I have never been through anything as stressful as this. Which is why I came here for help/advice.

Answer:
 Have you called the police?

It's hard to give more specific advice as you did not give your location (despite multiple requests in the sub to do so), as each state has different options in these unfortunate cases.Answer #2: Why exactly have you not called the police?Answer #3: ...not going to the police after not seeing your kids for 70 days is not going to look good in future custody hearings.  Why the hell did you wait so long?Answer #4: Well, if you have custody, she doesn't, and she has them, you call them is as kidnapped and name her as the kidnapper.Answer #5: Call the police. Report the kids as kidnapped.


Title: Visitation order not being followed....at my wits end.

Question:
I'll try to condense this so it isn't 50 paragraphs long so here we go....

Ok, I am currently represented by a lawyer. Hard parts over right? Not even close, well quite frankly I feel like my lawyer isn't really doing his job. But we'll get back to him, for now let's go together on the magical journey of "baby momma drama"

My son is 2 1/2 years old. That kid is my entire world and he adores me, my friends and family will attest to that (as well as my phone and facebook). I started this legal process in April of this year and just as of October was granted the standard visitation order (every other weekend overnights) and I even got an extra weekend when his mother does her army drill weekend. Score right? Wrong, long story short his mother and I recently tried to work it out as in getting back together. Surprise it didn't work out. I honestly don't know if she still has feelings and is just trying to hurt me or what. But, she has kept him from me for MY court ordered weekend for the past 2 times. Excuse she had the 1st time was that it was her drill weekend and she couldn't bring him because he was at his grandparents(I'm not welcome in their home or around them loooong story for a different time) so I didn't get him. 2 weekends roll around and it's my time again. I text her the night before to let her know I would be at the pickup/drop off location, no response. I go anyways the next day and she doesn't show.

So I get my lawyer on the phone (which is the absolute hardest thing to do) and his receptionist says email me the receipts with timestamps and copies of police reports. I do what is asked and......nothing. It's like my lawyer has lost interest. All the while telling me I have 4 valid contempt charges that I can file but it will take at least 3 months to get back to court. To me that is just unacceptable, I waited 6 months without seeing my son before we went to court. So you want me to wait another 3 months without him!? At the beginning with the lawyer started out really great but slowly started downhill. It's gotten to the point to where not only is it hard to get ahold of him (receptionist and lawyer were both out of the office for about a 3 week period) but when I do he acts as if it's sort of comical and just kind of laughs it off and says "oh man you're gonna have to deal with this for the next 16 years". Umm no how about you do your job so I don't have to go through this!

At this point I'm on the verge of tears pretty much every day of my life because I don't know when the next time I will see my son.
I feel like it's pretty black and white and as I've told her before you have blatantly violated a court order and you will end up being punished for it.

So Reddit what do I do!?

Answer:
 Your attorney is correct that you will be dealing with this for 16+ years. She is the person you picked to be the mother of your child. You cannot change that now.

It is contempt of court orders. But the repercussions available are not extensive. The judge will tell her to stop over and over again. She may lose another weekend. But really, not a ton they are going to do. And it takes time to get a hearing.

You should find another attorney if you do not like the way your is doing things.


Title: (CO) I had car an accident on 12/26/15. I made a claim to my insurance, but now they guy is suing me for $2500 after the claim was closed.

Question:
I was driving my small kia Rio and turning onto a on-ramp for the highway and a semi crept over and crushed the roof of my car. When we pulled over he said that he wants to avoid calling the cops and insurance. Then when I said I would still like to call the cops, he said he would pin the accident on me. He then asked me to give him a note saying I was sliding on ice or he was going to call the cops and try to get me fined. I figured this guy wasn't going to pursue it anyway. The truck had a tiny dent on the trailer compared to my destroyed roof.

Anyway, a month later we get a bill in the mail demanding $1200 for damages. So I call and file a claim with progressive. They then defend me and close the claim. Then 3 months later another insurance company or some other company, saying they work for the trucker mailed me concerning the claim. They had sent a letter of "subrogation" for $1200. When I called and asked what this was about, she said that the company was going to pursue the funds from me, but she had advised the trucker from doing so. She also advised me to take no further action and the case is closed.

Until today when 3 uniformed police officers arrived at my door informing me that I am being sued for $2500 by the trucker. $1200 for damages and $1300 for days of labor lost. I called my insurance company and they just say the claim is closed and they are not open until tomorrow.

What do I need to prepare for? Will I have to find a lawyer or am I just fucked because progressive insurance sucks?

Answer: You still need to circle back with your insurance. They might still have a duty to defend you.


Title: (NC) Landlord is attemting to bar me from getting an emotional support animal...what to do?

Question:
Hey y'all!

I finally decided to get some help today, and went and saw a psychiatrist. I have Fibromyalgia, Depression, General Anxiety, and Panic Attacks. I asked the psychiatrist about an emotional support animal, and she believes that it is a great idea. She is getting the paper typed up and signed saying that it is necessary for my mental health and well-being.

I texted my landlord (property manager, I believe) to let her know and to ask for reasonable accommodations as my apartment complex is "no pets", and she sent me back a text saying this: "Sorry but you will have to find another place to live then. The owners are definitely NO PETS."

I then sent her a lengthy, yet polite text message (so that it is in writing), telling her (again) that an Emotional Support Animal is not considered a pet, that it is actually a necessary medical tool. I also explained to her that by law (the Fair Housing Act, to be exact) she must provide reasonable accommodations for my request. Since I sent that second and third text message, she has not responded since the original text that she responded to (this was at 2:45pm, approximately 8 hours ago).

What do I do? I am aware of my rights and the law, I did my research, yet she is refusing to accept pets (even though ESA's are NOT pets). I should have the letter from my psychiatrist within the next two days...do I get a dog anyways? I really do think (my psych thinks so too) that a dog would help with all 4 of my conditions...

I *did* ask for reasonable accommodations (with texts to prove it), yet she refuses to follow the FHA. Do I report her? Who do I report her to? Do I take a civil lawsuit out against the property owners? Or am I in the wrong here?

(She does NOT meet the two requirements that exclude a landlord from having to follow the FHA regarding ESA's).

Answer: You’re not in the wrong, legally she can’t tell you that you can’t have an ESA


Title: Girlfriend was raped 15 years ago. Let it go?

Question:
15 years ago my gf was raped at the age of 15 during a church field trip. The attacker was one of the guides of the field trip. Naturally this has had a profoundly negative impact on her life. She has accepted that she will never get justice. Is that more or less true? I'm willing to spend some money to get this done, but even getting a full name seems impossible at this point. Legally is there anything that can be done? At the time, she told her parents. Parents complained to the church. Church didn't believe it. Family left church, and in fact left religion entirely.

Crime occurred in Oregon

Answer:
 >Parents complained to the church

Did they complain to the police?Answer #2: I'm annoyed that rape only equaled "let's tell the church" and not "let's tell the church *and* the police." My parents failing to advocate appropriately for me has had a profoundly negative impact on my life, too.  Answer #3: It looks like the statute of limitations for a criminal prosecution for any kind of sexual assault expired, at the absolute latest, on the day she turned 30. https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/131.125Answer #4: It depends on where the crime occurred. That's why you are asked to provide that.


Title: [CA] Rented a car, returned it normally, clerk inspected and signed off no damage. Now, a week later, I'm being sent a notification of damages and told to fill out an "incident report".

Question:
I rented a car for 2 days. Drove it, totally uneventful, no issues. Dropped it off, clerk inspected it and signed off that everything was fine. Now, a week later, im sent photos of scratches that were not there when I turned it in, and being told I "need to" fillout some incident report that has multiple choice questions like "Were there witnesses? Were the police called?" Etc.

Can they even attempt to pursue this a week later after it was signed off on? Do i have any obligation to respond to this?

Thanks

Answer: This is why I always tell my friends to take pictures before and after renting anything. You never know what someone after you is going to say what you did or didn’t do.Answer #2: Did you get a copy of paper that the clerk signed stating car was in good condition at turn in? If not, you might be on the hook.


Title: (VA, USA) brand new tesla hit, seek compensation for value loss?

Question:
A few people mentioned this to me, is it possible? The car was less than a month  old when it was hit in a parking lot and the other party was found at fault. I normally wouldnt care, but as expensive as this (~$100k) vehicle is this could very well impact resale value since an accident will show up on the record. Worth pursuing? if theres a better place to post this, please let me know.

edit: car was hit in the front, damage is still pending, its going in for repairs on 2/9. looks to probably be around $3-5k depending on if there is underlying damage (the headlight and fog light seem to have shifted, possible underlying issues).

Edit 2: Once I get the car to the shop and fixed, and ultimately a final bill, I will pursue a DV claim. Thanks for the help, everyone. Ill post my results when its all said and done.

Answer:
 You can certainly try.  "Diminished value" is a generally accepted type of damage.

The other party's insurance policy may or may not cover it.  You'll have to determine for yourself whether you want to invest the time, effort and money necessary to recover, **and** whether you are likely to actually recover anything.


Title: How do I address several noise complaints against my wife and I in our Indiana apartment.

Question: My wife and I fight sometimes, but our yelling rarely lasts more than 10 seconds. The crazy cat lady below us has called the cops countless times, and it's evident that she does not hesitate to call. The police are aware of her excessive calling, but we're still afraid it could get us evicted. Should we file a complaint ourselves with our apartment company?

Answer:
 A complaint for what?

It's not improper for her to report you making noise.


Title: Can disclosures for voir dire be used against you? E.g. after disclosing gang affiliation could you get a gang enhancement if you're later charged with something?

Answer:
 Statements made in voir dire are not protected in any way. You can assert your Fifth Amendment right not to answer, which could not be used against you.Answer #2: Everything said in open court is public record.Answer #3: Yes, in theory if an attorney was to go deep enough, any statement you made during voir dire could be used as evidence.

As an aside though, gang enhancements require that you be acting on behalf of or under the guise of that gang during the commission of the crime. Simply being a member of a gang is not a crime in and of itself as far as I'm aware.


Title: Mom dies. But leaves property in Mexico. Will not valid.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 How much money are we talking about here? This may not be the best situation in which to take a crash course in international inheritance procedure and law.Answer #2: I'm sorry for your loss.

It will depend on why the will is not valid, whether your mother's estate needs to be probated in Mexico or not (it likely will), who else may have a claim to the property, whether your mother had any significant debts that may have priority over the distribution of her assets, and other factors. You don't _want_ to hire a professional, but this is very much into "hire a professional" territory.


Title: United States, State of Texas: In what scenarios can I legally beat the shit out of someone harassing me?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: In an MMA ring. As long as you both consent to the fight, and it's conducted the same as every other MMA fight Answer #2: IANAL I think Texas has a [mutual combat](https://lawofselfdefense.com/statute/tx-22-06-consent-as-defense-to-assaultive-conduct-mutual-combat/) law thingy, but it will not protect you against being fired, can you get the boss on board for it? Tell human resources it is a team-building exercise?


Title: Renting for years with no lease, but landlord wants one if I move forward with getting an assistance animal

Question:
This is my first time posting, but I have been lurking for a while now. I'm also on mobile so I apologize for any formatting issues as well as for length.

I've been renting an apartment from my landlord for nearly 3 years. This is in Indiana. He was a co-worker of mine, and when I moved in he said I could pay month-to-month, and he opted to not have us sign a lease or any other documentation. I was going through a break-up at the time, moving out of the place I lived with my ex, and commuting 3 hours round trip from my parent's house to work because I hadn't moved into a new place yet. A lease wasn't on the top of my priority list. I have, however, kept receipts for every month I've paid rent, though he simply scribbled the month and his signature on my bank withdrawal receipts.

There were some minor issues with the place when I moved in, such as needing new blinds and some fixtures over the lights. He said he would handle the light covers (which he never did but he is great for much larger issues), but he also said if I purchased and installed new blinds, I wouldn't have to pay a security deposit. I agreed and replaced the blinds myself because that is a huge bargain, replacing blinds for about $200 instead of paying a much higher deposit.

Now, for completely separate reasons, I have PTSD and another medical issue where I pass out sometimes, and my father mentioned I should get an assistance animal to help me manage my health issues. He has done some research saying that I can bypass a no pet policy at my apartmenr if I can get a prescription or note from a doctor stating that I need this animal, and I will be protected under the Fair Housing Act. Landlord was never comfortable with the topics of pets before, but when it was mentioned that it would be an assistance animal, he didn't really have an issue and seemed to reluctantly say okay because of the FHA.

However, he has conditions. He wants me to sign a year lease and pay a $700 deposit. According to some things I've read, I heard that he can't increase the security deposit or change certain conditions of our renting agreement. Does asking for a security deposit 2.5 years later when we agreed I would buy new blinds instead upon move-in count?

I would rather not sign a year lease, but I would be okay with signing a 6 month lease. However, I've been here for nearly 3 years and don't anticipate moving, so a year lease isn't a huge deal, and I would sign one if I had to. Is there a way I could negotiate him down on the term length?

Basically, I am wondering how to amicably handle the security deposit and rent conversation with him, and if I have any protections? I am not looking to make things complicated, and if I ultimately have to pay the entire amount he is asking in order to move forward with getting an assistance animal, then I will have to reconsider, but I will understand. I'd rather pay no deposit, or I could pay a partial one to cover what I paid for the blinds. Finally, do you have any information on assistance animal (not service animal) laws? I do not want to start a fight with my landlord over this, but I do want to know what his rights and my rights are.

TL;DR Been renting from my landlord for 2.5 years, and now he wants a formal lease and security deposit if I want an assistance animal.

Answer:
 > He has done some research saying that I can bypass a no pet policy at my apartmenr if I can get a prescription or note from a doctor stating that I need this animal, and I will be protected under the Fair Housing Act.

That's not how that works. You can get an animal *if* the following conditions are met:

- Your landlord is subject to the Fair Housing Act; and

- You have asked for a reasonable accommodation and been granted a waiver of a no-pets policy

If your landlord maintains fewer than 4 units he is not subject to the auspices of the FHA and any further discussion is nugatory - he can charge a pet deposit / increased security deposit as he wishes.

You can negotiate a lease term, but your landlord can state that you need to sign a lease to bring an animal in. The countermove for either of you is to terminate your tenancy.


Title: Discovered security issues with my local utility company's website. May have gone too far down the rabbit hole.

Question:
I am in Virginia, US.

I noticed something odd when looking at my billing statements on my local utility company's website.

Eventually this led me to discover:

* If I pay my bill with a credit card, I can set the convenience fee to whatever I want.
* I can access the billing statements and billing history of many other customers, including the city itself. This information includes:
  * Full names
  * Phone numbers
  * Addresses
  * Bill amount/history
* I can see bank account information for those that have automatic billing set up. (Checking account #s)
* I can change the account # associated with my login, effectively becoming another customer.

The things that I have done for testing (or rather to satisfy my curiosity) that concern me are:

* I paid some small amount (~$1) with my credit card, with a reduced fee.
* I viewed the information listed above belonging to other customers.

It looks like this same system is used in another state as well, though I'm not poking at it.

I want to disclose this but I'm concerned about repercussions. Should I report it anonymously and hope for the best?
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer: To protect your own neck, you should leave it be. Companies go after whitehat security researchers all the time blaming the researcher for discovering their own incompetence with both civil suits and criminal prosecution. Answer #2: You can do an anon complaint to the VA SCC: https://www.scc.virginia.gov/SCC-INTERNET/pue/index.aspxAnswer #3: I once discovered a bug in the software at a previous job that allowed me access to any account I wanted (internal system). I reported it and was fired for "hacking"...so it varies.


Title: [MD] Negligent lawyer suing for payment. What options do we have?

Question:
This situation is a little complicated but I will try to keep it simple. My father is a union whistleblower, he blew the whistle on his union's national officers for breaching their fiduciary duty. His case started in '94 and continues to this day.

In 2014 my father ran for president of his union. During the course of the election my father released a campaign video on YouTube. In response to that video one of the defendants from the whistleblower suit released his own video on YouTube. My father believed that the video was defamatory and filed suit.

The lawyer that handled the case was a mess. We had hired him around September 2016 to respond to a motion for summary judgment that was before the court and to handle the jury trial scheduled for early January. About a week before Christmas, only a couple weeks before trial, our lawyer leaves a frantic message on our machine saying that he had forgotten about our case and that he would be out of town on the date of the trial.

A large back and fourth took place. Our lawyer thought that it would look bad if he didn't show up (lol). He tried to convince us that the best course of action was to allow him to leave the case, then apply for an extension. If we were successful in getting the extension he would then make a reappearance. When we didn't agree to this approach he offered to find a lawyer to replace him. The lawyer he found wanted a $12,000 retainer. The lawyer that was trying to weasel his way out took our case for a $2,500 retainer. Despite his attempts we refused to allow him to leave the case. He ended up taking his vacation anyway and filing for an emergency extension.

At the trial things got more upsetting. It started off with the judge berating our lawyer for not knowing how to use the DVD player required to play the YouTube videos for the jury. Had I not taken the day off to go to my father's trial I wouldn't have been there to teach him how to use the DVD player. During lunch the lawyer mentions that he hadn't ever watched the campaign video that provoked the defamatory response. It was one of the ten exhibits we presented. When it came time to give closing arguments he only had a few sentences to offer. He explained later that he never writes a closing argument because "you never know what you will get in cross examination." Despite our lawyer we won the case (my father gave excellent testimony). While we won we were only awarded $2,000. Our lawyer didn't mention damages once during the trial.

The day after we won the defamation case my father received a decision against him in the whistleblower suit. It had been sitting idle for the last 9 years after the original decision against my father had been reversed and remanded back in 2008. Despite everything that went wrong with the defamation case my father asked the awful lawyer if he would be interested in taking the whistleblower case. We figured that going in as a pro se litigant would be asking to be ignored so we were a little desperate for representation.  The lawyer declined the offer. We soon found a much better lawyer to help us with the whistleblower suit. After paying for our new lawyer we didn't have any money for making payments to the defamation lawyer. My father explained to him that he would need a few months before we could make payments again. The lawyer got really upset that we would want to pursue the whistleblower suit instead of paying him, telling my father that he had nothing to show for the 20 years he had spent on this.

A few weeks ago my father had a heart attack. The day before his surgery a process server came by looking for my father. The lawyer is suing for payment. I don't think this lawyer deserves to be paid but does his negligence rise to the level of malpractice? Does it have to rise to the level of malpractice for us to be able to do anything about this? Or should we just suck it up and pay the bastard?

Answer:
 >I don't think this lawyer deserves to be paid

That's interesting, because when you were given the opportunity to fire the lawyer and get a new one, you flat out declined, and even worse, you already knew the lawyer was allegedly incompetent and kept him on anyway.

The attorney may have violated a handful of different ethics rules, but you owe the money for now. You can file a fee dispute matter with your local attorney regulation office.


Title: [WI] How to get a restraining order on underage brother without too many fees?

Question:
He is 16, I'm 20 and I want a restraining order against him. But I know there are fees that I can't pay to have the order.

He has been physically and emotionally abusive. As well as breaking into my house and damaging property

Answer: Go to the courthouse and file one. If he breaks into your home or assaults you call the cops. You may be able to get a fee waiver.


Title: Bought tickets to an event before event dates were changed, no refund option was given.

Question:
So a brewery/bar that my friends constantly go to and sell there own brew at had made some Masquerade event towards the end of March (Easter weekend). I asked my gf if she wanted to go and she agreed so I bought tickets using Eventbrite a few days prior. *The very next day* the event coordinator makes a Facebook post saying they’re changing the date of the event to May 12. I asked if a refund was possible and got no response. I decided to wait and see if we could make it or not because that was more than a month away at the time. Well, come to find out May 12 is Mother’s Day weekend so no, we can’t go.

I’m planning on calling this place up, or going in person if I have to, to ask for a refund but because I never got a response on FB I have a feeling the coordinator will tell me to go fuck myself. Is there any recourse I can take?

TL;DR - Bought tickets to an event, coordinator changed the date of event, now we can’t go. What can I do if they refuse to give a refund?

Answer:
 The FIRST thing you should do is contact them...  I know they didn’t respond right away but, It’s a little early to be asking for legal advice. Answer #2: Significant change int he time of the event is a material change in circumstance so you are legally entitled to a refund. However, this is one of those situations where you are legally right, but probably not out enough money to involve a lawyer or even small claims court.

I would file a better business bureau complaint and maybe your local Attorney General's office. If they sold a lot of tickets before changing it the AG may get involved, if it is only you they might not.

Also, report them to Eventbrite. I don't know if they can do refunds on behalf of an unwilling client like Amazon will, but they should know if a user is abusing their site like that.


Title: Spouse's Secret Debt

Question:
I'm doing my best not to panic right now going into the long holiday weekend (US) but pragmatically need to know how I should be planning and if, in fact, I should be panicking about this situation.

I (42 M) took today off from work to add some "me time" to the holiday weekend and this morning, while reorganizing our (wife and my) wardrobe for summer, found a new Louis Vuitton box tucked in the back of my wife's (45 F) side of the wardrobe. The box contained two handbags with a receipt for just over $10,0000 for both items.

I then looked into her credit report and discovered that in the past nine months she has racked up just over $100K in credit card debt from luxury purchases such as these handbags.

This isn't the first violation of trust (financial or otherwise) and, realistically, divorce is probably our (my) next step.

We co-own a condo (~$200K increase in value since purchase) in a HCOL city (MA) which is probably the only reason we haven't separated already. Upon seeing this credit card debt, though, I need to get out ASAP

OMG, I'm so f*cking mad as I've been living like a pauper and saving like mad and thought we were on the same page. I'm trying to remain numb and dreamy to it all for now but what, if anything, can/should I do?

Things I'm considering:

- Seize/hide all of her luxury products (handbags, watches, jewelry) for debt repayment

- Seize her passport (she's a US Citizen now but originally from an Asian country) so she can't run from the debt (as her brother did 10 years ago after he wracked up credit card debt and then returned to their home country)

- Freeze her credit through the credit bureaus so she can't open more credit cards

- Contact an attorney (or mediator?) to bring things to a close?

What can/should I do (or not do!) to protect myself in this situation? Should I expect to be partly liable for her credit card debt? If so, should I seize her handbags/jewelry now as collateral?

Answer:
 You cannot take her personal belongings. You have zero authority to seize her passport....that's really illegal. If you freeze her credit without her authority,  you will be committing fraud.

You can talk to an attorney about a divorce.


Title: Forced breaks when work is slow

Question: I work at a fast food chain, and when business is slow my manager makes us clock out for sometimes up to an hour until more work arrives for us to do. We must stay on the premises of the workplace and be on the ready to clock back in if customers start to arrive. An example would be, Im scheduled from 8:30-5, i come in and work until around 10:30 when I'm finished doing work available at the time, then i'm told to clock out for an hour until things start to pick up more so i sit in the back until about 11:30 then clock back in and continue to work my shift. I live in Michigan. Is this allowed? Sometimes when i'm clocked out my manager even asks for small favors, like asking me to check the temp on something or pull something out of the microwave.

Answer:
 This isn't allowed. If they are requiring you to be on the premise ready to work at anytime you must be paid. If you were able to do whatever you wanted and go wherever you want while you're clocked out it would be OK. File a wage complaint with the Michigan department of labor. Answer #2: No that's not legal if you are not permitted to leave the restaurant.  She can tell people to go home for the day but not clock them out and remain there.  You can file a wage complaint or contact these people

http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-59886-107123--,00.htmlAnswer #3: While this is illegal, note that if you complain you'll almost certainly be fired for "other reasons".

Not saying you shouldn't complain, but make sure you're in a financial situation where you can afford to be fired if you do.Answer #4: Also, those "small favors" you describe are what most people would call "working". So in addition to forcing you to be on the premises while clocked out, you're being asked to work while clocked out, which is just as illegal.Answer #5: In addition to the other advice, you should consider speaking to the corporate office regarding this. They really don't like when their affiliates break labor laws.


Title: Roommate put my stuff out on the curb, and changed the locks? (state: Washington)

Question:
I wrote about this situation about a week ago [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/52w1u1/caught_between_two_roommates_not_sure_what_to_do/). My roommate K got angry that my ex-roommate C hadn't moved her stuff out. I managed to get a hold of C before it happened, and she came back to retrieve her things before K threw them out. Crisis averted...or so I thought.

K has been angry toward me for days now due to what happened with C. She feels betrayed that I sided with her. We got into an argument last night after I returned from work because she interviewed new roommates without me. I wanted to meet the potential roommates as well. K basically told me that she was the "alpha" of this apartment and I scoffed at that.

Today, I return home from class and I find most of my stuff on the curb outside. That shocked me to say the least. I tried the door but the key doesn't fit anymore. I called my landlord and she told me that it wasn't her problem and to let the police handle it. I called. Cops arrive, knock on the door. When K doesn't answer, they turn to me, and say to call the landlord. I tell them that I did, and she said to call them. I swear, the cops actually shrugged and told me to take it to court.

I'm in Starbucks right now, using my laptop, and trying to figure this mess out. I can't find any laws about this. I get this is an illegal eviction. Problem is, how do I get my room back now? Should I even bother? I might need to head to a hotel for tonight at least.

Answer: This is clearly a landlord issue. You paid your rent to the owner of the place which means you have the right to use what you paid for. Regardless of whether someone else is interfering with that. Your landlord's inaction means you don't have access to what you paid for. It's their problem.Answer #2: If nothing is resolved today, I would go stay in a hotel and talk to a lawyer tomorrow about illegal eviction.  "Bad faith" stuff like this means you're going to be entitled to like three times what your actual damages are.


Title: My soon to be ex won't return our son to me

Question:
My ex and I are separated. I filed for divorce and haven't heard anything back from the court administration.
Friday afternoon my ex came to my home with an officer and said he was taking our son for the weekend. Ok no issues as I haven't been keeping him from his father his father hasn't reached out to attempt to see him. Officer was there to "keep the peace" ex told me he would bring our son home today (Monday) by 4:30p. At 4:10p I received a text from him saying he's keeping him for another day. (I can already tell this is going to go on and on.) my ex works nights and hasn't told me who is watching our son when he is working nights.
Is there anything I can do?
I am in MN.

Answer: Get a Family Law attorney now.


Title: Judgement on my credit report for 10k..what now?

Question:
I was in a car accident several years ago and i was "underinsured" (aka, i only had coverage for my vehicle, and no personal injury etc). I talked with the people that i hit (i was at fault in the accident), and worked out an agreement where i would pay their medical bills (they spent 20 minutes in the hospital, no lost time at work or anything). I paid three ER visits and two follow up appointments, it totaled around 4.5k. I'm a firm believer in using cash for almost everything, but i saw the stupidity in that, so i pulled my credit report only to find that i have a civil judgement against me for 10k! I looked it up on the court system website, and sure enough, the three people i hit sued me for 10K. I was never served any papers or ANYTHING. I asked my parents (i was living with them at the time) and they said they never got anything. I (once again, stupidly) didn't get a contract or anything signed with them about paying their medical bills off, i just paid the bills for them. What is my first step? I've never even been served papers, and now i think the state is withholding my state tax return. I live in Wisconsin

tl;dr **I have a 10k judgement against me in Wisconsin and was never told anything about it, what can i do?**

Answer:
 If you want to reopen the case, you need to hire a lawyer. It's been a while, but if you truly knew nothing about the court case until now, it may be possible to vacate the judgment.

Keep in mind, however, that doing that will just throw the case back to trial. You may still end up owing money at the end.


Title: [NY] I'm being offered a job that pays under the table. Can I get in trouble for this?

Question: The business owner said he pays in cash only so nobody has to report any earnings.  I know that's illegal for him, but what about for me?  It's a tiny dog training business, only two other staff.

Answer:
 Tiny Dog Law specialist here.

Regardless of what he does, you want to report your earnings. Answer #2: Its not illegal if you report your earnings anyway and pay taxes on it.


Title: How to get out of rent over rape case?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Honestly, I'm not sure that your boyfriend can get out of the lease over this. If you were on the lease you may have an out, depending on the facts, but I don't think the same would apply to your boyfriend. Answer #2: To be clear - you, the boyfriend, and the third person, are all on one lease together?

Has the roommate been charged?


Title: He won't follow through with the divorce agreement.

Question:
This battle has been going on for years.   We (F40 & M 50) were married in 2000 and I filed for divorce in 2010. (Pennsylvania)

For the next five years he refused to cooperate at all. He wouldn't take certified letters.  He would move constantly and never give a new address.  Several times he scheduled to meet with my lawyer and canceled. Or he never showed.   He made agreements over the phone  then refused to sign them.   He even skipped out on court for custody and child support and they kept giving him more chances.     All of this cost me thousands in legal fees.  I finally got him to show up and sign the divorce papers.   In it,  in exchange for him keeping everything (and I do mean everything.   I only got some of my clothes he kept the furniture, the appliances, the cars all of it.)  he had to pay half the legal fees.
(I had paid most of it by then but still owed my lawyer several thousand.  So the ex was to repay me and pay the lawyer off)

It's been almost 4 years now and he hasn't paid a dime.   Every time I try to ask him he tells me he was never notified by the court or given a copy (not true) and therefore isn't responsible.   Or he tells me he will only start paying on it if I agree to take a few dollars in rolled change a month.   Meaning he hopes to drag this out until I'm literally in my 80s.   Or dead.     Obviously I'm not willing to do that.  He plans to argue he is "unemployed"   and therefore has no money. Really he works under the table and makes enough to buy himself expensive things 2 or 3 times a year.    And yes I can prove that.  Beyond all doubt.

I dont even know where to start.  I don't have the money for another lawyer.  Can I even go after my ex in court for this since it's been years ?   If so can I now ask he pay the full amount of legal fees since he never followed the agreement?  The whole point of it was he got everything but he had to pay half.   Or at the very least can i demand his half  to be paid in full.  (He has the money)
As for my lawyer.  I've called him several times a month for 2 years and he's called me back exactly twice.  I think it's safe to say he is done dealing with the whole situation.
I'm really anxious to end this once and all.   I don't want thousands of dollars in unpaid legal fees attached to my name and I don't want to have to deal with him every time he wants to make a payment.  Which we all know he would never stick to anyway.    And yes I'll admit it. I'm pissed.  I want the money back and I'm tired of them letting him get away with everything.

Can I go to court?  What can I ask for?  Or should I kiss that money goodbye?

Answer:
 If he isnt abiding by the court order, File a contempt of court charge in the court where you filed for divorce. A judge will bring him in and male him answer the complaint. If he tries to say he isn't working that will be your chance to prove what you need to prove.

You might also report him to the IRS if you think he isnt paying taxes on his under the table incomeAnswer #2: Is he working or collecting SS? you can garnish them (your lawyer will have to go to court and file paperwork that your ex-husband has failed to pay what was decreed in the divorce settlement)


Title: Being accused of harassment and stalking

Question:
I’m on mobile, sorry about the formatting.

I’m in the U.S., Wisconsin to be specific.

Here’s the short story:

I contacted my ex girlfriend a few too many times after the breakup. Then truly accidentally walked into her and kicked her foot (I know it didn’t hurt but it happened). My intentions were never to hurt her or cause emotional distress. She went to the deans of my college and I got an email saying there are charges against me, and I need to meet with an assistant dean/investigative officer (same person in this case) to discuss the matter. She will determine whether or not the conduct occurred and whether or not to recommend university action against me. I’m on a “no contact directive”, so I can’t communicate with my ex directly or indirectly. I’m wondering what I should do & if I should get an attorney. It’s expensive, but obviously I don’t want to dig myself a bigger hole and ruin my life because I can’t get scholarships for future semesters.

Here’s the whole story:

I’m in college and my ex girlfriend and I broke up just over a month ago. She wanted space after the break up. I wanted to talk to make sense of the situation, because the breakup came as a bit of a surprise. I texted her friends to ask how she was, just cause I wanted to know she was ok. They went to her saying I asked. Basically she didn’t get much of a break from me.

But we eventually talked about why we broke up. I asked if we could still be friends, and she said “give it time”. She said she was still processing things.

I texted her a couple times after this to see if she was ready to have a conversation about what we were both processing. At this point I was hoping we’d give it a second chance, and I was thinking it might’ve been what she was thinking too.

Then we got to class after spring break. I tried talking to her twice. Once to ask if she had my water bottle she said she would return. And another over snapchat to ask her how the rest of her break was. Later that day, she unfollowed me and removed me on most social media. She also texted me saying how I crossed lines by trying to communicate with her earlier. I wasn’t sure how to react, as I thought things were going the other direction.

Now I think a week passed before I said anything. I asked if she still wanted to talk about what she processed over break. I was also ready to apologize for not giving her enough space, but I didn’t mention this. I used her words and said that one of us indeed shouldn’t have to sacrifice their mental health for the other. She told me how I really didn’t give her proper space, and that she didn’t owe a part of herself to keep me pacified.

I didn’t know how to react to this. The friends & family I had been consulting throughout this time all told me she was being petty. I still didn’t really want to think this of someone who I once shared such a good bond/connection with.

I responded to this with that I had not enjoyed the past few weeks either, and told her goodbye.

Then recently, I had rid myself of all wanting to reenter a relationship with her. I was curious if she still wanted to engage in sexual activities. It’s something we had talked about while we were together, that we knew several people did that with their ex partners. It’s also something I know she enjoyed during the relationship, and even solicited at times.

I didn’t want to push this at all, because I knew if she wasn’t interested, this would not be a nice question. If she was, then it wouldn’t matter. I was just wondering if she was interested. I asked her if she’d want to. This was when she told me to stop texting her. I stopped texting her.

I told my friends to unfollow her social media, because there’s no connection anymore. One did, the other did not, and said she was still following him. I was a bit annoyed by this. I messaged her over social media to unfollow my friend, and then told her in the email.

I meant for the email to be my absolute final message, detailing why I was upset with her. And at this point and on, I was/am very not interested in having anything to do with her.

Last Thursday, the day after I sent the email, I approached her before our class. I wasn’t sneaking up, or trying to surprise her, she saw me coming. I walked up a few feet from her, because I didn’t want to make a scene. I asked if she saw the email. She said “yes I did”. Then I said, “unfollow my friend”. I’m not a confrontational person, so my heart was racing, and in the middle of it I thought to myself that this is pointless, and I should just get out of here. So we circled around each other, and I went to hurry back to my seat. She had stopped right in front of me, and I bumped into her. I also kicked her foot in this process, but I promise with my whole heart this was not intentional. Again my heart was racing, and I was thinking a million things at once, but none of these things were my surroundings.

My goal has never been to cause any harm. And even though I was annoyed that she was still connected with my friend, harassing her out of that was never in my mind.

In the email, my soul purpose was for her to know why I was upset, and why I was contacting her after the break up. I did not threaten her in any way. It was not meant to intimidate, not meant to harass, and certainly not meant to cause fear or emotional distress.

She was not worth all this trouble, and I have moved on, but I still have to meet with an investigative officer/assistant dean to discuss what happened. And potentially face consequences.

Answer: You really should have taken the hint a long time ago. She told you several times to leave her alone.


Title: [CA] Dog rescue refusing to take aggressive dog back after a bite unless I pay them $500/month.

Question:
In March of 2016 I adopted a dog (Lily) from a rescue org (RO) in Los Angeles. Lily is a three year old, 90 lb. black lab / mastiff mix. She has some severe aggression and anxiety issues that the RO failed to disclose to me. I told them that I was a first-time dog owner with no experience training dogs. But Lily can be very very sweet and bonded quickly with me, so I decided to stick it out and do everything I can to help correct her issues. She's very very dog aggressive, territorial and defensive of me, and can be unpredictably aggressive towards people. I worked with a couple of trainers and a team of licensed behaviorists. I've spent a few thousand dollars, countless hours, and every ounce of energy I could in helping Lily. She's made some progress, and I'm very proud of how far she's come.

About 3 months ago, she bit my roommate (I live in an apartment with 2 roommates). The bite was completely unprovoked. We were both standing up, not too close to each other. Lily was calmly sitting at his feet while he was petting her when she jumped up and bit his arm. Thankfully it was a minor puncture wound, and it didn't require a hospital visit. I immediately decided that it wasn't safe to keep her anymore and called the RO to surrender her.

The RO has failed to take her back so far. They're a foster-based org, so they don't have a facility where I can just drop her off. There have been two potential fosters, both of whom flaked after a couple weeks of back and forth. Earlier this week the RO claimed that if they do take her back to one of their fosters that I'm obligated to pay them (the RO) $500 / month until Lily is placed in a new forever home, which is totally unreasonable and unaffordable for me. The adoption contract that I signed states that if I decide to surrender her after the trial period, I "MUST foster the dog until new placement is found or pay for foster care until a new home is found." However, given the circumstances it's not an option for me to keep her.

I've told them repeatedly that I can't keep her in my apartment much longer, she's a proven threat to my roommates' safety. A few days ago I told them that I can't wait any longer, I'll either have to put her down on Sunday unless they pick her up on Saturday. They immediately responded that they're going to pick her up on Saturday and then sue me for the $500 / month.

I've got a lawyer standing by who seems to have a good handle on the situation. I'm thinking my next move is going to be to draft a letter outlining the facts of the situation, everything I can prove that shows that I've been a responsible and caring owner for this dog, that I've done everything I can to rehome the dog (I've emailed dozens of local, regional and national rescue, talked to shelters, animal welfare, I have all of my friends asking their friends asking their friends, I've posted on social media) and given them 3 months to take her back. Should I try to negotiate a fair amount to cover foster expenses? I think an itemized list showing food, treats, etc. coming to about $75 / month with a 6-month limit is very fair. They claim they pay their volunteer fosters a stipend for taking their dogs, which I'm assuming is why the amount is so high.

It's also been suggested to me that I draft a waiver that says something to the effect of "I'm surrendering Lily to RO under full compliance with the adoption contract" and asking them to sign it if they pick her up tomorrow.

EDIT: After speaking with my attorney today I sent the RO an email that only said that I would not be surrending Lily to them. I decided it was best for her to be put down with me at her side and made an appointment tomorrow with the vet. Meanwhile, the RO called the police and animal welfare. They said they were on their way to my home with a police escort to take Lily from me. The police arrived, the RO did not. I calmly explained the situation to the police, and they took off an emergency call. Before they arrived I called my attorney and updated her. She's drafting a waiver saying that RO may take Lily back under the condition they assume full ownership and don't hold me liable for any payments or damages. Thanks to everyone in this post for your advice.

Answer:
 Do not do anything unless your lawyer tells you to.

But this is your dog. Not the rescue organization's. It's your dog that has aggression problems, not the RO's.

Unless your adoption contract mentioned extenuating circumstances, then they don't matter.  Answer #2: You are the owner of a vicious dog. California does not fuck around with vicious dogs, and you're exposing yourself to serious liability every day you keep this dog. Also, your friend was lucky the puncture wound didn't get infected - dog bites, even minor ones, can get really nasty, really fast.

[Here are the Los Angeles ordinances regarding vicious and dangerous dog designations](https://www.municode.com/library/ca/los_angeles_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT10AN_DIV1ANCO_CH10.37PODAVIDO_10.37.030VIDEF)

California is also has strict liability when it comes to dog bites, pursuant to Civil Code section 3342.

I will echo /u/ChemPossible's - the best thing you can do for this dog is put it down. You've gone above and beyond for this dog, you've given it a good life given it's disposition.  If you owned a gun that randomly went off, would you let sentiment get the better of you and keep the gun, or hand it off to someone else? It's OK to put the dog down, and I say this as a dog owner myself.Answer #3: I'm a huge dog lover, but it truly sounds like you've done everything that can be done for this dog.  She's going to be even worse once she leaves an owner she's bonded with.

The kindest, and legally best thing you can probably do at that point is to put her down so she can go out with someone she loves.  😢


Title: [Pima County, AZ] My husband's Ex wife is exaggerating childcare expenses in court to increase child support. We need help.

Question:
My husband filed a motion to modify child support because his ex got a new job making significantly more money and we had a child which deducts off of his income. The new incomes reduce the amount my husband is required to pay her by several hundred dollars per month.

The issue we are having is regarding childcare expenses which is a huge factor in the monthly payments. Despite having months to prepare for court, his ex did not bring any records of childcare payments except for an e-mail from her best friend's daughter (who is a minor, I don't know if that makes a difference) that was sent to her literally an hour before their scheduled court hearing. According to this e-mail, her monthly child care expenses have suddenly quadrupled. The amount that she is claiming is absolutely ridiculous (they are only being watched for 1 hour a day. The amount she is claiming is what an expensive full-time licensed daycare provider in our area would charge from 9-5). Since they were unable to come to an agreement, the judge said to send her documentation or they will have to go back to court for another hearing. My husband is worried that the judge will accept her amounts and adjust the child support payments based on the email, which will essentially increase his child support by several hundred dollars (making it the same as before he filed for a modification). Is there anything my husband can do to protect himself? Can we request that the unlicensed babysitter come to court and testify under oath?  Can we request for his ex to provide receipts of the childcare expenses that she is supposedly paying? He has had issues in the past with the judge taking his ex's word without any evidence and we are worried this will happen again. I'm helping him prepare a letter to send to the judge before a certain date so he doesn't have to go back to court.

Note: I assist my husband with legal research and preparing documents, etc. but I do not go to court with him.

**EDIT:** The judge chewed his ex out for not being prepared and said that my husband and his ex both need to come to an agreement on childcare expenses, write a letter and get it to her by a certain date. If they can reach an agreement they don't have to go back to court. If they don't reach an agreement then they have to schedule another hearing.

Answer:
 You can request those things.

What you should do is get written quotes/ price sheets for comparable and for expensive day care to show that she is purposefully lying or purposefully paying her friend a ton in order to screw you.


Title: [NY][VA] I have been asked to sponsor an immigrant who lives in another state.

Question:
To make a long story short a friend of a friend is trying to immigrate to the US. They currently live in VA, and I live in NY. They originally came to the US as a student and have since graduated and are now employed. The employer was going to sponsor this person, but apparently the employer's wife committed suicide and that has, understandably, been causing some issues getting the paperwork done.

I found [this article](http://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/us-immigration/income-requirements-sponsor-immigrant-affidavit-support.html) which describes what they want me to do. The reason they came to me is because my friend does not make over the minimum income. It seems like a fairly simple process. From what I understand, the only risk is if this person goes on welfare then I would have to reimburse the government. This person's family is fairly wealthy and has offered to pay me to do this. For this reason I think it is fairly unlikely that they will ever go on welfare. I just have a few questions.

Is my understanding correct? Are there other risks that I am overlooking?

Should I retain my own lawyer or just work with their lawyer? In NY or VA?

Is it really just a simple affidavit or is there a more complicated process?

Thanks!

Answer:
 Even if this were a good idea, which it's absolutely not, you're not a family member.

>  This person's family is fairly wealthy

Then let them do it.

Don't even think about doing it, even if it were possible.


Title: IL - City trying to charge for work more than I agreed to

Question:
There are a series of 4 sets of houses that have standing water at the fence between the sets of houses. My house is at the top of that series, so I really only saw water at the corner towards the other houses.

One neighbor was bringing around a proposal from the city for a weeping tile system to be installed down the fence line of the four sets of houses to what I assume was a sewer at some point along that line. Three prices were shown, if either eight, seven, or six of the total eight neighbors agreed. Regardless of the amount of neighbors, if at least six neighbors agreed, work for all eight would be performed. I wrote my name and address down, the fourth of all the possible spots, and indicated to the neighbor with the proposal that I would be interested only if all eight were to agree. Why pay for some to get it free or for me to potentially get it free, when I was the least affected.

I hadn't heard or received anything in the mail since then. One day workers show up, and install the weeping tile while I was at work. Wife came home at the tail end of their working.

I then received a bill from the city, for a value split six ways instead of the eight. Calling the city, they will not budge, saying they sent out a letter indicating the price of the work, which I never received, nor does my wife remember either. Never any sort of contract, and I had never signed anything. I even offered over the phone to pay the eight-way split price, but he would not accept. The work was performed almost a year ago. They are now threatening a lien.

Answer:
 It sounds like you signed a contract to have work done (the proposal from the city) and then verbally told the neighbor a condition of it but he prob didnt have a say in that, just collected signatures and sent it back to the city.  You should of told the neighbor to come back after 7 others signed it and you would, instead of signing it and having a verbal condition to your signiture.

The letter indicating the price of the work would of been that paper you signed that listed all the prices of the work


Title: [GA] Was possibly illegally renting to a couple and now I want them gone

Question:
First of all, I know.

My husband and I have a two bedroom apartment and we are trying to save for a house. We decided to rent out the extra room to help. Our neighborhood is low income. Everyone we are friends with in the complex also are renting out rooms on the side. I'm not really sure if this is illegal since we are living there and the only thing that could be seen as illegal is they are not on the lease.

We met this couple off a local facebook room search. They are a married couple with a dog. They were great. Their dog is AMAZING (seriously I know it's not important but this is an A+ dog). There's just been some things the last few months that have made us realize we need to part with them and find new roommates.

The big issue is they went on a weeks vacation and came back with two kids. They are the wife's kids from a previous relationship that live with their father on the other side of the country. They just showed up with the kids. No notice. No "Hey is it okay if my kids stay for a bit" or even a "hey my kids are coming back with us." Just showed up and acted like this was a-okay.

It's not. It's a tiny two bedroom apartment and it is way too crowded for 6 people. I have pretty bad social anxiety. I was diagnosed as agoraphobic at one point and didnt leave my home for over a year. I really can't handle this much activity in my home.

Now on to my legal question.

They are not on the lease. They do not have any mail coming to the apartment. Nothing is in their name. There's nothing that ties them down in a residential manner to the apartment. There's no contract or paper trail as they were paying in cash.

Can I just give them a 30 days notice?

I want to explain the situation to them (ie, I rented the room to a single couple not a family of 4) and tell them they have 30 days to leave and after 30 days the locks will be changed.

Answer:
 You can give them 30 days notice. If they refuse to leave at that point you absolutely cannot change the locks. You would then need to file an eviction and get a court order allowing you to lock them out.

Subletting is not illegal. If it violates your lease then that could lead to you being evicted but it is not a criminal issue.


Title: So i fucked up pretty badly.

Question:
I am 18. I am not a smart person. Well i think i am sometimes and it gets me into trouble. This is one of the those moments. So anyways i got arrested the other day for something minor. The problem was i got arrested with my fake id. Now what i should have done was fessed up that it was fake immediately. That is not what i did. What i did do was get taken to the county jail and continued going with the fact that i was 21. (I was terrified i would get in more trouble) Now i'm in the system as a 21 year old. My prints are now affiliated to me being 21, and my court date is coming up soon and i'm thinking of just telling the judge there but i'm not sure. How do i damage control this if possible? I live in colorado btw. Any advice is appreciated.

EDIT: JUST TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS

1. I am calling a few lawyers for consults tomorrow.

2. Nobody knows that i lied about my age

3. I have decided I am not going to tell anyone in court about it.

4. I'm going to court for avoidance of an entrance fee. I'm assuming i'll be in and out. But again i assumed lieing and saying i was 21 was a good idea so my assumptions really mean shit

5. They asked for my social at some point when the original arresting officers were skeptical about my id. I explained to them I didn't have it memorized.

6. I was arrested, all my information was taken, my prints were taken and they labeled them 21, and I was in county for the night until my bail lowered and my friends got me out

I appreciate everyones responses. You were very helpful.

Answer:
 I have a case like that right now; guy used his brothers info. He went from a minor weed ticket to a mid-level felony tampering with records and forgery.  You need an attorney asap. Answer #2: Before you say that you can't afford a lawyer, the advice is Beg and Borrow (do not steal) to get one, ASAP.

Not getting one will be much, much worse.Answer #3: When I was 17 I got arrested for stealing some liquor from a liquor store in Canada. I used my brothers fake ID to buy beer on the way out. Once released I came clean to my dad and went down to the police station and fessed up to the chief of staff or whatever... He let me off the impersonation but I was still pursued for the theft charge. However I did this after my family lawyer had told me to do so.Answer #4: Was it in your name, or someone else's?


Title: Restaurant customers parking on my property

Question: I'm 20 years old and just bought my first house! I absolutly love everything about it except it's right next to a restaurant. The parking situation is a bit complicated, my driveway to the house IS their parking lot however I'm legally able to park in 2 of their spaces and it must always be accessible for me to use. Now other than driving through it to get to my property I never use their spots because it's only me and my girlfriend. When I bought the house I was also sold a portion of the parking lot that is on my property and I use that for parking. But so do all the customers. I have spoke to the manager and she is extremely helpful but of course she can only do so much because it is the owners establishment. I need help fixing this issue, legally should they be required to put up signs or paint the ground telling their customers not to park their? Any advice would be appreciated also I'm living in northern Utah, I'd be happy to give more details or clear some things up since this post has been written in rage! Thanks to everyone

Answer:
 It's up to you to defend your property rights.

A 2 footx4 foot plywood is like 8 bucks and red paint is another 5.

PRIVATE PROPERTY NO PARKING VIOLATORS WILL BE TOWED


Title: Ex-Girlfriend(that's a lawyer) won't stop harassing me

Question:
So I live in Montreal and recently dated a very high profile lawyer in the city. During our relationship she had been at points physical and mentally abusive to me. Murder treats etc, yet professionally she could keep up and maintain her profession.

I was no prize and have battled alcohol/drug addiction in my life. I not touched drugs in 4 years. And recently completed rehab for drinking.

I was diagnosed bipolar I, as the reason for my addiction.

Anyways, she keeps calling me, texting me saying I can't stay sober. Telling me what she did to me is nowhere near as bad. It's driving me crazy and I feel I'm going to relapse. I keep asking her to leave me alone.

On the other hand, I still love her and don't want to ruin her life with a charge and or getting her disbarred.

What is my best move? I just want to be left alone without ruining her crazy.

Answer:
 Stop responding all together or, at most, one more “leave me alone “.  Then cease all further responses.  Document all the text exchanges, particularly any threats or insults. Include the times you told her to cease communication via screenshots. Good idea to date the screenshots when you save them as files. Backup the info a secondary place she can’t get to (like a secure email specifically for the purpose and/or a usb drive).  This is to prepare you if you were to choose to file for a restraining order. Also evidence if she ever decides to try to claim you’ve been harassing her or some other bs charge.

Stop all and any further responses to her. Then block her on everything and seriously consider creating new social media accounts that she can’t find.

I didn’t say delete the old accounts as she’ll hopefully just waste her time harassing those while you enjoy your new ones.  Plus if further harassment of those continues after telling her to leave you alone and blocking her, you’ve got evidence for a restraining order.


Title: The auto manufacturer for my car refuses to honor the warranty for repairs [CA]

Question:
Hi all,

I drive a 2009 Sentra. Recently the check engine light came on. I took it to a Pep-Boys and they told me its a transmission issue. 2003-10 model Nissans with a CVT (my car falls into this group) are guaranteed to a 10 year/120,000 mile warranty for any transmission issues.

I called Nissan's corporate HQ and they told me to take it to a dealer for them to diagnose and repair, so that's what I did. I took it to the same dealer where I bought the car, pre-used in 2012. A few hours later, they call me and told me the issue was the wrong transmission fluid was in the system (it had a red color) and that the entire transmission has to be replaced at a cost of $3,800. Because of that, the warranty was voided. I called my usual car mechanic and he said he never touched the transmission fluid in the 4 years he worked on the car. I pleaded my case to corporate, and they basically stood by the dealer.  After doing this, I did additional research.

I found out that using the wrong fluid in a CVT transmission would cause it to fail fairly quickly (like in a year/ under 20K miles). In one news report I saw, a lady got the wrong transmission fluid in her Nissan and it failed after 13K miles. I dug up receipts from my mechanic dating back to 2014 (27K miles ago). There is nothing about a transmission fluid change in there, which is not at all some casual type maintenance. In addition, my mechanic is also Nissan certified. I feel almost convinced now the dealer is trying to rip me off. How should I proceed with this?  The car has been getting worked on at the dealer since their "diagnosis."

Answer: Was it certified pre-owned, or just off their lot?


Title: Pregnancy at an 8-employee company

Question:
This is in California. I’m early on  in the first trimester of pregnancy and want to research a bit about maternity leave before I get far along enough to let the rest of the company know. My understanding is that companies this small don’t actually have any legal protections or acts for employees who are pregnant, other than my presumption that you can’t just straight-up let someone go because they’re pregnant. Maybe that is possible?

I’m an excellent worker and don’t expect any issues, I plan on returning as well, but this is the first pregnancy at this new company for everyone. I don’t think they have any maternity plans thought out yet for company policy at all, and don’t know what to do. This will be the company founders delving into maternity issues for the first time too. I guess I want to suggest they create something like maternity leave, and they’re a supportive bunch that really look out for us, but nothing is for sure and I’m just trying to inform myself. Any thoughts on any of this? Really flying blind when it comes to info for tiny companies!

Answer:
 https://www.dfeh.ca.gov/resources/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faqs/pregnancy-disability-leave-faqs/

Pregnancy disability law applies in CA for companies over 5 people. [this site](https://www.rhdtlaw.com/expect-california-employer-youre-expecting/) has some more info on what laws apply and when


Title: (North Carolina) Offered a job, I accepted, then employer found out I have epilepsy and has ceased communication before I was due to train and work.

Question:
This is in North Carolina.

So, I was offered a job after interviewing twice earlier this week.  After being told the job was mine, I was asked about why I did not finish my degree in four years (I took about two years off a couple of years ago, then finished my degree in a semester after returning).

I told them that I began having seizures in late 2013 and had them monthly for about two years before finding the appropriate dosages and combinations of medications.  I told them I had been seizure-free for about a year and a half.  They asked for documentation of this from my doctor.

So, I paid $60 out of my pocket to make an appointment with my doctor to discuss this so someone from his office could send over verification of my seizure history, treatment, etc.  I waited a few hours for them to call me as they said they would after getting the message from my neurologist's office.  They never called me back, but when I called them, informed me on Wednesday afternoon that they had received the doctor's note.  I was told that on Friday morning I would receive a call about when I should begin training and start working.  They have not called me yet.

I am wondering what I should do in this situation.  I need to be working, and having to pay $60 to see my doctor for this position has really complicated my finances.  I'm rather frustrated.

Thank you!

Answer: Keep looking, either way...  however, I'd suggest you don't need to hand out ammunition to employers.  Under the ADA and HIPAA, they cannot ask you about your medical conditions, only if you need any accommodations and if you do, what those accommodations are.  Let me stress this: they are not entitled to your diagnosis.  They cannot ask, and you probably shouldn't volunteer it, either: it will probably do you more harm than good.  For the question here (why you didn't finish your degree in four years), you could nosy answer you needed to take personal time off during your studies, and returned as soon as you could, wrapping up in one semester.  If they pry, you can always deflect with something neutral, even including that you needed to take care of a(n unspecified) medical issue, which is now fully under control.Answer #2: You should continue your job search.Answer #3: Before assuming ill faith, try checking whether it is merely normal disorganization. Give them some time in case they're running late. As I post this, it's only a couple hours past "Friday morning" in North Carolina.Answer #4: Maybe they're just backed up? Have you tried calling them today?Answer #5: Lord, I hate this. As a fellow sufferer, I hope it is merely an oversight on their part. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has epilepsy, and politics aside, he is not questioned as to his ability to do his job.Yet us common working folk almost always are.


Title: I was caught underge drinking at a school event (TX)

Question: I went to a school dance with a group of people who had been drinking. The administration called in a few boys and I in to question us. They let all the boys go without repercussions but kept me because they "didn't want me to get taken advantage of because I was a girl." Once I was alone they started grilling me about drinking. The campus cop told me that if I didn't admit to drinking he was going to arrest me. I'm 18 so I started to get scared. They made me incriminate myself for fear of arrest and then held me against my will alone for over an hour while I waited for someone to pick me up. They didn't allow anyone to pick me up except for a legal guardian which I don't feel is right because I'm 18 and should be able to leave at my own liberty if I didn't possess alcohol and wasn't driving just as everyone else in my party was allowed to leave. They didn't allow me to get up from my seat or even use the restroom until my mom arrived. I am the only one who has a hearing even though I wasn't the only one who was suspected of drinking. I'm just wondering what to do, the cop made me confess for fear of arrest and I didn't even have anyone there to help me. I just feel like the administration took advantage of my situation. What should I do for my hearing tomorrow?

Answer:
 I don't think they made you incriminate yourself. You made a poor choice and as an adult you are responsible for your choice and the repercussions.

You could have just sat there and not said anything. That's your right. You chose not to exercise that right. You confessed. You don't have any recourse.

Welcome to the adult world. Learn from this mistake.


Title: Someone called my on the phone and asked me too meet them as they have a package for me.

Question:
Hi Everyone,

I'm a bit stressed out about this.

Someone called me a few minutes ago and called me by name and had my full previous address. They told me that they have a letter that they want to deliver to me and would like to meet me to deliver the letter. In my previous address (lived there about 2 years ago) I was involved in a car accident and ai think it may be related to that. Can I reject their phone call and refuse to meet(I'm in canada). What do you think I should do.

Thanks in advance.

Answer: Very likely a process server.  If you don't want them to come to your house, and are worried about your safety, meet them at the public library, or at the police station.Answer #2: Sounds like you are being sued. They will serve you eventually so you are only delaying this. You can make the process server work for his money or you can just get it over with.Answer #3: Sounds like you are being skip traced. Private Investigators use this technique all the time. Do you have any significant debts or judgements?


Title: Can you reopen a non contested divorce?

Question: I was told no, I lived in IL and was married for 34 years, and moved to FL, and was divorced Oct. 2016.  My ex hired the lawyer and I held custody of my 17 year old at the time (she turned 18 Dec. 2016) but stayed with me.  I took nothing from him to get divorced except about half of any money in the bank (split it for the most part, he got more actually), and I asked for half of our house, over a 20 year period, meaning he got the deed and has to pay me $5,000 a year for 20 years, to get $100,000 which was half the house.  No support at all.  I got $20,000 for my car, which he wanted to keep it and pay the value of it, so I just bought one with the money here in FL.  Anyway......what are reasons for reopening a divorce, since I got shafted really, I was under stress of my father dying last year June, 2016 (many years of Alzheimer's) and having been the POA and then the Executor of the estate and well, so much going on, and wanting a divorce to be free of him.....(I am remarried now though.)   So, is it impossible or what are reasons to reopen a noncontested divorce.  He has hidden the amounts of his 401K and he is now selling off all the machinery in a big auction that I said he could have for farming, but now he is quitting, everything that was my dad's is going to auction and I get none of that.  Can I work with any lawyer in FL, or must I have a lawyer in IL to do anything, if it's even feasible that I could reopen a divorce case......PLMK anyone that might have some advice......

Answer: If it's just "buyers remorse" and you were under stress, no. If he defrauded you by intentionally hiding assets, you may be able to get your part of what he hid. It will also depend on what steps you took to discover all the assets. You should ask a local attorney.


Title: Chevrolet stole my photo idea that I pitched them (Los Angeles, CA).

Question:
Somewhere around May 2011, I went out into the California desert and made a photo of a rented Camaro in front of Wind Turbines.
Then, I sent the photo to Chevrolet for their review, I was hoping to maybe get some kind of a photo contract out of it.

http://data17.i.gallery.ru/albums/gallery/1-7f163-50311209-m750x740-uedc33.jpg

I received a reply saying that the photo was nice, and if I wanted to donate it to the company, I should send it to a specific address.
I didn’t want to donate it, so I just forgot about the whole idea.

http://data29.i.gallery.ru/albums/gallery/1-bb51a-101519183--u20fc6.jpg

In October, an advertisement came out in Europe that was showing almost exactly same Camaro at almost the same angle in front of almost
the same Wind Turbines.

http://data17.i.gallery.ru/albums/gallery/1-3e6eb-50311211-m750x740-u457d9.jpg

Is there anything I can do about it legally?

Answer:
 You own the photo you took, not the idea of taking a photo in that area.Answer #2: "Is there anything I can do about it legally?"

IANAL, but if you are of legal drinking age, I recommend buying a cold beer and contemplating the concept of ownership in philosophical terms. Apply more beer as needed.Answer #3: People and companies are free to "steal" ideas. And this is a [fairly common idea](http://www.wallpaperbetter.com/wallpaper/353/778/373/white-bmw-m3-car-1013mm-mountains-windmill-1080P-wallpaper-middle-size.jpg) since anything in front of those turbines looks good. Nice photo though.Answer #4: Keyword is *almost*. You would realistically only have a case if they had used your exact photo without express permission. Even if it were explicitly "inspired" by your picture, they were not under any sort of agreement with you and there aren't any damages or losses. Since they never implied or otherwise stated they would purchase the photo from you, there is nothing you can reasonably claim from them.

  Answer #5: Sorry, Chevrolet didn't steal any idea from you. Photographing cars in front of wind mills is a well known and well used shot in the automotive photography landscape. Most likely the photographer who took the shot you reference never saw your photo and the people you corresponded with have no connection to the photographer. Answer #6: I guarantee this photo was donated like they asked to do with your photo. If Chevrolet had actually done this they wouldn't have used a 5th gen they would've used the new 6th gen.Answer #7: Nope.


Title: Mom has dementia - being taken advantage of by former student

Question:
Hi legaladvice!  I’m a long time lurker, first time poster. This is an anonymous account (obviously) because I’m not sure what to do.

My mother has vascular dementia. Her ability to remember dates, directions, do simple math, etc. has greatly decreased over the past year.  She has a hard time completing sentences, she cannot do simple math equations, asks the same questions over and over again, etc.  She added me to her bank account this week so I could take over paying her bills as she has become more confused about banking and her finances in general. In reviewing her account, I noticed something troubling. I asked some questions and here’s what I learned…

Over the last few months, my mother reconnected with one of her former students (she taught court reporting for 30+ years).  This student has convinced my mom that she can’t pay her bills even though she has a daughter that is studying in a college program abroad and a child in private school. Over the past 4 months this woman has received nearly $7,000 in the form of cash, gifts, and checks courtesy of my mother. Two of these checks (one for $2,500 and one for $3,150) were signed by my mother, but not written by her. I asked my mom about the checks, she seemed shocked that she had given this person so much money.

My mom is an exceedingly generous person and I don’t doubt she meant to assist this lady in some way, but the amount is so much more than I think she may have intended to give. I want to contact the authorities, but I’m not sure who would be the appropriate department (elder affairs, children & families, police, etc.). I’m also conflicted about reporting this though as any investigation is really going to upset my mom. She did tell me that she thinks the woman has taken advantage of her, but I think if questioned; my mom would say that she was trying to help her out. In reality, my mom can’t really sound financial decisions any more (which is why I am now on the bank account).

I’ve tried to figure out what I really want out of this. At a minimum, I want this person to never contact my mother again. It would be great if this person could get in some kind of trouble for her actions as I believe she has been taking advantage of my mother. In an ideal world, she would get in trouble and have to pay my mother back, but I get that may be a tough battle.

Any advice would be most appreciated. If I may provide additional information, please let me know!

TL;DR – Mom has dementia. Woman wrote checks, had my mom sign them. Not sure what to do next…

Location: Florida – mom lives 300 miles away from me.

Answer:
 Contact the police and elder/aps if you choose to. But it is really up to you. You might want to take her check books from her also. Just to be safe.

Answer #2: Stealing money from an elderly person with memory issues is an especially vile crime. It's too late for your mom to sign a POA, if she no longer has capacity. I'd second the advice re contacting law enforcement and also an attorney who understands elder law issues. This could require a guardianship. If you can be her guardian, that will conserve her resources for her care. Tough situation. Answer #3: I'm so sorry about your mom's situation. It's really hard seeing someone you love go through that. I don't have a ton of legal advice, but you may want to get power of attorney and take her check books away.


Title: Spouse applied for FMLA leave and was denied. Company claims she worked 20 hours a week for the past 8 months but she has easily worked over 40 hours a week including extra days during close-out (end of the month). Any recourse?

Question: My spouse returned to work in November 2015 (New York). Recently our toddler has become ill so she is planning to take a few months off.  She requested FMLA leave and the company calculated that she's worked 20/hrs a week for 8 months when she's been working 40 hours or more including extra days at the end of the month.  Her position is exempt (because she gets paid commission for spa services) and she does have written proof of the agreed upon hours that she was was adhering too.  Is there anything we can do?

Answer:
 You know what I found out from a previous job I had? That if I took FMLA, because I was still considered an employee, those "zero" hours were averaged into my available time off. So, basically, let's say I took 6 weeks off for a new baby. I would have 6 weeks of "zero" hours averaged into whatever hours I worked before and after those 6 weeks. So, even if I worked 40+ hours in other weeks, the average was still crap because it would be like:

40+40+40....+0+0+0....+40 = 1840/52 = 35.4 average

So, I guess my question would be are you sure they are only counting the last 8 months? and not the last 12 months?


Title: I got fired over false accusations with no proof, what do I do?

Question:
I started a job at IHOP in Arkansas and was there for a month, starting early October to early November, I was fired yesterday.

The manager called me saying not to come back because several people have accused me of stealing money, one says I stole $50 from her wallet, and another said I stole her tips.

Needless to say, I NEVER stole anything more than a pen in my entire life.  I asked them if they had any proof (they have video cameras everywhere) and they have no proof. I'm really angry that people would lie about me. I knew in the beginning that nobody liked me there (I have no clue WHY) because I was harassed and bullied by several of the servers. I feel like it was a conspiracy against me between a few of them to get me fired, since they have explicitly made it clear that they want me gone.

I turn 18 Nov. 9th of this year, if that detail helps? I live in AR and I want to take some sort of legal action to prove my innocence. I don't want that job back, but I want to prove I was innocent. What do I do?

Answer:
 You can't prove your innocence.

Look for a new job, and if you want to file for unemployment, you can do so.Answer #2: Get a job at Denny’s and stick it to IHOP.

Your recourse is to file for unemployment and move on with life.Answer #3: Your state is at-will, so they can fire you without cause.

Don’t use them as a reference.Answer #4: There's no feasible way you can prove your innocence. Besides, what difference does the opinion of a bunch of assholes working at an IHOP make to you? Your time would be better spent focusing on finding a new job and moving on with your life. Answer #5: > I want to take some sort of legal action to prove my innocence.

I understand that you're frustrated, but there isn't a process for this, outside of a very expensive and unlikely-to-succeed defamation lawsuit. And even if that were successful, it doesn't prove innocence.

> I don't want that job back

Good. Sounds like it sucked, or at least the people did. Bear in mind that even if you somehow proved your innocence, they wouldn't have to re-hire you.Answer #6: If anyone (cops, lawyers, future employers) ever asks you about this, leave out the "yes, I stole a pen once" bit.Answer #7: If they take you back, seeing as no evidence exists, those people will make your work life miserable.  Lots of serving jobs out there!


Title: I am out of town on business and cannot make my court date, what do I do?

Question: Hi guys, I am living in New York but the tickets were issued in New Jersery. As the title says I am unable to make my court date for a mandatory summons issued for driving with a suspended license. I had my license suspended in 2014 but paid the reinstatement fee and plead not guilty to the charge. At some point I was sent a letter with a new court date but I never received the letter and completely forgot about it until I was pulled over last week and found out that my license was resuspended when I didn't show up to the courthouse (since I never got the letter). The cops were very cool about it and didn't tow my car or arrest me, they gave me the tickets and let me have my wife pick me up at the station and go get my car from where we left it not far away. I am in the process of getting my license unsuspended by paying the fee again and it should be reinstated by Monday morning. What will happen to me if I don't show up today since it's a mandatory summons. The clerk told me I could not reschedule since I was calling the day of (I got my days mixed up somehow with my newborn and work I just completely fucked up and thought it was tomorrow). She did say I could fax a letter asking for a rescheduling of my case and I am going to so that but I am just curious what is going to come of this. Is this a no big deal ticket where I just pay a fine or a serious offense that could lead to my license being revoked or worse? And is it as simple as sending a fax stating I am unable to make the court date and then getting it rescheduled?

Answer:
 Fax the clerk and get the continuance. Showing up to court is non-optional, but re-schedules (at least once) are routine.
If you don't show up, you'll get a bench warrant issued. You don't want that.Answer #2: This was so avoidable its not even funny. Court dates trump all other things in your life.