Title: I stole money from the place I work and I don't know what to do.

Question: The title sounds fucking stupid, but recently at work I took money of out of the register during the transaction and hid it on my person by the end of my shift. I was stupid and angry in that moment and for some reason I felt justified. Now I just feel sick. I have the money here and I want to return it but I'm scared of what would happen. I don't want to face legal recourse and I don't want to lose my job. Somebody please help me I feel sick.

Answer:
 Best outcome:   You put back the money next shift and nobody asks you about it until the next time the till is reconciled so it comes out even and people just shrug.   You keep your job.

Worst outcome:  You apologize to your boss, he fires you and makes a police report.   You'll be convicted of theft and have a very difficult time getting another job that involves handling money.

Probable Outcome:   You put the money back.   The manager notices and knows damn well you stole it, but you don't admit it.   You say nothing.  You don't apologize.   You don't make up a story.   You simply refuse to answer any questions about the theft.

Without a confession or actual proof that you stole the money, and with the tills now balancing, I know what I would do as a manager:  I would fire you and mark you as ineligible for re-hire, and then forget about you.

That probable outcome lands you without a job, but also without a criminal charge or conviction, so you have an easier time getting a new job elsewhere.


Title: Scared for my wife.

Question:
My legal council in nc said that its best if my wife doesnt appear in court if she refuses to talk to police and doesnt sign for any mail.

Can this get her in trouble. The police frightened my wife and she lied against me to them and i have a serious assualt charge against me. She called them because i was depressed and thought i might harm myself not her.

I wanna trust my lawyer and he said he was a prosecutor i paid within range for this type of case. My wife wont go to court unless i ask her to because we dont want neither her nor i in jail.

I have proof it was a lie in texts and gave my lawyers all of that. There were marks on me that were inconsistent with the story they pressured her to make up. I have photos of those.

I just want to make sure nothing will happen to her for ignoring subpeonas to appear.

Answer:
 A subpeona is not a request. Your wife could be held in contempt of court. If she's been ordered to appear, she needs to, and should tell the truth.Answer #2: So to be clear.

You were arrested for domestic violence assault.  Your wife is the alleged victim.

Your lawyer told you to tell your wife to not sign for any mail and not go to court, so the court will drop your charges?

That is not good advice.  That is witness tampering.

The District Attorney's office has people who will go out and find victims that they can't get in contact with, so if they want her, they will get her.Answer #3: A subpoena is not a "court suggestion."  It's a court **order.**

And you or your lawyer advising your wife not to appear in court or cooperate could be victim tampering, a serious felony crime.


Title: How much can you make in California in commission as a freelancer without disclosing income?

Question: I know a lot of people who do contractor jobs like in construction only do jobs for certain amounts in order to avoid having to disclose anything so I was curious, how much can I make with each business without having to identify as a business? I usually just like to get free products for review and make a little money on the side when everything goes well, the most I've made myself with a single company is probably a couple hundred so I was curious if anyone had any insight so I can put more effort into my hobby along with some side cash when things line up right

Answer:
 If you make enough income to be required to file a tax return

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/irs-tax-return/does-everyone-need-to-file-an-income-tax-return/L7pluHkoW

you MUST legally declare every penny in income, whether you receive a W-2 or 1009 or anything else or not.

If your income is under the threshold for filing a tax return, then you do not have to report it, but should still keep proof of your income just in case the IRS comes asking why you did not file a tax return.


Title: [MA] Dad is a salaried employee who doesn't make overtime for working over 40 hours a week. However, when he works under 40 hours, they use his vacation time to make up the difference.

Question:
My dad is a pharmacist and floats store to store when they need someone to cover. As such, some times he has weeks where he works more or less than 40 hours.

He worked for 40+ years on a schedule where one week he would work under 40 and the next week he would work over 40. He didn't get overtime pay for any time he worked over 40.

Now that he floats, any week he is under 40 hours, they take time from his vacation time. However, he was worked over 40 hours these past two weeks and has received no compensation. Is there anything he can do?

Answer:
 I can't speak to MA law, but that practice doesn't violate federal employment law, and it is both legal and fairly common in my state. However, once he runs out of vacation time, they can't reduce his pay for missing partial days. Answer #2: Federally speaking there's no requirement to give any vacation or PTO,so it doesn't break any laws; vacation time is a contract issue between him and his employer, and will be dictated by their specific policies and agreements. If he had zero vacation time, they would still be required to give him his full salary, even if he worked less than 40 hours.

If he's voluntarily working fewer hours, then this is extremely common.

Of course, if there was any state that has a more specific law, MA would probably be it. (Either that or CA).


Title: Is there a loophole? [Ohio]

Question:
Pretty much, last year I pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge. I was kidnapped for 5 weeks (By my step mother and father) and was taunted the whole time. It was around the time my mother passed away a year before and I was suicidal and was under the impression the 1 day was a getaway and they were there for emotional support.

As stated above I was taunted for 5 weeks and was emotionally abused I wasn't allowed to leave. The last day I was there was the 1 year anniversary of my mothers passing and my step mother said "Fuck your dead mother" and I attacked her.

I ended up pleading guilty when they brought up a past charge from 10 years ago (When I was 13), which is the same charge - domestic violence, when I took the blame for my step mother beating me saying I hit her first even tho I didn't, when she said something similar about my grandfather, she grabbed my hair and thrown me on the floor.

My point is, I pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor because I was being threatened with a felony since they brought up my past charges from when I was 13, and I'm regretting not fighting this.

My life goal has been to work with and help children or older people, but was told I could not do these things, since pleading guilty to this charge. I heard I cannot get this charge expunged.

When the whole court process was going I was mentally not all there, and felt my decision was based on fear and I wasn't properly understanding everything.

I'm at a decent place in life now and college has been on my mind, but I've been having a bunch of flashbacks and coming to terms my life is literally fucked due to not attempting to fight this case. It's like it was in another life.

Is there ANYTHING I can do? I really want to help troubled kids who were raised in foster care off and on like me or help older people and help put a smile on their face while giving them the proper care they need. I feel my purpose in life is to help people and I feel like I can't do that now, it's crushing me.

Answer: If you are having flashbacks and such you are not in a decent place right now. Before you worry about helping troubled kids you need to see to your own mental health first. Theres plenty of ways to help people where your criminal background isn't an issue. What will stop you is not seeing to your own mental health.


Title: Faith and Spiritual healing defense

Question:
This was based on several cases that I have researched back into the 90s and it still occurs today. The scenario was that there was a family, extremely christian orthodox and did everything by doctrine and was enamored with their beliefs and devoted to their church. They had a child that started to come down with a lung infection and began to complain of symptoms of congestion, coughing, and others.

One day he was sent to the nurses office at school when the symptoms grew worse and his lung capacity started to decrease (he wasn't inhaling or exhaling as much as he did normally). The child was immediately escorted to the ER, the child's parents arrived and demanded that the doctors not perform any operations, surgery or administer any antibiotics and that she would “get well with strong faith”. The child dies and the parents are investigated.

The parents were members of a Christian denominated church known as The Church Of Christ, Scientist, and that the religion prohibited the use of modern medicine (with the exception of optometry since some of the congregants have been known to wear glasses). The view of the church are that “reality is purely spiritual and the material world an illusion. Including the view that diseases and infections are a mental error rather than physical disorder, and that the sick should be treated, not by medicine, but by a form of prayer that seeks to correct the beliefs responsible for the illusion of ill health”. In other words, illnesses and infections are interpreted as a doubt in the faith and prayer (and anointing with oil in some cases) will try to restore the patient's faith, and ensure that God will restore their health.

Compelling case since this is an officially sanctioned religion that has existed since the late 1780s, now the hypothetical legal question comes up. Should the parents be convicted of murder (or child abuse at the least if they plea a deal) for denying medical treatment that ultimately lead to their child's death that could have been preventable by medical treatment, or should they be found not guilty for rightfully exercising their religious beliefs under the first amendment. Proof of the religion is provided and the justifications for the denial of medical treatment are in it's text “Health and Science, with key to the scriptures”. This case occurred in the United States.
Topic:
Medicine and Malpractice

Answer: Do you have a specific legal question?


Title: [Chicago, IL] There are people living in my apartment, they don't pay rent, they are not on the lease and there are no bills in there name. They refuse to leave, how do I kick them out

Question: They also are doing drugs.  The lease says that I am not allowed house guests longer than 3 weeks.  I want them out ASAP, what are my legal rights when it comes to kicking them out?

Answer: This is why you don't let people move in with you. You give them notice to vacate then go to court to evict if they don't leave. You could be evicted at any point by your landlord for breaching your lease.


Title: [USA] I got caught computer hacking

Question:
I fucked up in a very massive way. It's not newsworthy fucking up I think, but yeah, it's bad. I don't want to get into too much detail, but basically, I found myself in a position to view some emails that weren't mine to view. One email attached a file that was important. This file and some other emails were sold. I don't know what happened, but it somehow came back to me that I was the one who got possession of the e-mails. It is not necessarily proven/shown who sold the documents, but it will probably be linked to me.

I don't really think there's anything that anyone can do for me at this point, but I just want to make sure. So am I fucked? U.S. laws against computer hacking are harsh, and if I'm found guilty of this, my career is probably over (before it began), and I'll face jail time. What's the best and worst outcome that could come from this?

(note: details were modified)

Answer:
 Contact attorney

Stop talking about this to anyone

Delete posts admitting to breaking the lawAnswer #2: You need a criminal defense attorney with an understanding of computer law RIGHT NOW. There's not much chance at a career involving computers after this.Answer #3: Do you work for the St. Louis Cardinals?


Title: [Austin, Texas] Hypothetical: Am I required to speak English when interacting with a police officer if I get pulled over?

Question:
I am a native English speaker, but I also know American Sign Language and Spanish.

If I were to get pulled over while driving for any reason, is there any law stating that I'm required to speak/use English when interacting with the LEO? If I were to start signing instead (knowing full well my Driver's License doesn't show that I'm deaf), or if I chose to speak Spanish instead, would any of those be considered a form of obstruction, from a by-the-books legal standpoint?

I know some people will say, "just don't do it. It'll just piss off the cop." which yeah, makes sense, but from a legal standpoint, is there anything preventing me from doing that? Can I be charged with anything if I decide to use sign language instead of letting him know that I can hear and speak English? What if I decide to use sign language to say "yes, I know English and speak it, but prefer using ASL"?

Answer: You don’t have to communicate at all with the police. You have the right not to speak at all with the exception of giving your name when asked in most states.


Title: [NC] I was raped 3 years ago. My options?

Question:
Throwaway for obvious reasons. I was 15 the first time it happened, which is under the age of consent. He was 18. He manipulated me and raped me ~30 times. He has acknowledged he raped me at least once.

I don't have a rape kit. So physical evidence is lacking. I suppose its possible my parents knew since every time was in my bedroom and they might be witnesses?

I'm mainly asking because people keep asking me why I haven't done anything yet. Also when he and I were still talking after we broke up he was discussing how he wants to have sex with other minors, even against their will.

I have since left the country, so even if I did do something like press charges would I have to travel to North Carolina to consult with a lawyer?

Answer:
 If you seriously want to hold your rapist accountable, your first step is to file a police report where the rape happened. Give them all of the information you can about the incidents, and any possible evidence you have to substantiate your claim. Him being 18 and you being 15 usually constitutes a statutory rape charge, but North Carolina has a "Romeo & Juliet" law that says as long as he's no more than 4 years and one day older than you, it's not statutory rape.

This means the court will have to prove that rape happened. It's harder to prove rape when you're in a relationship with the person and without a rape kit, but that shouldn't stop you from attempting to get justice for what was done to you.

Then you wait. If the district attorney decides to pursue this case, be ready for a battle. Without substantial evidence, it's likely he will plead not guilty and the court will have to prove their case. You will have to relive the rape over and over again in front of the jury. The DA will go through all of the questions with you and prep you for a trial, though, so don't be too worried about it.

If there is a good amount of evidence, he may be offered a plea deal, and you won't have to go to trial.

You can file a police report online in some places, and some places you can do it over the phone. It would be most helpful to be there, in person, though.

If this does go to trial, you will be expected to be present for the entirety of the trial.


Title: Shower door fell off tracks, shattered on me while in Las Vegas.

Question:
Looking for some advice. While staying at the golden nugget on April 29th I climbed into the shower at 6am and went to close the door. The door suddenly came off the tracks, it literally shattered as it fell and shattered on me. I have pics. I was VERY lucky. I was cut on my knuckles, my feet, my stomach and a bad cut ( that isn't healed still ) on my upper left thigh.

Emt came. I didn't go to the hospital because I was in Vegas for a guys golf trip. I had to have a roommate come help get me
Out of the shower while I was standing their nude in a pile of glass. Had to use other friends room to shower. Couldn't finish my round of golf that day. Messed up my entire trip.

The hotel has been tough to deal with. I've talked to risk management twice. They half way acted like it was somehow my fault!?  They eventually paid my entire room bill and had me out a dinner for the group of seven of us on them ( $300 maybe ).

Should I get an attorney for this or just deal with risk management myself?  I requested they pay for my golf that was ruined and that was it at first. The more I think about it the more i think they should do more for me. Any opinions?

Thanks.

Answer:
 They're obliged to pay for your damages, like medical bills, the cost of that ambulance, and presumably the fees you paid to pay golf that you weren't able to go to because of this.

Unfortunately you cannot sue them for the $150,000 you were going win at craps that this incident prevented you from winning due to the butterfly effect.


Title: My grandmother is old and dying and her nursing home is severely neglecting her and all of it's other residents. Help?

Question:
This is disgusting. My grandmother can no longer drink through her mouth and required an IV for fluid, but the nursing home did not, after several calls, give her one, nor would they call a hospital and bring her one in. They had no excuse, and we eventually called a hospital and had one brought in for her. They also left her lying on the bed, without turning her, feeding her, or otherwise, for several hours, from 6am to55ish, which is supper time.

This is not the only thing they have done. Her husband, also in the hospital, had a ruptured organ (can't remember whether it was gallbladder or what) they ignored and  gave him nothing for. Several patients in the home have their own horror stories of severe pain that went untreated because of the nurses neglect. I think we have a legal action to be taken here, but I don't know how to approach it.

Location is south Louisiana,specifically Lafayette.

Answer: Report to your state's licensing board.


Title: Ex-wife asked for a divorce, stating an abstract reason, a contract is in place, but it's come to light that she was having an affair.

Question:
My wife asked for a divorce while she was working overseas, stating she wanted "financial independence" (let's put aside the fact that she asked to borrow some money within the first week she got back...I said no, of course).

A contract was made up divvying up things - not terrible for me - but not ideal by any means.

However, while overseas, she had our iPad which she gave to me on her return, stating she didn't need it. She'd obviously forgotten she had it logged in to Google Photos and there's clear evidence of her with another guy while we were still married.

What, broadly speaking, are my options given there's a contract in place?

Answer:
 If you can prove she used marital assets to financially support her lover, you might be entitled to ask for that amount to be deducted from her portion of asset division.
Other than that, adultery doesn't have much legal impact on divorce, child custody, or child support these days.Answer #2: Japanese law is not 'largely similar' to US law.  Talk to your lawyer.


Title: Suffolk County, NY: Tenant cut wires to house cameras, breaching other (not on camera)verbal agreements. Can I press charges/call police?

Question: My mother rents a house out in Suffolk County. She lives in a different state, leaving me to deal with the tenant issues/collect rent/etc. A tenant, which lives in the side studio of a Ranch, is breaching verbal agreement such as smoking weed/cigarettes in the apartment as well as kicking other Tenants cars, smearing drinks (and on one occasion) feces on their cars. Upon reviewing the 4 cameras placed on the property, there is video showing the tenant in question walking up to the camera, moving it and the feed cutting off for good. The wire is cut and currently dangling by the roof of his side studio. All of this is occurring in the span of two weeks. My mother does not have written lease with this particular tenant. I told him to leave by Friday(it’s been a week since I’ve told him in voicemail/message that he has yet to respond), if not I will call the police for destruction of property. Do I have merit to do this? Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 You can call the police if you have proof of him destroying your property. You need to follow proper protocol to evict the tenant. If he's month to month (which is the standard if there is no written lease) you can give 30 day notice you do not intend to renew next month. I.e. You can notify that you don't intend to renew for January now. If he doesn't leave January, you can start the eviction process. Answer #2: Hello neighbor!

1) don't threaten to call the police, call them. You want a record of whats going on. If they arrest him, then you may be able to get a TOP to keep him away from you.

2) serve him with written notice that he has 30 days to end his tenancy. Friday is Dec 1. so I'd serve him by then so he's gone by the new year.

3) you may have committed extortion. I'd just call the police without any action from him to protect yourself from that claim.


Title: Seeking to evict a tenant from our House

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 She created a lease and agreed to it. She is bound by it. As long as he has not violated the lease she has no ground to evict him.

There are links in the wiki for landlord tenant laws she can read


Title: [DC] The process of child support...help

Question:
Hello, so I am trying to wrap my head around this. My ex just had a kid and I would like to know weather or not it is mine, she claims that it is. As I have heard horror stories of child support (reading the previous posts), what do I need to do? Do I wait to be summoned? I reached out to her, asking about it and she says she wants to do it ASAP but doesn't respond to my inquiries. If I continue to wait for her to make a move will I be liable to back pay if the child is actually mine? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

edit: showed gratitude.

Answer: You can take an over-the-counter paternity test now if you want. Or you can wait under you are ordered to take one if she claims you are the father. I would think, for your own sake, you would want to know now. If your "inquiries" are about whether she will file for support or not, drop that line of questioning. The first step is to establish paternity.


Title: Breaking lease over beeping

Question:
This is in Georgia. My partner and I are on month 6 of a 12 month lease in an apartment building. For the past month there has been an incessant beeping coming from the sprinkler room below us. We contacted maintenance about it 4 weeks ago but we have just recently been informed that the beeping was due to a fire alarm low on batteries. They have ordered replacements and don't know when they will arrive.

 We have dealt with this for 4 weeks and it has resulted in much lost sleep. Our work requires us to have 8 hours of crew rest but since this issue we are barely breaking 5 to 6 hours a night. We pay for a 2 bedroom apartment but recently have found ourselves sleeping in the living room just to escape the beeping. Ear plugs haven't worked for us and neither of us can sleep with white noise.

We are considering breaking the lease but we would have to give 60 days notice and also pay an additional months rent after that to break it. Is there any recourse for us to break it without the ETF since it's their maintenance problem making one half of our apartment unlivable?

Answer:
 Not worth the aggravation, money, and likely legal fight, to try to break lease and move. Besides, by the time you get that effort in gear, the batteries will be replaced.

Better to endure for short while longer — maybe buy one of the zillion sleep/sound protection/earplug products on Amazon. Many inexpensive. Much cheaper than breaking lease, moving.


Title: I have a chance to buy a successful business but want to make sure I won't get screwed over.

Question:
My family knows a guy who has a fundraiser business and he's ready to retire. He's in his mid 70s and can't really physically do this anymore and he said that if I wanted to buy his business he will give me a great deal and I can pay him back on a monthly basis. He makes 6 figures, which is exactly what I want to achieve in life.

I'm 24, study business and management in college which I'm almost done with so I'd know what I'm doing. I will also ask him to let me work for him for a while to see what he does exactly.

But the question is: how do I make sure that I won't get screwed over? What documents  do I need to ask for to determine the value of his business? Is there any other specific documents I should look at?

Would it be a better idea (or safer) to buy a part of his business rather than the whole thing?

If I'm posting this in the wrong sub please point me to the right direction!

Thanks!

Answer:
 You should really work there for at least a year before deciding to buy it. You have no idea what you’re going to be doing. That’s the general life advice.

From a legal perspective, you’ll each want a lawyer to help you draft a contract and you’ll each want independent CPAs to evaluate the business.Answer #2: you need to engage a CPA to review all the books and a business attorney to help negotiate the deal


Title: Landlord searched nude pictures

Question: California: Landlord came into my apartment to change AC filters. I had a box clearly marked do not open that was no where near the A/C filters. The box contained explicit pictures of me and people I have dated. When I came home, the seal was broken, the pictures were out of order, and a picture was missing. This is invasion of privacy, right? Do I have a case?

Answer:
 Did you confront him and find out why he may have done this?

But the only legal recourse at this point is to sue him in civil court. You may be awarded a new box with a new seal.


Title: SC Custody order and options for a move

Question:
Before I begin - this is actually for my wife - but I have been reading through several sites and laws/documents before coming here to ask the questions.

Long story short - wife and I moved in together before we were married. Because of her 7-year-old being in school in SC, and us in VA, she allowed her ex-husband "extended visitation" to keep her in school until we move to SC after my military contract expires. The concession was that he didn't have to pay child support for the months he was taking care of her, which seemed to be fair for everyone. It was also preempted with "this is temporary and if my daughter wants to move to VA, it will happen". The ex-husband knew about me and any and all plans, and that was still "OK" in his books. Fast forward a couple of months, and he was making it difficult to contact her child, Skype her, get her when we came down on weekends, etc. During which time, he also states that he "needs" her vital info to put the child on his Food Stamps, etc (father is getting them for 3 other kids and a new wife that doesn't work). We do not allow him this info. Instead, we pay for her child's clothes, school supplies and activities, etc. It is also notable that under the custody order, the father was only given the standard Judge Joe Brown visitation (every other Thursday evening and every other weekend), split holidays, and that's it. If they lived in different areas within the state, they were only required to meet half-way. The only reason we were told moving her child would be an issue in the past was because my wife and I were not married at the time, which then would put her in contempt of the custody order because we were living together and "not of blood or marriage". Since that is changed - we are assuming that door is closed and the father has no recourse for whatever action we take... unless he wants to dispute the visitation schedule.

Now fast forward to this past couple of weeks. We make a trip to SC for Christmas and was told "the 21st is the only day we have plans, but you can have her for the rest of the time she is off school". We thought that was fair, since she has been spending a LOT of time with his family, and never was allowed time with my wife's family. After we got down there, he changed his tune and stated the custody order and visitation schedule, etc. My wife's daughter is now in VA with us for vacation, but we are talking about keeping her in VA and not letting her return. Her daughter wants that as well and to be away from the house that she was not happy in. We are trying to talk to a lawyer, but its slow-moving. Would we be in the wrong for allowing her to move with the custodial parent? Would visitation be an issue even if we offered the half-way point?

Some closing points: father has been on unpaid medical leave for the past month, living in a house with a wife that doesn't work, 1 child between them, 2 more children from the new wife's previous relationships... and all stuffed into a 2 bedroom house that they claim they're moving out of every week for the past year. As we see it, my wife's child has a much safer and nurturing environment with us, even if we both work a full-time schedule and have to pay for an after-school program or anything of the sort.

Answer:
 You guys have all made a mess out of this. Everyone violating court orders is bad.

First problem, residency for the child is in SC.

Second, there is no move away order

Third, judges do not like it when you violate their orders.

So, mom needs to go to sc (or have an attorney do it) and file for a change of custody and move away order. Child will likely have to return to sc. Father very likely could win primary custody since he has had it for so long.

Edit: to add, this needs to be done today. Before the father files.


Title: In Ted 2, the titular Ted is a living teddy bear who is brought to life by Christmas magic. In the movie, Ted is declared technically not a person and property by the state of Massachusetts and Ted loses everything. He loses his job and his marriage is annulled. What would happen in real life?

Answer:
 IRL Ted would be quietly spirited off to a secret government lab for various painful, degrading and traumatizing experiments until he finally dies in horrible excruciating pain while being vivisected sans anesthesia.

And, since he is legally property and not covered under cruelty to animal laws, the worst that will happen legally will be the government being forced to reimburse the owner of the property the amount of Ted's original purchase price (less depreciation of course).

It truly would suck to be Ted.


Title: How to transport very old stuffed Golden Eagle from USA to Europe?

Question:
I am the rightful heir of a stuffed Golden Eagle. It used to belong to my grandfather. He acquired it somehow in the 1930's, no one is sure how. He just came home with it one day.

It is not in particularly great shape, but it's still a golden eagle. There is no provenance, and there is no way to know how old it is, besides the fact that it's a bit dusty.

It is currently located in Montana. I would like to get it over here to Europe where I live. Is this possible, or is it totally illegal?

thank you.

Answer:
 Not an attorney, but I am a wildlife biologist.  I am unclear as to how your grandfather could have legally obtained this to begin with.  Eagles received protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918.  Additional protections were added in the 1960’s under
the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act under an amendment in 1962.  There are some exceptions.   Native Americans can be in possession of parts for ceremonial and religions purposes and in some cases can gift parts to non-native Americans, but this still requires a permit.

That said.  If somehow your grandfather’s possession of this eagle was legal, you need to be able to prove the provenance of the specimen with something other than “it has been in the family for ages.”  In other words, a copy of a permit, receipt, dated pictures, or other verifiable documentation.  Your issues will then be dealing with the Endangered Species Act and CITES, both which limit the transportation of animals across state and country political boundaries.  For movement within states, this is due to the Lacey Act.  For moving a specimen across countries, you are dealing with International Treaties and individual country policies on the movement of animals and animal parts.


Title: Driver hits my car. Their Insurence will not accept blame.

Question:
Greetings, I am new to this subreddit so please bear with me. I have never gotten into a car accident before (22F) and am very stressed out about the situation. I will give a little bit of info about the accident before I explain my Insurence troubles:

At a 4 way stop sign intersection, I stopped and waited for my turn to make my left hand turn. As I reach the middle of the intersection I see a car coming towards me. I stop my car and honk my horn many time as they still proceed to drive toward me and eventually smash into my car. They throw their hands up in an apologetic way and exit the vehicle. We both asked if the other person was ok and took a few pictures of the accident. We pulled of to the side of the road and exchanged information. The interaction was calm and respectful.

I was under the impression that I needed to make a claim with her Insurence company to collect money to fix my car. I made a claim and after a long process the Insurence lady told me they cannot accept blame. This was extremely agitating and baffling to hear to say the least. I’m still fuming while writing this. I know I should expect the other parties Insurence agent to be bias but do Insurence agents always take the side of their client regardless of who’s actually at fault? At this point it’s not the amount of money I am worried about, it’s the fact that a irresponsible driver damaged my property and is not being held responsible, and that the Insurence agent is disregarding their blame.

 I know I am very naive in this matter and this has truly been a life lesson. I am getting an estimate done on my car tomorrow but I’m not sure where to go from there. If the damages are less then my deductible I would rather not go through my own Insurence which would result in raised rates.  Or perhaps I would get that money back if my Insurence can win my case? I would appreciate anyone’s advice no matter how small. My sincerest thanks to anyone who can talk me through this or even just calm my nerves.

(I have ordered a dash camera to avoid future troubles.)
Topic:
Insurance

Answer: Did you call your insurance company?  Any time I’m in an accident, I call my own insurance company. I only speak to the other driver’s insurance if they call me.


Title: [BC, Canada] Just found out Supreme Court of Canada called me. I don’t know why.

Question:
Hi guys. I’m not sure this is the right place I can ask this (if not, I’ll delete the post quickly), but I just found out that Supreme Court of Canada called me. — I saw a missed call (613) 995-4330 and reverse searched the number.

I don’t know why. In my knowledge, nobody sued me (?), and I got no criminal record + never broke the law except a couple of parking tickets.

Should I be worried? ಠ_ಠ

Thanks in advance.

Answer: Almost definitely a spoofed number.Answer #2: If you happen to answer a call coming from that number, insist on the name of the caller and their extension and tell them you'll call them back.


Title: [Massachusetts][Unemployment] Can my wife get unemployment benefits if her employer refused to let her telecommute after moving with me to another state for my new job?

Question:
The summary is the title, but more details and facts:

We have both been employed in the state for many years above the weekly requirement to collect unemployment benefits.

I have accepted a new position out of state.  My wife informed her managers about this, and asked to be able to telecommute from our new home.  She was clear that she was not resigning, that she is committed to the job.  Her daily work almost entirely consists of working with people who are not only not in the office with her, but who are mostly also either not in the state (sales people who are based all over the country who telecommute from home) or who are actually not in the country (her corporate HQ, her boss, and the rest of her department are all based in Canada).  In other words, 90-95% of her work is with people who are not in Massachusetts.

She offered to travel more, but insisted that she would be able to fulfill her full job duties and responsibilities after moving.

There is no written policy about telecommuting (and, as stated, much of the company telecommutes, though they are in a different department as she works in marketing and they are in sales).

They have offered to keep her on for 30-60 days while they look for a replacement and she looks for a new job.

I've done my research and I know that Massachusetts does not consider moving with a spouse for a new job to be a qualifying event for unemployment.  My question is:  since she has not resigned (in fact she has actively argued that she wants to keep and would be able to complete her job) and her company has not agreed to let her telecommute, isn't she technically being terminated and shouldn't she be able to collect unemployment benefits?

Thanks, and sorry for the long-winded question.

Answer: Slim to none chance at unemployment. That is a resignation, regardless if she wants to call it that or not. She can no longer preform job requirements as defined by her former employer.


Title: My teacher took my phone and texted my mom without my consent. Is that legal?

Question:
Yesterday my phone got taken away in class, the substitute took it down to the office. Later that day after I got it back at the end of the day I read through my texts and I see something to my mom that she wrote. It said "this is jerry (not her acual name) check your email. I was wondering is this legal? In Arlington ,Virginia?

Thanks

Answer: Yes it's legal. It's *loco parentis*. When you're at school, the school and the teachers step into the role of your parent. So, if your parent could do it, they likely can do it.


Title: High school contacted the police because they said I infected all the computers with ddos malware

Question:
All the computers in my school district's network are linked, so I infected every computer on the network with a botnet virus and used all the computers a few times for ddosing. I know this looks bad but I was just playing around and I didnt mean to do anything illegal. They found out because one of the sites I ddosed realized all the IP addresses were from the same place and I think the site complained to the police who contacted my district and somehow it lead back to me.

I already confessed to infecting the computers and ddosing. I didn't say it exactly, but they asked me if it was me and I said it was and I apologized. Now Im indefinitely suspended and my parents dont know yet but they will in a few hours and I'm worried that the site or the police will charge me with computer fraud.

What are the chances that I'll get charged with something? Technically, the botnet was massive because it was every single computer that the district used so it was effective and downing sites. I used it for two years without them knowing and they only found out today.

Edit: This isn't related but since i had access to all the computers, several of the accounts were teacher accounts and i was always able to view tests, grades, and student info, but I never did. But im worried that they might think I did.

Answer: You should speak with your parents and get an attorney. I don't think any advice you'll get online will help you.


Title: Got a check from a business for damages to my car... Can I just get it repaired through my insurance?

Question:
Hi, I am in WA.

So I had a business pay me $$ for car paint damages. Could I just get my insurance to cover it through my comprehensive insurance and keep the $$ the business paid?

Most of the things I find online are people trying to keep insurance checks from insurance paying out from damages/accidents. I got a check straight from the business itself, written out to me (not my body shop or insurance).

I know its a grey area... just wondering which way it leans. Thanks for any advice.

Answer:
 It's not a grey area. It's fraud. And if your insurance finds out they'll come after you for the money and drop your policy at the very least.Answer #2: You can fix or not fix your car. But if you file a claim with your insurance that's fraud. They will find out because you will need to provide the name of the party that damaged your car.Answer #3: >  Could I just get my insurance to cover it through my comprehensive insurance and keep the $$ the business paid?

No, that's insurance fraud.


Title: Car stolen. now recovered. Now what?

Question:
so my car was stolen and recovered 6 days after, when i went to pick it up i had to pay 450 to get it out, now the inside of my car is a mess. and there are damages to the body because my car was involved in a police chase. My insurance wont cover the damages. What can i do to cover the cost of damage to my car? i was looking into restitution but i don't know how that works or if it even applies  . The guys who did this were caught

Edit #1 I am located in Los Angeles California

Answer: You can sue the people who stole it. You might have a difficult time collecting though, since car thieves probably don't have much in the way of jobs or assets.


Title: (IL) Potential illegal activity going on at work, can't find definitive answer online

Question:
I work for a company that acts as a third party to perform RFPs for our clients. We were recently purchased by a company, and this company is often times one of the service providers that we include in the RFPs we conduct. Our company kept it's old name in tact, and it has been kept a secret in the industry that we were purchased. Since the purchase, we now tend to recommend our clients go with the company that bought us - and even share pricing information with them from other companies that are a part of the RFP. In my current role, I'm responsible for the results of these RFPs, and I fear that by taking part in these exchanges I could potentially be breaking laws.

Sorry for the vagueness - trying to keep this at as high of a level as possible for now. I'd appreciate any information that can be given based on the information I provided. Thank you.

Answer: Definitely sounds unethical at least. You're arguably not providing the service (unbiased RFP process) that people think they're getting.Answer #2: This could be one of many [antitrust](https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws) issues, in which case you can report [here](https://www.ftc.gov/faq/competition/report-antitrust-violation).


Title: Dog stung by bee

Question:
Hi everyone! I'll try to keep it short!

Basically, my roommate's dog got stung by a bee.

We moved into our townhome in a community of townhomes in August.
The townhome next to ours had a beehive growing in their wall.
About a month ago, my roommate's dog stepped on one of the bees and had to go to the ER, before going into anaphylactic shock.
She had to stay over night and the whole thing cost them around $900.
The morning after, my roommates went to go talk to our neighbors and they said they've tried to contact their landlord/HOA since summer, but they haven't fixed it.
I think my roommate got the email of their landlord and a day later, someone came to fix it.

If the landlord/HOA was actually being negligent until an accident occurred, is there anything we can do about it?
(The dog lives there legally, pet deposit and everything)

Thank you for reading this post!

Answer:
 > If the landlord/HOA was actually being negligent until an accident occurred

There's no negligence in the facts you gave us. A landlord doesn't have a duty to make the premises bee-proof, nor does he have a duty to remediate a bee infestation on someone else's property.

> is there anything we can do about it?

No. Sorry.


Title: Landlord wants me out so she can rent to vacationers (RI)

Question:
I'm moving out of my apartment (an in-law unit in an old house) at the end of the month to go to grad school. I've told my landlord when I would move, and need to stay in my current place for work right now. She tried telling me yesterday that she recalls me saying I'd move out earlier, in June or July.

Last year, she rented the whole house to some people via something like AirBNB. She never put in the listing that I live in the building, and when her first tenants arrived they were uncomfortable with me living in the house and she put me up in a hotel. She knew this was very inconvenient for me since it put me away from my home for a week at a time. I had to do this for two weeks.

This year, she's doing the same thing, except she only told me about her tenants last Saturday and I only got notice that they didn't want me here on Thursday. She said I didn't have to pay rent for the month and said I'd have to find a place for 8/8 through 8/15. Fine, whatever. She has a witness to me agreeing to this verbally, nothing in writing though. This is the only point where I see I may be the asshole in this situation because I'm staying without paying rent (though I could if she wanted, but the money she gets from summer tenants is significantly greater, ~3500/week vs 850/month).

Wednesday, I had to ask her what was going on with the tenants, and she hadn't yet asked them whether or not they'd be comfortable with me in the house. The next day, she told me that the two groups of tenants (I thought it was only 1 group for 1 week) both would prefer me out of the house.

The rent I save doesn't cover a hotel in this area for two weeks. I could stay with a relative, but this doubles my commute (to about an hour and a half) and makes it difficult for me to spend my remaining time with my friends in my town before I move.

As far as I know, the eviction process in RI would be too long to make a difference before I leave, and I should have had 30 days notice that I had to leave.

Should I be okay if I decide to stay here, maybe try to work it out with the other tenants?

Update: I pussied out and moved in with my sister and brother-in-law for the rest of the month. My landlord called me a weirdo for refusing to move. Police were there and took my side. Don't do what I did kids.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 If I were you and it was really putting you out to vacate your home for her financial convenience I'd just stay there and let her deal with the consequences as far as double rented AirBnB tenants are concerned.Answer #2: >Should I be okay if I decide to stay here

Yes.

edit: I am assuming you are asking if you can stay there with no immediate repercussions. Answer #3: Cash for keys!!!!  She wants you out 2 weeks early so she can collect $7000 instead of half of $850.... demand half the profit or promise to stay put until the end of her 30 day notice (which probably has to start at the end of the curent month, so 7 weeks from now).  You have no obligation to accomodate her vacationers.


Title: If a Trump (Mueller) subpoena ended up in a Supreme Court where Trump has appointed two Justices, who those Justices have to recuse?

Answer:
 No.  No Supreme Court justice ever has to recuse himself; they do it or decline to do it voluntarily.  For that matter, there are similar precedents where Justices haven't recused themselves:

* In *US v. Nixon* (1974), the Supreme Court sustained a subpoena against President Nixon's tapes and other records during the Watergate scandal.  Three justices appointed by Nixon did not recuse themselves.  (However, Chief Justice Rehnquist, who had previously been an administration official, did.)

* In *Clinton v. Jones* (1997), the Supreme Court let a sexual harassment lawsuit against President Clinton proceed.  Two justices appointed by Clinton did not recuse themselves.

In both cases, the decision was unanimous:  the justices ruled against the President who had appointed them.  If any case involving Trump reaches the Supreme Court, we can hope that the justices will judge with similar independence.


Title: Paid an online escort 150$ deposit and she blocked me.

Question:
Long story short, i paid an online escort a deposit of 150$ she insisted because so many times guys have planned to meet her and never showed up, so she just wants some security so she doesnt waste her time. I understand that, so i sent it via cash app. As soon as she got my money she blocked me.

Is there anything i can do about this? Can i call the cops and would they be able to track her and sue her? Is there a way to get my money back atleast? Im from Mass, USA

Answer:
 >Can i call the cops

Soliciting a prostitute is a crime in MA, albeit not one that many police departments take seriously under most circumstances like yours. But still you might not want to get the cops in on this.

Realistically, you're probably out the $150.Answer #2: lol you're way too gullible.  Chalk it up to a life lesson not to give money like that.Answer #3: Next time just tell them you have cash and you can't charge it because your wife would find out.


Title: [South Dakota] Was involved in a 4 car "pile up" - issued a "Following too closely" ticket.

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 >I completely understand the idea that I was following too closely

Doesn't this sum it up?


Title: [NM-sadly this is serious] In a letter to local law enforcement (apparently as part of a larger lawsuit) the plaintiff just compared me to George Zimmerman and that I was carrying weapons to intimidate him. His proof is that I'm retired from the Air Force. Is this libelous?

Question:
My wife is in the middle of a very ugly lawsuit, she is part of a group of defendants that are being sued for negligence over how property was managed before the plaintiff owned his particular piece. I am tangentially involved because I pay the mortgage on our piece of this property but other than that, I have had no dealings with the plaintiff. In fact I have never met him nor spoken to him in any capacity.

The plaintiff hired a handyman to work on his piece of this property. The handyman has committed assault (but not battery) against my wife, one other of the defendants as well as the accountant that has been hired.

Yesterday, I discovered the handy man had written a letter to the local police force in order to "justify" his actions. It is replete with massive misspellings, grammatical errors, factual errors, etc... The lawyer for the main lawsuit told my wife that this helps the defendants case tremendously because it makes the plaintiff and his associates appear as simple raving lunatics.

However, in the last paragraph the handyman names me (although misspelled) specifically as carrying "fire arms" around this property (which I never, ever, have, nor have I carried anything that could be mistaken for a gun). The handyman quotes the plaintiff as saying "Mr ---- knows that Mr BeAFatAstronaut was carrying fire arms (sic) at the owners (sic) meeting to intimidate him" (a meeting at which I was present for less than a minute and the plaintiff was not present at all--in fact according to the meeting minutes he was not in the state).

Where it get's really odd is where the handyman (again speaking for plaintiff) says "Mr ---- is worried about a "Trevor Martin" (sic) situation and it is my understanding that Mr BeAFatAstronaut is retired from the Air Force."

The reality is the plaintiff doesn't have a snowballs chance at winning the larger lawsuit so I don't want to let me being offended get in the way of the larger goal. However, this letter has been introduced into a lawsuit and I would assume will become a matter of public record. In addition this letter was written directly to the local police, and while I am a law abiding citizen, I certainly don't want any extra scrutiny placed on me because of the rantings of what appears to be a sue happy plaintiff and his unhinged handyman.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: As you said, the letter is clearly the work of someone crazy. No one will pay it any mind, and nor shoud you.


Title: [MI] Mother is going to be fired tomorrow in an act of age discrimination. [BRIEF (and lackluster) UPDATE]

Question:
Original post: http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/2qmhy2/mi_mother_is_going_to_be_fired_tomorrow_in_an_act/

My mother got a call at about 11pm last night that her pharmacy partner was sick and that her meeting with corporate would have to be rescheduled so she could work on his behalf. He also is going out of town next week and she has been added back to the schedule through that time, because I'm guessing they couldn't find someone to fill in for her partner being sick on short-notice and they couldn't hire someone new immediately because they would have no one to train the new hire.

We are using the ~two weeks this bought her to reconnect with one of the original attorneys she visited. She is going to ask that attorney to attend the corporate meeting with her, when it's rescheduled. In the mean time, she's been looking over the EEOC information that /u/malachi23 provided (thank you, again!).

I'd like to thank everyone for the information and advice they provided. I showed my mom the post and your responses and I think it gave her a little bit of a spark- she had been so resigned and beaten-down prior, so I can't thank you guys enough.

I know this update doesn't really offer much, but my post did say she was getting fired today so it felt appropriate to let you know that we have some more time. I'll update as needed going forward. Thank you guys again!

Answer:
 Them moving the firing back may help her, if she is fired. It would show she is at least competent in the job, at least in their eyes. So document document document as much as she can and talk to the lawyer again.

Good luck.Answer #2: Good luck.


Title: [Advice] If I decide to abandon my lease in one state, then move to another state, will it be possible to sue? More questions inside..

Question:
I've read over my lease, and noticed I've only given my full name and date of birth. If I were to abandon my lease, how could my credit be affected if they don't have a bank account number or my social security number?
I live in NC currently, and plan to move to TN. Could I seriously be sought after if I no longer reside in NC after I leave? Can I be sued outside the bounds of NC?

Answer: Uhm, yeah. We are a United States and you can be sued no matter where you move. You will be sued in NC as that is where the contact was created.


Title: Male discrimination at Lowes home improvement.

Question:
Hey all,

First time posting here, so please correct me if I'm doing anything wrong.

I work at a Lowes in California, as a front end type employee. My responsibilities range from cashiering, customer service, online orders, etc. Now specifically, I was hired on as a fulfillment clerk, which basically means the guy or girl who processes and generally just handles the locating, pulling, staging, and fulfillment of any and all online orders. Currently, my fellow employees are both female, and I haven't helped but notice a discrepancy in the amount of responsibilities that we share, despite being hired under the same title and position.

On top of fulfilling all the duties required of me as a fulfillment clerk, my direct management and supervisors have consistently made me go fetch carts, load customers larger and/or heavier orders into their vehicles, stock heavy merchandise and/or pull heavy merchandise down for customers, and go out in adverse weather conditions to pull inside items such as bbqs, riding lawn mowers, etc.

For an example, today I was standing behind my desk at the online order section of the store, with my female associate standing directly next to me, and one of the managers came up to me and told me that she needed some "muscle" to go and push a shipment of 20 John Deere riding tractors inside so that the rain wouldn't damage them, and it was absolutely pouring. I obliged and followed her, but as I was walking I simply could not help but feel like this wasn't fair treatment. You hear all these stories in the media about how equality in the workplace is at the forefront of most business' agendas, so my question is- Is this a case of male discrimination in the work place?

My feelings are that if I am required to do all these manually labor based acts, then shouldn't I be entitled to a higher pay as a result? And if not, why is it that I, and other males in the store, are the only ones being required to do physically based tasks while my female counterparts are never tasked with such duties, and are instead only required to do the jobs they were originally hired for? Would I have a legitimate case here to consider bringing to a workplace fairness organization? And would any of you reccomend that I begin logging each and every one of these, in what I believe to be, male based discrimination instances?

Any and all help and input would be very much appreciated, thank you.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: No, you should not be entitled to higher pay for helping where you're needed.  Your employer is free to ask you to do whatever your employer needs done.


Title: [NC] Yesterday a sheriff deputy left his card on the front door of my parent's house. I called him and he told me he had a subpoena for me to testify in court.

Question: Yesterday a sheriff deputy left his card on the front door of my parent's house. I called him and he told me he had a subpoena for me to testify in court. I explained to him that I no longer live in that city and he then stated that he could serve me over the phone since I don't reside in the same county. At the time I didn't really know what that meant so today I contacted the DA of that county to ask about it. They told me that I was indeed required to show up for court. After doing some research I emailed the deputy and asked him to clarify whether the subpoena was served or not. He responded by saying that it has not been served because I stated that I don't live in the same county. My question is: Do I have to show up to testify? If I don't show up, can I be prosecuted?

Answer: You are now aware of the subpoena and you have communicated directly with the DA who has subpoenaed you to appear in court. Motioning for defective service at this point would be fairly frivolous, since the goal of service, which is to communicate to you a court order, has been achieved. If you feel like you do not want to or cannot appear in court, you may politely discuss the matter with the DA and request that they withdrawal the subpoena, or alternately you may motion the court to quash the subpoena. Otherwise you will have to appear in court at the risk of being held in contempt of court.


Title: [CA, USA] Help with overwhelming medical debt from an accident, threatened with legal action

Question:
Please bear with any vague details. I am trying to give as little identification as possible and will elaborate if needed, but this is a pretty specific situation.
#Backstory:

About 10 years ago in San Francisco I was hit by a car and spent 10 days in the hospital, most of which I was unconscious for. I was released surprisingly shortly after I woke up (within 48 hours) and have only ever had a very faint recollection of the few months that followed. However, I was repeatedly assured by my mother that the hospital assured us that MediCal or Medicaid would be footing the bill. So, everything looks great.
2 or 3 years later, I get a call from the SF Treasury informing me that I owe $50K plus on a medical bill and how would I like to pay. I call the hospital, and they say MediCal declined the case which was surprising because I'd filled out paperwork on it and thought it was all good. I call them and they say that they sent me more paperwork and that I never responded, so the case was closed and that's that. Turns out, they sent it to an old address after I'd moved. No phone calls, no nothing besides that paperwork.
So I begrudgingly start sending them the most I can afford (my family is poor and I continue to barely scrape by) which is $100 a month, when I can. After a few years though, I grew resentful and decided to stop paying. They called me twice and then I never heard from them. They should have several conversations on record (according to the automated phone answer) where I am explaining that I have never and will never have the money to pay off that debt; so I assumed they moved on to money they might actually get.
#Situation:

Within the past 30 days I get a first-class posted letter saying that I have to settle up the full amount or maybe face legal action or maybe face a collection agency. It has probably been two or three years since my last payment.  These have all been paid with money order, so I have no record of these payments.
#Questions:
I have within the last year become eligible for MediCal again. Is there any chance they may re-accept the bill they originally agreed to pay?
I assume not, so what are my other options? I am finding several conflicting versions of what bankruptcy actually entails online.
I understand that I have done an awful job of keeping track of this, so I apologize for the mess, but I would sincerely appreciate any advice on what I can do for my situation.
#Additional details:
I am a 1099 independent contractor as of January this year. I support my wife and myself, as she is unable to work due to severe social anxiety. She does not receive disability and we are not living in assisted housing. We barely break even every month.

Answer:
 Make an appointment with them to discuss the situation in person.
You're not the first person to get into a difficult financial situation and you're not the last. They generally try to work with you to set something up which is beneficial for both of you.

>After a few years though, I grew resentful and decided to stop paying.

Legally, I'd advise against such decisions in the future.


Title: Pentagon called my house

Question: Very confused and freighted. I'm 15 years old. I live with my sister and my parents. The phone rang and the CID said pentagon federation. I haven't done anything illegal as far as I know. I jailbroke my iPad recently. It's first gen. But that was made legal in October so it doesn't matter. I have searched up military things as well as like Isis stuff. Just like what does the military look like. I think the cars are cool af. I hate guns tho. I'm a die hard socialist. I'm extremely liberal. I was looking at like what does Isis have and could they even stand a chance against us. Which obviously they cannot. As to why the fbi is looking at my I don't even know. I did try telnettint into my friends router. But I got his permission. But then realized that's not up to him. It's up to his ISP. I didn't get in it and ended up breaking my own router. I'm realllly scared. I'm 15 and I've got a lot of things ahead of me. I don't want to go to jail. I didn't do anything illegal. So why are they calling my house. It rang once and then stopped. Things were looking pretty good too this year with my depression and stuff. I was getting better. Now I'm going to spend however many years I will have to depending on what I am even being prosecuted for. what do I do? do I call them back. And say I ddint do anything. I don't understand why this number just called me. It was my families home phone too.

Answer:
 Pentagon Federal is a credit union, not the Pentagon. Stop worrying. The FBI isn't interested in you, the Pentagon isn't interested in you, and they're actually not the same thing.Answer #2: Umm whether this is a prank or a scam you should probably look into some mental help OP. This was a rambling rant of a postAnswer #3: It is relatively easy to spoof the "from" address on a phone.  Someone is pranking you.

If the government were actually interested in you (and there is nearly a zero chance they are) they wouldn't be calling on your landline and letting it ring once.

Don't stress about it.Answer #4: PenFed is a credit union, like a bank. It's as popular as USAA and Navy Federal for military members. Pretty good auto loan rates. If your family banks there it was probably just a robocall letting them know about a new marketing promotion. Or just a normal spam call (although they're a bit restrictive with membership, so I don't think they just do random cold calls).  But it's a big leap to jump from the caller ID to worrying about the government tracking you down. If they were really interested in you they'd just show up one day; or send a notice/letter in the mail. The government isn't big on calling suspects in advance and giving them a chance to destroy evidence.


Title: Florida:So a 20 year old just took advantage of my 17 year old autistic sister. What can I do legally instead of fucking this kid up?

Question:
So today on my(23) way into work I decided to swing by my house to check on my sister because she didn't go to school. I come home and there's a bike in the driveway. I go inside and flat out ask her who's at the house. She didn't tell me untill the 3rd time I asked and she tells me it's a friend. I say you need to tell them to leave, loud enough so they'll hear. Out walks this boy who looks about her age. He doesn't say a word, grabs his stuff and walks outside. I followed him out and told him "look, no one is supposed to be here and definitely not a boy when there's no one home. Don't come back here without me or my mom here, or we'll have issues. I watched him leave, messaged my mom  to tell her what was going on, and went on my way.

Fast forward 5 hours. I recieve a call from my mom, livid. Here this kid is 20 and has been told he's not allowed here and that my mom doesn't want him around my sister. He came back and had sex with my sister, took her virginity, and left. My sister is autistic and has the mindset of about a 14 year old. She's having a mental breakdown, he's being a cocky prick. Says "just so you know, age of consent is 16". I was stupid and threatened him on Facebook already. Can I do anything legally, or do I have to deal with the face this fuck manipulated my sister?
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 You (or mom) needs to call the police. Your sister may be deemed unable to consent bc of her autism.

It's hard to be sure bc every person with autism is different, and she's obviously able to take some care of herself alone.

Did anyone ask her if she wanted to do it? If not that's straight up rape.


Title: Got mugged, pressed charges, got my stuff back but now have a court case.

Question:
Hi Reddit,

I was robbed a few months back and after pressing charges to get my stuff back now I have a court case to deal with. I was coming back from a lunch break at work and the assailant approached me on the street and asked where I was from. I responded and he then proceeded to demand all my belongings i.e. headphones, cellphone, (no cash in wallet at the time fortunately) or to be killed on spot. He had a bag with him that he was holding and so I was worried he may have had a weapon. I let him take my stuff. Ran to work and pulled the findmyiphone app up. Got his location, called the cops, and we found him 30 minutes later. However, I had to press charges in order to pursue him and get my stuff back. Fast forward 4 months and the court case is set and the assailant is representing himself after turning down several offers. I've never been in a situation like this and would prefer to not testify for safety reasons. I'm supposed to get a subpoena in the mail in the coming weeks. What can I expect and what is the best way to proceed? Any advice, things I should know or pointers from anyone? Really really appreciate the help in advance.

Location: WA, USA

Answer:
 If you get a subpoena, you have no choice in the matter about testifying.  Be courteous, factual, and dress appropriately when you go to court.Answer #2: You're the witness that a crime occurred.  It's best to avoid on-line chatter about it.  You dress nicely, they call you to the stand, raise your hand....and you answer the questions that are asked of you exactly as you remember how it went down.  The defendant's attorney asks questions, tries to trip you up a little, you answer the questions exactly as you remember how it went down.Answer #3: You wanted the support of the police and the legal system to recover your goods. They helped you get your stuff back.

Now the police and the legal system want your help to prevent further crime and make your neighborhood safer by getting the bad guy off the street and thus preventing future robberies (possibly of you). Fair is fair.

Follow the instructions on the subpoena. Be courteous and honest. If it goes to trial you'll be asked specific questions by the prosecutor about what happened, possibly identify your stuff and identify the thief. Then the defense lawyer will try to poke holes in your testimony or otherwise question what happened in order to cast doubt on what you said. Be truthful. Don't guess, if you don't know or remember details, say so.

It may not even get to that stage. The crook may decide to plead guilty or make a deal and you won't need to go to court.

It could be that you are asked to pick someone out of a lineup or series of photos. Just be honest and do your best.


Title: I'm a web developer and a client owes me for five months of work. They are still operating, paying employees, and refuse to pay because they haven't been funded.

Question:
I live in Chicago, the client is based out of Los Angeles, USA.

A startup company I developed for over the course of two years has hit a rough patch and is now low on funding. They are currently sitting on 5 months of invoices from me at 20/hrs a week which equals a substantial portion of money.

So to give more details, the clients were not happy with their product due to feedback from investors and tried to pass blame onto the developers for the "state of the product". Everything they designed (and they are not designers) was developed and functional. They still have some money left and are going to pay another company to design and develop a completely new product for them based off their idea. This is going to cost them about 5x as much as the money they currently owe me. On top of not paying their debts, they now say "we are going to review your invoices and match up hours on the invoice with 'accepted code'" During the course of two years this policy has never been brought up and they always paid invoices, mostly months late, but still paid. Sure enough they will want to withhold money and will only pay my invoices if they receive anymore funding. As a developer, sometimes you get comfortable and put trust in people you work for. This was a contract gig. Reading into the contract, there is a statement about completing the “scope of work”, but there is no documentation or wireframes to prove any scope of work and everything was done according to their direction, email trails are available. Invoices have always been billed hourly and paid without question.

I find this situation to be ridiculous and I wanted to get some opinions on what I should do next. I’ve considered seeking legal advice or trying to publicize things about it through social media, but I'm just unsure what the best approach would be. I don't mind paying legal fees, but I don't want to waste money if I'm not guaranteed to receive any money from my clients. Should I look to sue the client? Have a lawyer draft letters asking to pay the cash?

Any suggestions or opinions are appreciated.

edit: adding location information

Topic:
Contracts

Answer: The terms of the contract will determine whether, and to what extent, the client is in breach of its payment obligations.  You'll need to meet with an attorney to review your contract and provide you with advice on your options moving forward.


Title: A friend may be terminal and asked to marry me for insurance coverage (Wisconsin)

Question:
A young (legal aged) friend is facing heart surgery and is worried about losing their job, this access to medical insurance. They have asked me to get married and be placed on my insurance as a buffer against that.

We don’t plan to live together or have children. This is a business arrangement.

I have several questions around this. Is this legal? What are my legal obligations should she pass? If we divorce, what am I responsible for?

Answer: Nobody here will advise you to enter a sham marriage.


Title: Fence building on property line

Question:
Location: Houston, TX

I had my fence guy here earlier today and he was attempting to build a fence at the start of my property line. The neighbor whose property borders mine came over and started complaining to stop construction. She went as far as to call the cops and constable on us.

When the cops arrived, they told her she couldn't legally stop us from building a fence since we had a survey in hand and had evidence that this was in fact WITHIN our property line.

The owner's sister was super upset about us building a fence and said "it had always been this way" so why was I wanting to build a fence now? Mind you, she would be losing 4-6 feet of "her property." It appears she had no clue that part of her backyard (which she never uses), was actually my backyard. At this point, we are simply following the survey, nothing more or less.

The sister was so mad at one point she threatened to call immigration on the workers. I was able to record her saying it to us. Mind you no one raised their voice or anything.

In the end, we agreed to wait until Monday, but now I'm starting to regret waiting, because at the end of the day it's MY property.

My questions are as follows:
(1) Can I file a police report because of her telling us she was going to call immigration?
(2) How do I avoid future harassment from her towards my husband, myself and my fence guy during the construction?
(3) Can the city or constable's office help us further?
(4) Why do I need to ask permission to build on my own land?
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer:
 1- it isn't illegal to call law enforcement.

2- dont talk to them.

3-- Call the police as needed

4- you need to permit buildings. city does this so that people dont put up crazy fences or buildings that go against whats in the area.


Title: [Ottawa, Canada] In no contact with my family but they still have important documents like citizenship and diploma.

Question:
Several months ago I broke off contact with my parents due to their abusive behavior. It's a long story, but basically, I don't text/call/see/meet my immediate family anymore. When I broke up with them, I forgot to take some important stuff.

However, they possess some really important papers. They have my birth certificate from France, French Personal Child Health Record Document, my Canadian Citizenship card, my Passport, my high school and IB diplomas. They probably have other things I should have in my possession but I'm not aware of their existence.

Last year, when I was in contact with my parents, I asked for my Citizenship Card, and I got in trouble for it. They thought it was part of a conspiracy and I was forced to hand it back.

What should I do to retrieve these documents? Some of them are replaceable by filling in the correct CIC forms like my Citizenship Certificate and Passport. However, I'm afraid my diploma's can't be replaced. I don't need them per say but they are meaningful to me.

The trickiest thing is often when a document needs to be replaced, I need to file a police report that the document has been lost. But the truth is, it hasn't been. I know exactly where it is, even what drawer it is even. I just don't have access to it.

Advice is appreciated. Thanks!

Answer:
 You could call the non emergency phone number for your local police force and ask them if they'd be willing to escort you to the house to retrieve your possessions. They don't have to help. But if they agree, that would be the most expedient option.

Please note that you probably only get one shot at this. Afterwards, your parents are likely to destroy the rest of your possessions/documents. So, be very clear on what you want to retrieve


Title: Friend was kissed unwelcomly by a gas station attendent

Question: So this just happened. We live in nassau county on long island. I drove my friend to pick up a pack of cigarettes, and she knew the attendent as an aquaitance. She goes in, tells him what she wants and he gives her a hug, and as she pulled away he kissed her. Dude is like 50 years old, and as she finishes up the transaction he asked where she lived. She seems very upset right now and is wondering if there is any legal action she can take. Can she do anything?

Answer:
 Technically, she was battered.  So she could always file a complaint with the police.

She can complain to the gas station's management.

Or she can shrug it off as a weird life experience, and choose different gas stations in the future.


Title: FMLA/FML

Question:
I work for a university. Recently decided I would try taking Adderall (I have ADD for what it's worth). Ended up having a very bad reaction. Came off as manic and incompetent to my new boss. My job is very niche and technical. Realized what I had done that weekend and begun to go off the medication. Became VERY PARANOID coming off the medication. Really difficult detox. HMO psychiatrist said he would give me a doctor's note. I nievely thought that meant I could take FML. As I had a bad reaction to prescribed med. Went to HR on Monday let them know. Told them I just wanted to save my position and about having a bad reaction. HR Director put me on immediate FMLA because I said my doctor would give me time off. I told them he would give me two weeks ( it was just one). There was a release form that my doctor would need to sign in order for me to return to work under FMLA saying I received care and could come back to work.

Asked HMO psychiatrist which options I should pick for FML. He became upset that I had done this. I have never in my life had to take FMLA. Said he could give me Dr. note but that I don't qualify. My primary care physician I haven't seen in a while and I found out she is out the entire month. Not that it would matter as I think I would just get refferal back to psychiatry whose policy is apparently not to sign that paperwork.   HMO Psychiatrist keeps adjusting my psychatric medication this week. I have been feeling very groogy. Psychiatrist said I should just let the FMLA paperwork I have fail and that I would probably be fine. Told me to just send a doctor's note and that way it would be an excused absence. Told me to stop talking to HR. And avoid them. But he could help me if I told him everything HR is asking.

At this point, my psychatric episode continues. I freaked out and told HR I was receeding my FMLA paperwork and going back to work. Tried to meet with old boss to atleast apologize and hope I still had a job. Tried to gather my  thoughts. Told HR I didn't know what I was filling out when I did that. HR called and said I couldn't met with boss.

I realized after the fact that HR was trying to help me. Asked if I was sure I wanted to receeded paperwork as I would no longer be protected for this incident. I didn't see any other choice.

Now I'm most likely going to have displinary actions against me. If not fired for substance abuse. My boss thought I was getting care this week and and I had thought this wouldn't be an issue.

Any options? I think the Psychiatrist will be pissed I talked to HR and will never go on record about the medication. In fact, I believe if anything he will try to turn this around on me for not following his care instructions. I said way too much during the two "therapy" sessions. Where he just continued to adjust my meds. Another therapist in the Kaiser system is the one who perscribed it. After he had mentioned I could try it. (side note: apparently it's highly addictive. I didn't realize I became reliant on the medication until much later.

I'm not sure why this wouldn't qualify as a serious health condition. I'm still having extreme psychological issues this week. Perhaps it's just their policy but my mental health is at stake and I don't believe any doctor will help at this point.

Tl:dr I think I screwed myself out of a very promenate job. State is CA.

Answer:
 A doctors note on its own doesn’t excuse an absence.  You either need to have available sick leave under the CA sick leave law or qualify for FMLA.

I don’t know if this would or wouldn’t qualify under FMLA, but not applying for FMLA does probably leave you open to discipline.

Your medical providers cannot talk to your employer beyond what you authorize them to do.  So your doctor cannot try to turn this back on you with your employer, but certainly can within the treatment setting decide that you are non-compliant and decline to continue treating you.  I would find another doctor within the HMO system.


Title: Got a speeding ticket for going 100+ in California. VC 22348(b)

Question:
So I got a ticket today at 11:45 pm for going 108 on the freeway.

I do admit to speeding. I am not confident I was going 108 but I was probably close.

Right now, I'm mainly worried about the total bail fee. I'm extremely confused as to what I should be expecting. Research tells me that I should expect around $880 (http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/Final-2012-JC-BAIL.pdf) page 38. But then there is a note in the same document saying this: "Per VC 22348(b)(1), a first violation is punishable by a fine "not to exceed $500."

So I'm not sure if I should expect a fine around $500 or $880. But more importantly, is there anything I can say to the judge during my mandatory court appearance to reduce the fine or substitute it for community service or something?

And if its relevant: Age is 19. First ticket ever.

IN ADDITION: Although it's not much of a priority, I would like to understand whether I should challenge this and try to convert it to a 22348(a) violation. I believe the officer said he used a laser to clock me and was 1178 feet away.

Thank you!

Answer:
 Fines and bail are two totally different things. You can post bail and have it refunded to you when you enter a plea or are found not guilty.  The fines are money you pay to punish you, the bail is just to make sure you appear.

As an aside, the $380 difference is absolutely nothing compared to what's about to happen to your insurance.


Title: Crazy previous home-owner harassing my parents

Question:
The woman my parents bought the house from is harassing my parents. She lives in a house a few streets down, and has filed a code violation. My parents now have to move their camper out of their driveway. There's no way she could have seen it unless she physically came by their house. We know she filed it because it's public record. Even more strangely she came by their house and said "Wow isn't this weird I got this paper saying you have a code violation? Not sure why I got a copy of it!" How freaking bizarre is that? My father said she was very weird during negotiations on the house, so it is likely we're dealing with a mentally unstable person. What actions can my father take?

EDIT: Thanks for the responses, always good to get other perspectives. To recap, the lady is weird but not actually doing anything illegal.

Update: My dad spoke with a lawyer who echoed your responses- Nothing illegal is done. What the lawyer did say was that the behavior was really strange. He advised my parents to get cameras and report any visits to the police. Also my parents know for a fact she filed the complaint as it is public record.

Answer:
 Reporting legitimate code violations isn't harassment. Answer #2: It seems more weird than crazy. What you describe isn't illegal. Don't engage her but keep a notebook of encounters if things escalate.

Hang out on this thread for a while to see some really crazy neighbor stuff.


Title: [Los Angeles, CA] The minimum wage in LA is $10.50 for 25 or less employees, but $12 for 26 or more. I work at a site with 20 employees, but the company has another branch in LA city limits that has additional employees (which pushes us total over 26). Would this be a case for us to be paid $12?

Question: The new law started this past July. http://wagesla.lacity.org

Answer:
 There's a phone number at the bottom of the site you linked to.  I'm willing to bet they have they answer.

The actual answer might get complicated.  Is the branch office a separate legal entity, or are both branches the same employer?


Title: Employee maxed out our business card the day after we fired him?

Question:
Posted this just under a week ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/a0s4bl/fired_a_worker_who_was_billing_us_incorrectly_and/?st=JP914BZZ&sh=5cc079cc

Tl;dr Fired an independent contractor who had been padding his hours and he threatened to sue us for letting him go without notice because we were the majority of his income and he did not have time to find sufficient other work.

Today we found out he maxed out the credit card we had allotted to him (we were idiots and didn’t cancel it until two days after we fired him when we realized he still had a hard copy.) He maxed it out in the amount of $15,000.

We’re irate. We’re contesting the charges with the company, but in the meantime, is there any legal recourse we can seek against him for fraud? He spent the money on things obviously unrelated to business expenses (the things previously charged from his end were mostly gas money and tools, he spent this money on personal and luxury goods.)

This is in Tennessee. Thanks.

Answer:
 First of all, lesson learned on not removing his name before termination... Secondly, is it in his social at all? Answer #2: You are contesting the charges but have you submitted a report with the police department?Answer #3: It's fraud on his part. I'd talk with the card company. They are likely to either have you seen legal recourse or do it themselves.Answer #4: If you can document date of termination that's a good start, small clams court is the next step and if need be a collection agency.Answer #5: I came to this late...

But if you have a BOP (Business Owner's Insurance Policy) they commonly include coverage for employee dishonesty -- it would be worth a call to your insurance broker to find out.Answer #6: The bank will 100% **not** cover these charges.  You will have to sue him directly to recover the funds.


Title: (Iowa) Surprised the day before closing on my home with the seller's unpaid bills. How do I ensure that there aren't any more surprises AFTER closing?

Question:
We were supposed to close on our home today, but last night we got a call from our realtor that the final title search revealed a pending lien of $1400 and an unpaid water bill. Additionally, the roof on the home was replaced in Sept due to an insurance claim (hail damage), but the insurer hasn't paid up yet (the check is supposedly in the mail. The roofing company did NOT file a construction lien when work began), and the roofing company is looking to get paid ASAP.

The bank is taking money from the seller's proceeds to cover all of this, so I am not concerned about becoming responsible for them, but I am nervous that there are other unpaid contractors that might come at us post-close. We have title/gap insurance to prevent other liens from being filed between closing and when the property is recorded in our name, and will receive legally binding confirmation that the title is clean upon closing. What else should I do, if anything, to ensure that we don't become responsible for any debts of the previous owner? Is there anything we can even do? If something does come up, are we legally obligated to pay?

Answer:
 If you are really worried, make sure you are getting HOMEOWNER's title insurance and not just LENDER's title insurance.  It may cost a little more in closing fees, but then YOU will be insured as well.  Most people get LENDER's title insurance which covers the LENDER's equity not the homeowner's equity.

EDIT: I was incorrect, after reading /u/hi_imzoe's post it turns out that the state of Iowa prohibits the sale of title insurance.Answer #2: ~~You've got title insurance~~ for this and it seems that your realtor is doing its job. There's not a lot more you can do that you haven't already done, except not wring your hands about it.

e: You don't have title insurance because that doesn't exist in Iowa. Read /u/hi_imzoe's post.Answer #3: You can cross-post at /r/realestate, as they may more situation-specific experience, but otherwise follow /u/theletterqwerty 's advice.


Title: Husband's job asked for doctors note as well as the medical license and email of the doctor from boss.

Question:
My husband works for a small start up company that basically deals with customer service. He has a condition called hyperhydrosis, where he sweats excessively and begins to even get a bit light headed when over sweating. He even has to wear special shirts and use medicated deodorant to counter act the effects of his condition. Normally, he sits in a well ventilated area with a window that keeps him cool even if the office is a high temperature. The window allows cool air to enter the room so he feels more comfortable. He was sitting in his old spot for about a year before his two managers began to assign seats to people. He was placed in an area that had no window and the offices temperatures are usually a bit higher. It was stuffy and made him feel extremely uncomfortable. The other day he came home drenched completely in sweat.

He talked to his boss and his boss said it would be pointless to undo the work of his managers, but he can try to talk to them. His boss mentioned that he may need to provide a medical record saying that he was diagnosed with this condition. A medical record over a seat change. So my husband spoke to his two managers and they said they picked everyone's seat for a reason, and yes, he would need to provide some kind of doctors note. So my husband came home and forged a doctors note because we can't afford going back to a hospital, the job doesn't provide any insurance.. Yes, it wasn't a good idea and I advised against it, but my husband doesn't have health insurance and didn't want to be charged just to get a doctors note for a condition he already knows he has.

He put one of his friends phone numbers and said if they call can you just confirm I am a patient. His friend agreed and my husband brought in the doctors note to work the next day. The note my husband brought was dated from February and his managers said they they would also need an updated one.

He showed the note to his manager and his boss said that my husband would need to provide the doctors medical license and email. My husband asked to go home early for the day to cool off since he was upset. His boss called him and said he would speak to the two managers, but they will probably end up just repeating that they need the medical license and email.

Currently he spoke to the boss who's the owner over the phone and he said when he comes into the office he'll look at the document. My husband said because he feels really uncomfortable in that area, he can't return to work unless they could provide a small exception until he goes to a free clinic to get another medical document. The boss said to just update him on his direct line or even text and he'll call my husband later.

 Is this allowed? Can your boss ask for your doctors medical license and email? My husband feels light headed and sweats profusely in that new seat area and so his performance has been lackluster which he has told his managers and boss and the managers still did not budge.

EDIT: This is in NYC if that helps.

Answer:
 Drop it. Your husband is going to get fired if you press even slightly on this-- medical license status is a google search away.

Answer #2: He's going to be fired and if they fight his unemployment he will be denied. He should start looking for a new job now.Answer #3: Your husband is essentially asking for an accommodation for his condition, which his employer is well within their rights to ask for documentation about. Given that the documentation he provided is false, the employer holds all the cards here.

While it may or may not be legal to ask for further documentation (my guess is that it's perfectly legal to ask for the credentials of the doctor who documented the condition), it doesn't really matter in this situation. Answer #4: Just so you're aware, if he's being treated by a doctor for a chronic condition, there's a 99.9999% chance that if he ever needs a letter, they'll happily fax/mail/whatever one. For free. Answer #5: It's very likely your husband could have been let go over this - forged medical documents are a huge no-no and very easy to disprove - until this happened:

> My husband said because he feels really uncomfortable in that area, he can't return to work unless they could provide a small exception until he goes to a free clinic to get another medical document. <

Your husband just effectively quit. If they're not willing to provide that accommodation (and right now, they don't have to), this is all they need to say he left voluntarily.

Start looking for a new job.


Title: My mom was told incorrectly that she was HIV positive

Question:
My mom was hospitalized with pneumonia that had gotten really bad. Once we were able to speak to the doctor, he came in to explain what was going on. During the explanation, he said she has this type of pneumonia because of her pre-existing condition. I know my moms health history pretty well, so I asked what pre-existing condition. He confidently replied, “You’re HIV positive”. My sister, her fiancé, my mom & I were in complete shock for 2 minutes as we denied it and he told us this is what her paperwork says. I made them run her blood again immediately, and it obviously came back negative. They basically mixed her paperwork up with 2 other people who were HIV positive that was transferred from the same hospital around the same time as her.

The split second of us acknowledging what he told us was pretty scary. Brought tears to my moms eyes and anger to my face.

Since US healthcare is sooooo unfair, wanted to know if we can be petty and file some type of lawsuit...?

Answer: There's nothing stopping you from filing a lawsuit. Anyone can initiate a suit for any reason. Your real question is, is this some easy pay day? And the answer is almost unequivocally no. You need to show damages, and the split second of your mother thinking she had HIV that she didn't believe she had doesn't sound like it warrants any kind of monetary reward to meAnswer #2: Not a successful one. And I don't understand your theory about suing a single doctor because of the state of healthcare nationwide.Answer #3: What damages does she have?


Title: HELP! I was stupid and wired money i got from cashing a fake check before I figured out it was a scam. Will I have to be responsible for the money that was sent?

Question: So the title pretty much says it all. I feel so stupid. I was looking for a job and got an email saying someone saw my information from my University's career center. Fast forward a while and I have a check in the mail and I've wired $2400 through moneygram... There's no way to get the money back. Will I have to pay that back to my bank? What will be my legal consequences for being a complete moron and ignoring the nagging feeling I had the whole time? I'm in Utah for reference.

Answer:
 Yes, you will be responsible for that money.

That's how the scam works- they get the money, and you get left holding the bag.