Title: [Oregon] Discouraged from making a worker's comp claim, and my medical records are being requested by HR for her personal review, not to give to Workers' Comp Provider

Question:
Writing for my husband, who mainly just uses my account to look at cat pranks.

Four months ago, he went from a desk job managing logistics and a crew, to a job where he stands all day managing logistics and a crew.

There have been some things that haven't been on the up & up at this company -
- The second week my husband was working, the overall (multi-location) manager announced his intent to fire an employee who had, a few days before, filed a workers' comp claim as a result of an injury on the job.  My husband talked him out of it, and touched base with the owner and HR about his concerns around firing people who'd just filed workers' comp claims.

- There are some minor violations of the sick leave laws in our city (I work in financial accounting and fixing up folks' payroll is my jam, especially when it comes to compliance, so I have a weird amount of knowledge around this.  Accrual rates/discriminatory use as PTO issues)

Overall, things that weren't huge deals but were definitely things that reflected a lack of familiarity with how HR issues should be handled.

Over the last four or so weeks, he's developed really intense heel and leg pain.  He went to a doctor, who referred him to a podiatrist.  The podiatrist said the timing of the onset and the symptoms were consistent with it being the result of the job, and recommended that he file a worker's comp claim.  After a second appointment, during which the doctor said he believed it was caused by the type of work being done, he went to HR and requested the paperwork to start filing a claim.

She said it would take a few minutes to gather the paperwork and he should go work in the warehouse, but continued to talk to him, during which:

- she told him that she "has studied [his injury] extensively," and that it medically cannot be the result of a job.

- she asked him repeatedly to affirm that the doctor believes it could be caused by work, all the while expressing disbelief.

- *she requested copies of his medical records from the appointments be turned into her.* She did not indicate whether they'd be turned over to the workers' comp agency, and that is definitely not how this workers' comp agency handles acquiring medical records

- she advised him that the claim wouldn't be successful and he shouldn't bother filing.  He let her know that since a doctor had advised him that it was likely work-related, he would like to fill out the forms despite her concerns.

She then told him to go to the warehouse, and shortly thereafter the general manager came down and said that she was ready with the paperwork.

They walked to the conference room, she slid him the paperwork, reiterated her need for his medical records and her familiarity with the injury, and then she and the general manager silently stared at him while he filled out the paperwork.

The paperwork includes some personal data, like SSN and medical information, so he handed the paperwork back to the HR person, and she handed it to the manager to look over.

He has no problem signing over his medial records to the workers' comp company, but I have an inkling that HR doesn't get to demand that she have them.  There are no work restrictions prescribed by the doctor at this point and he's not requesting any accommodations, just coverage of the cost of treatment. Is there really any legal reason that she can request personal medical documentation be delivered *to her*?

He had entirely positive 30, 60, and 90 day reviews.  Management (including my husband) frequently use write-ups to track problems, though there's no enforced policy of "2 write-ups and after a 3rd incident you're fired"), and he has never received a write-up

Obviously, given the regional manager's intention to fire someone as a result of their workers' comp claim a few months ago, we're a little concerned about job security.  Other than keeping his nose to the grindstone and being a good employee, is there anything he should be looking out for?

tl;dr Some concerning HR policies, potential inappropriate sharing of personal information, worried about longevity at a company

Answer: workers compensation attorneys are contingent based, it would cost you (and/or your husband) nothing to have a consult with one. It sounds like his employer is super shady. That said, your husband's doctor can file the Form 827 (notice of claim) for him and get the ball rolling if the employer is being a pain. Do you happen to know the workers compensation insurer?


Title: (CA) legality of taking adult photographs of adults

Question:
This is really hard to search b/c all I'm getting are child pornography questions, both here and in search engines.

Let's say I want to pay (18+) girls to do some erotic modeling while I take pictures.  This is for an art project, I do not plan to sell them or to show faces.  Is this legal?  Can I make a post on craigslist (or wherever) and exchange money for verbal permission to take photos?

What if the session is, by anyone's evaluation, pornographic?  I'm assuming there's some line between "art" and amateur pornography, and I'm assuming the later has some legality things to consider.

Thanks for the help.

edit: I'm getting a lot of responses like "consenting adults can do whatever they want", but I know this is not true.  For instance, I cannot pay a stranger to do sexual things to me, that is prostitution.  I'm *assuming* that the law is more rigorous than simply it becomes legal if I film it and call it "art".  Am I crazy?

Answer:
 You get a model release form and have the people who will be posing complete them. Most model release forms have a description as to what the model is permitting the photographer to do with the images, as well as a disclaimer that they are over 18 years old.

Models under 18 years old must provide evidence of consent by a parent or guardian.Answer #2: Get proof of age and signed modeling contracts.

Consulting a contract attorney to make sure that you can't be sued for your images of you sell your art for profit or whatever would be a good idea.


Title: Asked a girl for pics, scared of legal repercussions

Question:
Throwaway for obvious reasons, possibly crappy grammar because I'm  paranoid.

Before I post anything, I just want to say that I REGRET EVERYTHING and what I did was 100% wrong. I was just thinking with my dick, should have masturbated.

So through a long chain of messages between people, I managed to get some nudes of this girl in my town. I've met her maybe once or twice, but I doubt she would even know who I am.

Anyway I found her on Facebook, and so I made a throwaway FB account asking her for more nudes (first mistake). I showed her the nudes I had of her already and I was kind of pushing it (second mistake). May have said things like I'd show it to her friends if she didn't send me any back (third mistake). Well I took fake screenshots of me send it to other people. I finally get a IM from her boyfriend (no idea), who said that the police will find my IP address and will track me down.

After that my mind finally snapped back to reality and I deleted everything. The throwaway FB, the throwaway email account, my stash, EVERYTHING.

Now I'm sitting here wondering what is going to happen to me, if anything at all, regretting it all so very much. I'll probably deserve whatever consequences that are to come, but I just want to know if there's anything I should do or anything that could possibly happen to me.

EDIT: Not sure how to change the title, but I'm in AUSTRALIA if that helps too

EDIT 2: I'm an asshole.

Answer:
 Ugh...you sound like you're only sorry because you might get in trouble and your asking for help to cover your tracks.

What you described could be considered extortion....and maybe stalking/harassing.
Answer #2: Extortion/blackmail, harassment. If police contact you, you need a lawyer. Answer #3: Well if she is a minor (under 18 because internet is federal law) you will get pinged for possession, and because you sent them back to her, distribution as well. And because you were threatening to distribute it to a mass amount of people the police probably will bother to investigate. Nice one OP. Also she probably knows that they won't bother pressing charges on her for manufacture.

If she isn't a minor, then idk what the deal will be. Blackmail, extortion, harassment, probably some other shit as well.


Title: Girlfriend received ticket through mail with false allegations. (California)

Question:
My girlfriend has received a ticket through the mail with violations:
26708(a)- Object obstructing drivers view or tinted windows
16028 a vc- Driving without insurance.

The letter didnt even have the correct last name, it appears close but the first & middle are correct. Also its not even a ticket per say, it just a notice to pay these fines of $1075. My girlfriend called & they told her that it doesnt matter because the officer might have sloppy writing. What?! Also that she was pulled over on Nov,6 2014 (she wasnt)but she didnt even have a license issued until November 19,2014. The lady said she has to come in to court in January but this all seems so wrong & I dont want her to have to go to court since we just had a baby & needs to rest.

Is there anything we can do since all their facts are wrong without having to waste our time to go to court for this?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 The only way to clear it up is to go to court.

She can hire a lawyer if she doesn't want to appear. Answer #2: > I dont want her to have to go to court since we just had a baby & needs to rest.

Well, that's sweet of you and all, but people with babies have to do all sorts of strenuous stuff all the time. If she wants to straighten this out, she has to go to court.Answer #3: She needs to go to court or hire a lawyer to go for her.


Title: My brother hired a lawyer

Question: My father passed away in February.  My brother has recently hired a lawyer to give me information about his estate.  He had\has a home that has been paid off for 20 years and other items. My dad wanted us to liquidate everything and split the proceeds. I think my brother wants to keep the house and is going to try and get me to sign off. My father said many times that he didn't want us to fight. I am 44 and my brother is 43. Neither of us need the money but I don't want him to just take everything either. I haven't seen my dads will and knowing him he very well might not have left one thinking we would work it out. My brother hiring a lawyer changes everything. I need advice on how to proceed.

Answer:
 Your brother hiring a lawyer is not necessarily a bad thing. It could be that your brother is too busy or uneducated on the matter and decided the best way to approach  things is to hire an expert to help/represent him.

>My dad wanted us to liquidate everything and split the proceeds.

I have some personal, not legal, experience with this. The same idea happened and person A wanted the house. What happened was person A got the house valued and offered person B half of the value in cash (pretty much buying out the house). This pretty much resolved any possible dispute. Answer #2: If there's a will, it needs to be run through the Washington probate process and an executor/administrator will be appointed by the court.

If there's not a will, your father died "intestate," and his estate must be distributed according to Washington intestacy statute. There is no "working it out together," as there is an actual law that specifies exactly what must be done.

Here is a good description: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/intestate-succession-washington.html

ETA: I had California in my brain for some reason. Changed to WA.


Title: [Los Angeles, California]Roommate that we were subletting from died. We found out he wasn't paying. What to do?

Question: I am currently very stressed and tripping from everything that has been going on so I am sorry in advance for any errors I may make. This is Los Angeles California. My drug addict roommate died from hitting his head in the bathroom of the apartment we live in on Tuesday night. We have just been dealing with that this whole time (dropping clothes off to the mortuary, telling family and friends, cleaning the blood). Today we found a letter in his junk that is titled three day notice to pay rent or quit and was dated 4.14.16 and that we owed 4,685.00 in back rent. We always paid in cash and never had any record of it (I know extremely stupid and I totally take full responsibility for that. this isn't asking for advice on that) so we know he was pocketing that. My question is what is going to happen to us now? My boyfriend and I and the other  living roommate are not on the lease. I don't even think the rental company knew he was subletting. Do we get thirty days before we are actually evicted? Or will they come here with cops and kick us out on the spot? we obviously are hoping it isn't the latter because none of us planned on his death. None of us have the money to get a place right now but if we have thirty days then we should be fine.

Answer:
 You were subletting from him, so only his name is on the lease?

You don't owe any additional rent -- that's between him (or, now, his estate) and the landlord.  However, the landlord can evict you.

To actually evict you, the landlord needs to file a legal action, and you *should* get notice of that.  However, it's possible that the dead roommate already got that notice.  You should inquire at the courthouse to see if that's been filed.

Here's one strategy:

(1) Call the landlord, tell him that roommate X died and that you had been subletting from him.
(2)  Tell him that you paid your rent to X, and he was supposed to pay it to LL, but evidently didn't.
(3)  Tell him that you understand that he wants to evict, but that you have another offer: you'll pay your May rent straight to him and then be out by the end of May.   He wins because he doesn't have to evict, and you win because you get a little bit of time to find a new place.


Title: Divorcing, wife wants to keep all proceeds of the sale of marital home (FL)

Question: Wife and I are divorcing, kicked out in January and are working on getting the house sold. My name is on the mortgage but I no longer want to pay for the mortgage after she admitted to an affair. I looked up FL statues and it looks like I'm entitled to half to any proceeds from selling the house regardless if I am living there or paying half the mortgage. She's claiming that I will get whatever portion of the sale that I contribute towards the mortgage payments. Any advice? Currently don't have representation but am seeking.

Answer:
 Advice: don't take legal advice from the opposing party.

Your wife's infidelity has no bearing whatsoever on your obligation to the mortgage, and you're being foolish by refusing to pay it. Mutually assured destruction is a bad strategy in a divorce: they're enough of a net loss when they go well, and there's no need for you to make it worse.

Keep the mortgage current and speak to a lawyer ASAP. Ignore your wife's requests to keep the equity, but do keep on top of things if she moves to sell the place out from under you. There's not much else _to_ do, yet.


Title: Neighbors walk through my yard. [Mn]

Question: What can I do to stop them from coming through my yard? It is fenced and has two gates that must be walked through.

Answer:
 While this is trespass and you could do all sorts of things like put up cameras, the quickest, most effective, and cheapest solution is just to padlock one or both gates.Answer #2: Simple locks are all you need.
I have three gates- one has a [combination type bicycle lock](http://lacounty.citizenbike.com/images/citizen_combo_lock.jpg) on it, and two have chains. One of the chains has a [combination padlock](http://l.victorystore.com/realtor/accessories/master_lock/images/resettable_combination_padlock.jpg), and the other has an old fashioned padlock- on this gate we also have a [combination lockbox](http://www.sanjacintoproperties.com/combo_lockbox.jpg) with a padlock key inside.
So you have options  :)


Title: USA INDIANA; Drug Possession Charge.

Question:
My boyfriend received a letter today from an Indiana Courthouse saying he is being charged for possession of marijuana, hash oil, and saliva. Here is the backstory: So it was the night before Thanksgiving and him and a few friends went and picked up an eighter for later in the night. When they were driving home, they ran into a police checkpoint that was set up because of the busy bar night. He put the weed underneath the seat in hopes the cops wouldn't notice. Well, the cops smelled the bud and asked everyone to get out of the car. The cops asked the driver where the weed was and she said "he has it" pointing to my boyfriend. The cops then searched and found nothing on him. He said he had no clue where the weed was, he hadn't been smoking, and he hadn't purchased the weed. The cops then searched the car and found it under his seat so they accused him. He still wouldn't admit to anything because he knew if he did they could use it against him. The police let the kids go and told them that they will receive something in the mail if they get charged, no tickets or anything.
So it's a month later and he just received a letter in the mail telling him he is getting a possession charge and his court date is January 12 (he recieved the letter today). Problem is we live in the UP of Michigan so now he has to find a way to Indiana, and he does not own a car. He also was the only one charged with possession, not the driver of the vehicle. The only way we could come up with for him being charged was that the girl blamed him for everything. But, it was in her car and they found nothing physically on him so it's that legal proof? Just very confusing I guess my question is, how can this happen? Anyone else that can just give some advice. Thanks, it's been a sad day for us.

TL;DR: boyfriend got drug possession charge with no proof of drugs on him.
Topic:
Drug Possession

Answer:
 He bought the weed. He hid the weed. However the police came to charging him is unknown.

The girl didn't "blame" him,she told the truth and he is he is guilty. He needs a lawyer.


Title: Divorce [TN] - I have audio tapes of my STBX. What kind of position am I in?

Question:
We have been married for 5 years and have two kids under 4. She has been physically and verbally abusive and I have recorded several of her outbursts. Things I have on tape are:
"I can't take care of the kids without you. I cannot function if you leave me"
Slamming her head into a door until it broke and saying "it made me feel better to hurt myself"
Saying to my son "daddy doesn't love you"
Threatening to kill herself. Hitting me.
Threatening to call the police if I don't leave.

The assets do not seem to be a conflict at this point but custody certainly is. I asked her for 50% and even after knowing about the tapes she still wants at least 70% custody.

She is going to claim that I've emotionally abused her and that I triggered her intentionally in order to record her. How well do you think this argument will hold up? Are the recordings I have the trump card I think they Are?

Thanks in advance

Answer: Those are pretty damning statements, and I'd expect a Judge want her to explain them. However, custody is subjective on a Judge's opinion, and no one here can give an inkling of what to expect from them.


Title: I'm applying for housing, and they often want most of my credentials for background checks etc. Is there a way to provide them a cryptographically signed result of a background check that is unquestionably tied to my identity, rather than giving out all my information to all of these housing owners?

Question:
Location: USA (otherwise, I don't know that it's applicable, but I'm in the Washington/Oregon area).

It's really ridiculous to be handing out my previous addresses, social security number, previous employers, etc, to everyone. Why isn't there a norm of just using public/private keys tied to my identity and cryptography to do this instead? And if there are such services, what are they?

Thanks!

Answer:
 You can certainly offer.

They are under no obligation to accept.


Title: Friend got pulled over, officer asked for ID only.(California)

Question: Okay, my friend got pulled over by an officer and only asked if he had a driver license. He doesn't have a driver license, so the officer took away the vehicle that was registered under his friends name. So his friend went to the police station, asked for he vehicle officer proceeded on giving him a ticket. Officer then told him he isn't allowed to get the vehicle until one month? Is this correct?

Answer:
 probally VC 14602.6

 14602.6. (a) (1) Whenever a peace officer determines that a person was driving a vehicle while his or her driving privilege was suspended or revoked, driving a vehicle while his or her driving privilege is restricted pursuant to Section 13352 or 23575 and the vehicle is not equipped with a functioning, certified interlock device, **or driving a vehicle without ever having been issued a driver's license, the peace officer may either immediately arrest that person and cause the removal and seizure of that vehicle** or, if the vehicle is involved in a traffic collision, cause the removal and seizure of the vehicle without the necessity of arresting the person in accordance with Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 22650) of Division 11.**A vehicle so impounded shall be impounded for 30 days.{C}**

[fulltext](http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/vctop/vc/d6/c4/14602.6/!ut/p/a1/nVDRToQwEPwaHusu0BbuEfUCyl2MMTlLXwgU7q5GSk8rMX697SU-Xozuy2Q2u5OZAQkCpOkWfeicnk33GrjkbX13u46rEuuSbQos6qp62K13SblK4RkkSGWcdUdohmlp1WzcaFw7mgg9j9B-9O8RLsrNNoDf8ggVjTCmHJMrHgSs0gM0Y0JXeTrmRGG2JxQHJPmQMpKxPo0zjjSjDBpoZHbREePw9EfB-98iCmiSt-3N9uBlO3ck2uxnECEWiHOsACAGDkJRED-x_Jt-OZ1k4fsJnXw6f_Ovgs4de494YQoEO015yuzytSmuWc8fvwE4Xolu/dl5/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?urile=wcm%3Apath%3A%2FDMV_Content_EN%2FDMV%2Fpubs%2Fvctop%2Fvc%2Fd6%2Fc4%2F14602.6)

however, it looks like you can get it out early, if the person gets his license and insurance.

 (E) When the driver reinstates his or her driver's license or acquires a driver's license and proper insurance.

however, the registered owner is still liable for any towing/storage fees.

gonna be a pretty expensive mistake.


Title: 3rd DUI can I serve house arrest [KS]

Question:
To be straight forwarded I would like no personal judgment and just asking legal advice. I understand what I did wrong and my problem. I’m looking for advice not judgment.

So basically I am facing a third DUI charge in Kansas, I know it’s a felony. Had my first in 2011, 2nd 2014 and now the 3rd 2019. I have had no other charges and yes I have an attorney but am looking for some answers before I meet with him. I know I’m guilty but I have two small children and there is a minimum 90 day sentence if convicted. My biggest question is there a way to get this 90 day sentence worked into house arrest with a work release
Topic:
DUI

Answer:
 You want a house arrest for drinking and driving so you can stay at the house on account of kids when there likewise will be nothing stopping you from having alcohol there to repeat similar behavior in the presence of young children?

So let me repeat, you want to make your family situation above other DUI convicts' family situations because you want to serve your felony out on a couch with beer in one hand, a remote in another, and the inability to chase your kids away from the street when they've made it out the door?

You have 3 DUIs. Three.

It doesn't work that way.


Title: Can you sue an employer for spreading misinformation to co-workers that you are not doing your job correctly?

Question: Particularly when it can affect your future career as it becomes part of a record?

Answer:
 Which do you think will hurt your career more:

a. A group of coworkers who think your boss doesn't like you, and that you aren't that good, or

b. An actual record of you suing an employer over something petty like this.

Now, that's the career advice. An actual legal answer will depend on the facts. What did they say, is it truth, opinion, or a lie? Basically, you need to tell us what happened.


Title: [NC] Apartment complex double dipping on security deposit

Question:
I recently moved out  of an apartment complex and received a bill for all the carpet repairs they had to do due to me living there. I paid a non-refundable security deposit through a 3rd party company that insured me up to $1000, but instead of billing the 3rd party company the apartment complex billed me. The apartment complex informed me that they no longer use the 3rd party company because they were hard to deal with so now they bill the residents directly. I looked through my contract that I signed and I can't find any clause that supports this but I've spoken all the way up to the regional manager and was told to pay it or they will send it to collections because "that's how they do things now." The apartment complex manager also assured me that the deposit I payed was really just "holdings" so that the 3rd party company would actually bill me for the amount if they billed them so It's easier If I pay it now rather than have the company come after me.

It feels like they're trying to nickle and dime me for what would be normal wear and tear. Is this legal? What options do I have?

Answer:
 IANAL but this doesn't sound right at all.  You paid a security deposit and that's what it's meant for.

As far as the carpet goes, how long were you living there?  It's only reasonable wear and tear if the carpet has been in place a certain amount of time.


Title: My boyfriend kicked me out of our apartment that I am on the lease.

Question: Me and my boyfriend have a child together and I'm also pregnant with our second. Both me and our first son are on the lease of the apartment. Our lease isn't up until November. Two days ago he broke up with me and kicked me out of our apartment. I took our son and am currently staying at my parents house. Almost all of me and my son's things are still at the apartment. He says I can grab my things but he will not let me come back to live at the apartment. What legal actions can I take right now, if any? What should I do from here? Is there anyone I can call? I honestly just want to go back to the apartment and stay there until I can get all of me and my son's things together and figure out a permanent place to stay.

Answer:
 Call the police to report an illegal eviction. Even if you *weren't* on the lease you can't just be kicked out like that. You have a right to live there (if you want). Call the landlord as well. When you meet with the police, have whatever paperwork you can find with your name and that address on it (lease, bills, etc.) and get a copy of the lease to carry with you he tries this again.

And did he change the locks? Why can't you just go back?Answer #2: > He says I can grab my things but he will not let me come back to live at the apartment.

As long as your name's on the lease, it's not up to him. I would suggest that living with your ex might not be a good idea given how stressful this situation can be, but he can't actually exclude you from the unit.

If he's changed the locks, contact the landlord and ask for help regaining access, or call a locksmith. If he physically excludes you from the unit, or threatens violence, call the police. Otherwise, if you want to re-enter the unit, you're free to do so.

If you want to negotiate an exit from your lease, you'll need to talk to both your ex and the landlord. You have something your ex wants - you can give him exclusive possession of the unit - but you should make sure you get what you want, such as not being responsible for the rent, and getting your share of the damage deposit back.


Title: New boss wants to fire me. What can I do to prevent/defend myself. Work is flawless and timely. [DC].

Question:
Okay.  She is very attractive tall, 35, and responds with a big smile a laughter when good looking men are near.  I am 5'6"",  not good very good looking,, single and 50.  I have an MBA in Finance, straight A's. I've managed $240 MM departments. I am the last man in the group.

Though I am a Manager, I am employed through a temp agency. The agency does not want to loose their client.  They won't defend me.  I can already hear the defenses in their language.  "Well you knew this was a temporary job" etcetera.
From the moment she first saw me, she has talked down to me. Spoken to me like I was 14. Called me a "pain in the ass" on day 2!!.  She make me feel like I am being judged at a bar scene.

I think she only wants young good looking men there, or women in general.
My rork is always flawless, timely and the other directors lovey work. And get along with me.

So what can I do to prepare/defend myself.  E.g. ask her why she's firing me to entrap her defense.

Thoughts please...

Answer:
 You're working through a *temp* agency.

It literally *is* a temporary position. You won't even be fired, it will just be the end of your assignment or contract. Legally, that's how it's supposed to work - you don't really have any recourse other than leaving your current temp agency.

Answer #2: > So what can I do to prepare/defend myself. E.g. ask her why she's firing me to entrap her defense.

If you're fired, you can certainly ask for reasons.  If you have some evidence of legal discrimination, you can certainly pursue that.

However, absent legal discrimination(gender, race, religion, et cetera) or a contract to the contrary, then you can be fired at any time, for any reason.


Title: Camera broken during hotel turn down service

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 OK, let's talk 2 parts here:

Liability-wise, hotels provide safes in rooms specifically to reduce their liability against damage and theft. If your room has a safe, you can bet they'll use the safe and whatever waiver they have in their hotel contract to hide behind.  They also know that since you are a traveller in Rome, you aren't going to sue them over a cheap camera.

They are going to also avoid giving you cash. Your best negotiation strategy is to ask for a comped night or some sort of comp to cover the fact they damaged your camera.

Now, here's the good news! If you purchased your camera with a credit card, or a Visa/Mastercard branded debit card, you probably have purchase security! Google <credit card> broken item replacement, and look for the policy. If you saved the receipt, that helps, but even if you did not, they may be able to help you.

For example, [here's Visa's policy](https://usa.visa.com/dam/VCOM/download/personal/cards/prepaid/purchase-security-for-reloadable-visa-prepaid-card.pdf).


Title: Animal left outside 24/7 in cage.

Question:
A neighbor across from a relative has a medium sized dog that they keep outside in a cage all day. It’s a standard size cage, just enough room for the dog to stand up but not move around. Who would be the appropriate authority to contact about looking into this? I know everyone had different views on animals but why have a pet if you treat it like this?

Thanks.

Answer: Animal control.


Title: [LA] My little brother was just arrested for principal to 2nd degree murder and possesion of Schedule I narcotics. What defense can he have?

Question: He was at a party where a kid OD'd and they didn't call the police immediately. They woke up a couple hours later and found the kid dead, called 911 and now are being charged with the aforementioned crimes. I know my little brother (he's 20) messed up by being in that situation and not calling the EMS earlier, but what defense does he have? His attorney is a good one and I'm sure he'll get a smaller sentence but I'm absolutely torn up about this and want to know when I can possibly see my brother free again. Thanks everyone.

Answer:
 Louisiana doesn't have a standalone controlled substance homicide statute:  instead, two of the four sections of [LA Revised Statutes 14-30-1](http://law.justia.com/codes/louisiana/2011/rs/title14/rs14-30-1) that define 2nd degree murder are about distribution of the fatal dose of a controlled substance.

The bad news for OP's brother is that the only sentence for 2nd degree murder in Louisiana is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.   Parole, reduction, or suspension of the sentence are not possible, regardless of mitigating factors, if he is convicted.

OP's brother's defense is going to either rely on not having provided the drugs, or on a plea bargain for a lesser offense.Answer #2: It means the DA thinks something else happened that makes your brother a lot more culpable. (Possible involvement with procuring the drugs)

  Your brother needs to not discuss this with anyone except his lawyer.  Anyone except his Lawyer, Wife(oral communication only), or Doctor/Psychiatrist (MD/DO only) can be compelled to testify in court whatever he told them.


Title: Hypothetically, could I be arrested and charged for refusing to decrypt my phone, computer, or any other electronic device?

Question:
[GA] I like to keep up with the latest tech news and have been following the development of encryption technology (as well as the growing legal debate surrounding it) for the last few years. Just the other day, I had a conversation with several off-duty cops who work-out at the same gym I go to. We started talking about encryption, and I mentioned to them that I have read/been told that someone might as well encypt any devices they have (I.e., as if it's just common sense to do so, sort of like locking your door's deadbolt even though you live in a safe area), and that in the event of an arrest or seizure of their device(s) after being served with a search warrant, it's also common sense to take advantage of the 5th Amendment and not decrypt divulge the device's password.

Even though they were off-duty at the time, the cops got kind of angry and the conversation became more heated, and one of them said that (depending on how "their day" is going), they'd consider charging me with obstruction. I was surprised at how angry they seemed to get, as if they perceive the rise of encryption technology to be a specific swipe against law enforcement.

Anyways, what I'm curious about is, can someone actually be charged (in the US) with obstruction or with violating any other laws for refusing to decrypt their phone? Why does someone have the right to remain silent and not make self-incriminating statements in (apparently) in any other scenario, but encryption is a different story to them?

Even if someone has actually committed a crime, I understand that most lawyers advise their clients NOT to talk to cops, so I figured that it was simple common sense to treat the security of an encrypted device in the same manner.

Answer:
 Cops don't charge you, the DA does.

Location MATTERS.

It depends on your jurisdiction, as the law is [not yet](https://consumerist.com/2016/05/03/can-law-enforcement-force-you-to-unlock-your-phone-with-a-fingerprint/) [settled](https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140626/06532327686/massachusetts-ignores-5th-amendment-says-defendant-can-be-forced-to-decrypt-his-computer.shtml).

[It is, however, legal to jail someone in the UK for failing to produce their decryption key](http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-11479831).


Title: Arrested for Public Intox, disorderly conduct, CA

Question:
Last week me and my girlfriend took her dog to the park for a walk. I know police patrol this park a lot so I was kind of on my toes because I was already a bit drunk and the dog could tell that I was on edge. Anyways while we were at the park an officer was walking back to his cruiser. He was looking pretty hard at us and the dog, kind of set off the dog and he went into attack mode. He was on leash so I kept him off the officer, but the officer was already pissed. As I reigned the dog in with the leash I dropped my muffler and beer started pouring out. The officer got started asking if I was drunk and if there was alcohol in the muffler. He started the reach behind my leg for the muffler but I kicked it and accidentally knocked him down in the process. At that point he took me down and cuffed me. Basically told me I was going to jail.

I've been released now, but what do I do? How can I keep this from getting a conviction?

EDIT: Fuck, I mixed up my throwaway account and my other. Throwawaymosmos is me.

EDIT2: If I'm not convicted will I get my muffler back? If I am convicted will I get it back? Could it be part of a pea deal? Kind of need it so I can walk my girlfriends dog.

EDIT3: Woah, sorry guys. I went and got fucked up last night and just woke up at 6. Still a bit drunk.

Answer:
 >He started the reach behind my leg for the muffler but I kicked it and accidentally knocked him down in the process.

You kicked a cop over?! Son, thank your lucky fucking stars you're only facing a Public Intoxication charge. Seriously.

Go to your arraignment, plead not guilty, and ask for the judge to appoint an attorney for you. If you make too much money for an public defender, then hire your own lawyer. Hopefully your attorney can get you into some sort of deferred/first time offender thing.

Answer #2: Can we please get a picture of you drinking out of a muffler sometime? It doesn't even have to be this muffler, just any muffler.

I love how you mention you're drinking out of a muffler and never explain it either. Like it's totally normal to drink from a truck part known to be in contact with exhaust fumes.Answer #3: I can't tell if this is real life or a springboard to a script for Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Answer #4: In pretty sure it's not...  But I want so badly to picture OP walking around the park with his dog in one hand and a part off his car in the other..    Please??!?!!!??


Title: My mom (53) and I (26) are stuck with a pathological and poisonous lying thief (ex-dad) and need to speed up the legal battle. :(

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 OP, I'm glad that you finally feel like getting that off your chest, but this isn't the place for therapy. You need to cut this down to about 10% of its current length. Get rid of anything that isn't absolutely necessary to your legal questions. Answer #2: Well I bit the bullet and skimmed through your story, but it seems most of that stuff could have been left out.

This isn't your legal battle. Your mom can hire an attorney to handle the divorce and any other civil disputes. Your mom could also report any crimes she has evidence of to the police, but it really sounds like you have no evidence of criminal activity at all, just suspicions.

You and your brother have no right or interest in the house, from a legal standpoint. That's between whatever your mom and your dad work out between them, or let a judge decide in their divorce proceedings.

Last but not least, stop trying to play private investigator. Leave that to the professionals.Answer #3: Your long post hit my eyes so hard, I think I have a concussion.

Try to cut out the unnecessary details and stick to the issue.  I'm not sure anyone can read all that.  If they can, more power to em.


Title: Lawyer told court he was representing me....but he hasn't in almost 30 yrs. I'm in Florida. Lawyer and court in Lehigh County, PA.

Question:
After lurking here for a few weeks, I have finally decided to see what, if any, options I have in this situation.

I am adopted.  In 1988, after many efforts at getting my records opened myself, I hired an attorney.  (Coincidentally the same attorney who handled my adoption in 1967, but that's irrelevant to this situation.). He was unsuccessful at getting my records opened so I thanked him for his efforts, paid his bill and moved on.

Fast-forward to 2013, through a series of incredible circumstances I found my birth family and successfully got my records unsealed (without an attorney).  I was dealing directly with the President Judge of the Lehigh County Courts.

In the court's last correspondence to me, I was reamed out (that is not an exaggeration.....the judge jumped on my shit HARD).  Apparently, the Clerk had done some research and saw where I had been previously represented (25+ years ago) and, without my knowledge or consent, contacted this attorney.

The attorney told the judge--incorrectly--that his bill had never been paid.  He did NOT, however, inform the judge that his representation of me had ceased in 1988.

The judge gave him my current information so he could "collect his debt" and then reamed me out for not telling the court I was represented by counsel.  Then she also asmonished me to pay my bills (which seems completely out of her jurisdiction).

This feels like a major invasion of my privacy on the part of the judge and the attorney.  As I said, his representation of me terminated in1988 when he was unable to get my records opened, which is why it was not mentioned to the court.  It also feels like some kind of FDCPA violation (tho I know the SOL  has elapsed).

What say ye, oh legal gurus of reddit?

Answer:
 Is a debt incurred in 1988 and never attempted to be collected on even valid?

IANALAnswer #2: Report him to the PA Supreme Court Disciplinary Board. [This](http://www.padisciplinaryboard.org/) is where you should start. I used to assist an attorney with disciplinary cases in in law school (Ohio). Lying to the court to the detriment of a client is something they should take very seriously, and punishment usually includes financial restitution by the lawyer to the clients he wronged.Answer #3: It's quite possibly a misunderstanding. Perhaps he confirmed that he _was_ representing you and they understood that he still is?


Title: Partner wants out, company had heavy losses and he wants out with me paying the cost of the losses

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Why do you think you have to pay him anything???  DO NOT USE YOUR PERSONAL MONEY TO PAY HIM BACK.
The business has to pay him, but the business is bankrupt.
Both of you have legit claims to the money left over - you have hours you need to be paid for, he has his initial investment.
Luckily for you, being paid for you work should have a higher priority in bankruptcy.

Make the best log you can for your hours so you can calculate what you are owed.  Then tell him that you are owed $xxxx first before him.   Ask him to pay you and write a formal bill towards the company for your hours.

If he hounds you for money, then contact a lawyer and see what the lawyer can do so you get paid from the company.  I would think it is in his best interest to just let you walk away and for him to sell the cars by himself otherwise you may get all the money from the car sales if it has to go to court.  Answer #2: For your own financial concerns, I would suggest you post to /r/PersonalFinance. For the businesses financials, I would suggest you see if *both* of you can meet with a CPA to take a look at where the company stands with its assets (inventory and cash).

If your partner won't work withy you at all, you should consult with an attorney familiar with corporate/business law to see what authority your partner has to dissolve the business and take his investment out of it.Answer #3: You're dealing with big money and complex contract and partnership agreement issues. Get a lawyer.


Title: House robbed, engagement ring stolen. Insurance paid out, then police found it at a pawn shop.

Question:
Back in November, our house was broken into, and among the things stolen was my engagement ring (as well as other jewelry). I filed the insurance claim, they paid out, I had not yet replaced the ring because we've been busy and it was a custom piece.

Yesterday, the police called and said they found my ring at a pawn shop and gave me the information. The pawn shop made me pay what they bought the ring for to get it back (\~$2k). Police said they were allowed to do this, and if I wanted to recover the money, I could sue in small claims court.

How should I proceed with insurance? Will I need to give back all of the money, or the amount less the recovery of my ring? I want to know what my rights are before I call so I'm not made to pay the whole amount, if possible.

This is in Arizona, policy is with Travelers.

Answer:
 Call your insurance and let them know the ring was found and that you were required to pay the shop to get the ring back. Make sure to send them a copy of the receipt as proof.

Your insurance company will likely require any money they paid you over the amount you spent on the ring to be returned.

You should also take the ring to the jeweler you originally purchased it from and have them verify that the ring is the same. Not gems were exchanged or removed. This would affect the value and affect what needs to be returned to insurance if anything.


Title: (CA) Can I get out of this speeding ticket?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: No


Title: (KS) Question about ex not letting me see daughter.

Question:
Had to re up because i didn't include location and fix a few things. Anyhow, i ( 21/M) dated my ex (19F) for about two years, when i first started dating her she was pregnant with someone else's child who obviously wanted nothing to do with her or the baby. Now this was odd for me at first but i was young and thought you know what im ok with this. Anyway i was there during the birth and for the first 2 years of her life. Now we have broken up sadly and now my ex will never let me see our daughter. I say our even though she is not technically mine, we always considered her mine. Now since she is not technically my daughter, and we were never married, is there anything i can even do to see her? Even though i was with her before she was born, when she was born and the first two whole years of her life until we broke up? I really want to see her and i ask my ex if i can see my little girl even just for a few minutes but she always has some excuse of being busy or whatever. Basically i just wanna know is there anything i can actually to do make my ex see her since shes not technically even mine....thanks guys!

TL;DR ex wont let me see my little girl even though shes not technically mine but i was with her before she was born and when she was born and all two years of her life untill we broke up. Is there anything i can do to see her?

Answer:
 You could move the court for a finding of de-facto parentage.  You'd be on the hook for child support, but you'd also get to see her.

Kansas is one of the few states that recognizes [de-facto parentage](http://www.familyequality.org/get_informed/equality_maps/de_facto_parenting_statutes/) but it usually comes up in the context of gay and lesbian parenting.  I advise you to consult with a knowledgeable family law attorney in Kansas.

Good luck with this.


Title: Can you sue someone for pooping on you? CA

Question:
Let's say I am making this homemade porn film with this girl. I've done a few of these before. Girl is new Guy directing it tells the girl to poop on me while I am tied up but doesn't get my permission. He is kind of a buddy of mine.

She does it. All over my sheets and bed because we are filming at my house. I freak out. They untie me and say they will delete the scene.

He pays the girl. Buddy gives me $150 for the sheets and cleaning. Apologizes and says it was discussed at a party I went to and he thought I'd like that.

He is refusing to pay me because they have no film now and won't make any money. Says if I do another film I will get paid then.

It is just like me and two other guys and girls we might find around so no official studio.

I want to get reimbursed for a new mattress and get paid for getting pooped on. She got paid.

Who can I sue? Him? Her?

Answer: Technically you were battered and you can sue both the director and the other actor for money damages. Please, please, PLEASE take this to Judge Judy or a similar show.Answer #2: /u/boathole is our resident expert in these matters.  Hopefully he will see this. ^while ^I ^go ^pop ^some ^popcorn


Title: Moved from Boston to Chicago - Now my stuff is being held hostage for a cash payment.

Question:
Hi Lawyers of Reddit.  I'm in a pinch and looking for some legal advice.

I recently moved from Boston to Chicago using a moving service that seemed legit and was based in NY.  Got a contract and a certified estimate for $2000 from a sales rep for the company who told me that our things would probably be delivered after 5 days, but max 21 days.  However, when the movers show up, all these charges start appearing, and all of these fishy things start happening.  They put all my stuff on a truck, and then tell me that I owe them $1000 more in cash that day, or they're taking our stuff and we'll never see it again.  The guys don't really speak English (they're Russian), so we though there was some confusion, they were making a mistake, but they insist, give them the money or our stuff is gone forever.  We broke into our emergency savings, and gave them the money, after them promising that this was the last of the charges, that our stuff would be delivered in 5 days and it would be fine.  They agreed, and left.

Shockingly, our stuff hasn't been delivered and it's been a month.  We called the company after a few days to check on our stuff, and they told us that our stuff would be delivered, but only if we paid them another $1400 in cash.  We refused outright, told them that was absurd, and that we wouldn't pay them.  I tried talking my way up the customer service food chain, spoke to about 6 reps, including the manager, and all of them couldn't help us (most were very rude and horrible).  We called the non-emergency police line, and they told us they weren't able to help, but that we should just pay the money, and try to recover it after all was said and done through a lawsuit.  We called the state attorney of NY (the state where the company is registered) and they also told us to pay the money to get our stuff, then to file a complaint with the company, wait 4 months, and then file another complaint with the state.  After hearing it from the police and the state's attorney, we finally called the moving company, and told them that we would pay the money if they would just deliver our things, and we haven't heard from them since.  We've called and emailed 2-3 times a week since trying to get someone to help us, and no one will.

I have all of the legal documents (copies of the signed ones, as well as the electronic ones) as well as most of the phone recordings from me talking to customer service.  I don't know what to do.  They've literally stolen everything that I own.  Do I get a lawyer? Who can I call?  Any help is appreciated.  Thank you!
Topic:
Consumer Law

Answer:
 It seems to me that your stuff is just plain gone.

I would strongly recommend walking through this with a lawyer. Odds are that the value of your losses are too high to be in small claims court, so you'll need a lawyer no matter how you cut it. These ransom schemes can usually be dealt with via lawsuit, but this has gone well beyond that.


Title: Arrested for felony theft, took a class to prevent it from getting on my record, how do i get my arrest record expunged? (GA)

Question: I was arrested in June for theft and my case was dismissed after taking this class program thing, but I know the arrest is still on my record, how do i go about getting it expunged in the state of GA? Someone please help me ive tried google but I guess i'm not searching for the right thing.

Answer: generally the arrest record can't be expunged, if a GA person tells me otherwise I'll stand down though.


Title: Ex-wife just got a DUI, I'm fighting for two kids

Question:
Throwaway, for obvious reasons.

My ex and I separated a year ago, and we got officially divorced a couple of weeks ago. I have two girls, 7 and 9, with 50% custody right down the middle. We live in Colorado.

Before we divorced, I had a drinking a problem (once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic). I've stopped drinking but we are both under a court order for UA monitoring for the next four months, and for good reason. The UA is by request,  not by schedule, so a person might theoretically go drink and get away with it.

I lost a contract right before we separated, completely justified, because I was drinking even heavier, and then at work (desk job in IT). The drinking problem was compounded by PTSD from the war and I dealt with it poorly.

I had to pick her up several times when she was hammered, and twice from a house where it came out that she had been having an affair. Lovely.

At the court hearing, her attorney recommended giving my ex 70% of the time because I was a dangerous alcoholic. She is also an alcoholic which was addressed in court, but I guess not dangerous.

At our first hearing, I was called unstable by the petitioner due to my drinking and that I might hurt the kids if I was drunk and had a PTSD-related event.

The attorney did not succeed, and the 50% plan stuck.  Before you ask, I am no longer drinking and I'm in therapy with a great psychiatrist. Completely sober for 8 months!

I'm still being monitored for a few months, but that's more an expensive inconvenience than anything.

Well last night I hear from my oldest that "Mommy was arrested. She has to take a taxi everywhere!" The kid said it like it was funny. I looked up arrest records and turns out it was a DUI with the kids in the car. I have no idea yet why they weren't immediately taken from her.

I'll always love the woman even if she makes me angry as fuck, but I'm sick of being nice. I've done her favors repeatedly, like watching the girls for her two-week vacation, and it's never recognized. I just want my girls.

My first thought is pursuing their original 70% plan but in my favor and flipping the child support as well. I can prove my sobriety. At the same time, I'd like to involve the kids as little as possible.

Any input? I represented myself at the first hearings and don't have the money for a lawyer. Her dad is paying for her lawyer apparently. I want to fight but I do not want to overreact.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 Two weeks? Without a lawyer you will have a very tough time. When did she get arrested? Has she been convicted?

Are you doing this because you really think the kids are in danger with her or because you're angry and hurt?Answer #2: Please do act on this. If you don't, and she ends up killing one of your kids in an accident, how would you feel? It also seems dangerous to me for them to be playing alone in a park.

Please consider this as well: this time she got caught. How many times has this happened and will happen where she doesn't get caught?

I would report the DUI to CPS if you have no other options. This situation seems very unsafe to me. CPS is not a great option, so get a lawyer if at all possible.

I also wonder if her dad that's paying for her lawyer is aware that she is driving drunk with his grandkids.


Title: Passed School Bus as it was closing arm?

Answer:
 You're getting beat up and being given lessons by self-righteous always-do-the-right-thingers.  They apparently think you passed the bus on purpose and getting off on telling you that you're a bad person, without answering your question. Sometimes, these things happen and I'm sure you'll be more aware from now on.

As far as "what to do", as one commentor says, "wait and see" is about the only thing you can do for now. If you do get ticketed, go see an attorney to see what they can do. I'd be surprised if you're  the first to set a precedent. The attorney should be able to look back and see how previous cases like that worked out.


Title: Do I have any right to get my dog back?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 We need your location.

Also, many states still regard pets as “property,” so it comes down to who technically “owns” the dog: who holds the license etc..


Title: [CA] - Potential for malpractice suit for student

Question:
I'm a student on student insurance in CA. I injured my finger playing a pick-up sport on Saturday, which involved a finger on my non-dominant hand getting caught in a player's shirted and then pulled at some unknown angle/direction. I thought I just jammed my finger, but had bad bruising within an hour so I went to urgent care that night (normally I'd have to go to the Student Health Center (SHC) for any medical work, but it is closed on weekends). The urgent care doctor initially thought I broke my finger, but I'd have to wait until Monday to get an X-ray. I went to the SHC on Monday with an on-call doctor (not a specialist in hand injuries), who did a very short examination of my finger, determined that it could be broken and ordered an X-ray. X-ray showed no bones were broken, and I was told I had a jammed finger and it should begin to heal in at least 2 weeks. I was not given any other warnings of what to look out for, so I just assumed their assessment was good (I was happy it wasn't broken, which I thought was the worst case scenario).

A month passes and bruising is mostly gone but I still have limited functionality in my finger, and no functionality at all with one joint. Since I still think this was a jam I'm not too worried (some online sources say jams can take up to 2 months to heal). And I still had no idea what I should look out for.

I wait two more weeks until I go for a follow-up meeting at SHC with a sports injury specialist, and their assessment is I likely have a detached muscle or an injury that likely needs surgery, and I'm referred to a hand specialist.

I see a hand specialist who then informs me I have a broken ligament in my finger. I have two surgery options and one do nothing option. My first surgery option has a low success rate after the first week of such an injury, which decreases with each successive week. This would first involve exploratory surgery to determine if my ligament (which retracted to the base of my palm) is viable first before trying to repair the injury. If not viable, this surgery would be stopped and nothing more could be done. The second surgery option involves reconstructive surgery with an article ligament, which is done in two stages and involves a 12 month recovery period (not to mention possible surgery complications), but at least this has no time frame to pursue. The do nothing option involves me never being able to use my finger again (beyond sensory perception).

Being a student on student health insurance, I am liable for a $300 deductible and 10% of surgery costs, which is likely substantial for either option (and especially potentially both).

My main question:
I am interested in whether I should pursue a medical malpractice suit with the first SHC doctor I had seen, who did not give me proper warning signs of what to look out for. I was given a false sense of comfort, and so I ignored what should've been obvious red flags that something more serious was wrong. If I had been referred to the hand specialist in the first week I would've had a very high probability of success with the first surgery option, and likely no permanent damage to my finger.

(A secondary question is whether I should even ask my student insurance office about what malpractice options are. I'm not sure if there are student legal resources on campus, but I will look into that shortly. I bet there are.)

Talking with the hand specialist, he admits most doctors would not suspect this type of injury. Even with successful surgery, I am looking at permanent damage in my finger. I can not type with my injured finger at all, and I may never be able to play my saxophone ever again (which I played for almost 20 years). I would only treat any advice here as background info which I would bring to a lawyer if I go forward with this.

I will try to follow up with more information if needed in a few hours form this post.

Answer: You need to talk to a malpractice lawyer, but the fact that a specialist said that most GPs wouldn't pick up on this on top of the fact that you were given a time frame and waited a month after that before going back in and you may not have a case. Misdiagnosis doesn't mean malpractice. You need negligence and missing something that most primary care doctors would also miss suggests that this was not negligence.


Title: Co parent never picks her up on time, is she still required to go with him after the court ordered time? Texas.

Question:
He often doesnt pick her up on time and just has us waiting from 30min to 2 to 3 hours. Em I still required to give her up after ward?
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 You need to go back to court and file for contempt of your custody order.  If you want more time, this would be a prime reason for you getting more time.

Start keeping a journal of all the days he is late picking her up and by how much, as well as all communication you have with him in regards to pick-ups.


Title: [Michigan] Buying a house in January, questions about petitioning for a guardrail to be built on road above it. Details inside.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You will want to contact the road owner, either the state (if part of the state or federal systems), or the municipal engineer (county or town engineer).  Ask about a guardrail study to determine if it is warranted; it may be based on the distance and slope from the road to your house.  Most state DOTs have guardrail criteria and calculation sheets, but local roads are less stringent about placing guardrail and may have their own standards.


Title: Sheltering family post-Michael and they brought a pit bull [NC]

Question:
My wife's family is from Panama City, FL and most of their houses were demolished during the hurricane. We suggested they come up to stay with us up here in North Carolina. We weren't aware they were bringing their dog, a pit bull.

Just yesterday we received a notification that our rental company will be doing an inspection on our house next week. The number of people staying here shouldn't be a problem, but the lease specifically prohibits any "aggressive breeds of dogs", to include pit bulls. We already had to get special permission to house an extra dog (we have three dachshunds only allowed two dogs normally), and I'm worried an extra "aggressive" dog is going to cause a problem.

Do we have any extra rights due to housing hurricane victims? Or what are our options?

Answer:
 No. You’re violating your lease. You should place the dog in boarding for the time being and find other suitable accommodations for your displaced relatives. Answer #2: Your options are to get rid of the dog or be in breach of your lease and risk eviction.Answer #3: Your landlord isn't obligated to allow the dog.

Call your vet, explain the situation, and ask if they can refer you to a reputable boarding facility.

It might also help to look for local Facebook rescue groups that might be willing to foster the dog for a few weeks until your relatives get a place.
This is fairly common practice after a natural disaster.


Title: It it illegal to throw somebodies possessions away?

Question:
Despite asking my roommate time and time again not to go in my room and touch my stuff or throw it away. I often find my stuff in the bin. This can range from clothes (tracksuit, coats, pyjamas, hoodies, nearly all of it designer), shoes(£180, £100 Docs, vans, converse and many other pairs), bedding (3 sets so far-she didn't like the design), pillows, cuttlery  (I have to buy a new set every week because she throws it out after everytime she uses it), microwaves (4 and counting), toasters (2), toothbrushes( a hell of a lot), toiletries (I have to hide my soap or it will be in the bin because it is wet), rugs (5 large), a real crystal decanter I inherited from my grandparents, the list is endless. She will throw away my food because she does not like that particular thing no matter how expensive.
She must have cost me thousands over the years because I literally just have to buy the things she throws away again. She also wears my underwear nearly everyday despite me telling her how uncomfortable and weird I find it and to please stop but she continues. She always walks around completly stark naked and i tell her it makes me very uncomfortable and its not appropriate but no matter how many time i ask she will still be naked with no warning. We are joint tenants on the tenancy agreement and have lived together for nearly 7 years, this behaviour however is escalating. Is she breaking any laws here?

Answer: She might be violating a law, but police would probably call it a civil matter you could sue over. /r/legaladviceUK might have more to say about this. Have you considered getting a different roommate?


Title: Will my mom lose our house?

Question: I live in West Virginia. My mom and dad were living in a house together. After years of mental abuse and him being a total asshole she finally saved up money from working at her job and bought her own house. Keep in mind all of the money that's went into this house has been my moms own money only. Once she finalized it she then told my dad she was leaving and getting her own place. I have been staying at her new place with her because I feel like it's best for me and I honestly hate being around my dad. Now my dad is continuing to text my mom and be very rude and threaten her saying that he is going to get half of our property and put our house up for sale or something along those lines. I'm just wondering is this true? Can he really do that because they were married when he bought it or does it not matter since she bought it entirely with her own money. This is obviously extremely stressful to me because i may be homeless soon

Answer:
 _Maybe_, but it won't be a quick process. Your mother needs a divorce lawyer to help her protect her portion of the marital assets. _Her lawyer_ can help her argue that her new house is a separate asset, not connected to the marriage, but it's not an easy argument and she may well end up with less than the full value of the house as her share once the divorce is final. If that happens, she'll either need to sell the house to separate assets fully or need to buy her husband out of some share of its value.

The good news is, she can probably borrow against the property to pay for her lawyer, if there's any equity in it at all.

Her husband will have a very hard time putting the house up for sale before the divorce is final, since his name is (I assume) not on the title.


Title: [Indiana] My bank is being shady.

Question: My bank is drowning me in fees right now. I’ll get charged for something and not have the money for it and get an overdraft fee, which is fine. Then, the bank will reverse the charge and it’ll end up getting retried a day or two later, and then I get another overdraft fee, rinse, repeat. On top of that, they are not putting charges in my account when they happen, but doing them all at once and then I end up having spent more money than I had thought I had and get another overdraft fee. I’ve had problems with shady banks before, so maybe I’m just paranoid, but it sure seems like they are purposefully trying to charge me fees. Is this legal for them to do?

Answer: Keep tracking of your spending and income ad this won't be an issue. Your fee set up sounds normal.


Title: [New Hampshire] How can a court get away with charging for Public Defenders when defendant has zero income or resources?

Question:
I am being told that in NH they are charging defendants in criminal cases (facing jail time) for public defenders and court filing and other fees even when there is zero income and assets?

I am being told this is the case in a district court case where the defendant is facing possible jail time and just doesn't make any sense to me.
Can someone help me on this please?

I did a search and all I can find is a reference to call the Office of Cost Containment if you can't afford to pay for your public defender to make payment arrangements but no reference to the actual fees being charged.

http://www.nh.gov/judicialcouncil/faq/publicquestions.htm

It sounds like it goes against the 1963 Supreme Court ruling? Is this even possible? legal? Any way around this for someone who truly can't afford this?

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=372&invol=335

Answer:
 I'm writing on mobile so this won't be as well written/sourced aa it could be.

If you read through the OCC link you posted, you'll see that NH provides defendants facing criminal charges that could result in greater than one year of incarceration public defenders at public expense. If a defendant is determined to be indigent by the court, he will be appointed legal representation. However, NH doesn't have a big budget for this; the indigent defense fund only goes so far. SO, as a way to make sure they can continue to provide legal services to the indigent, they require reimbursement for these public defenders once representation starts. The reimbursement schedule/amount is determined by the defendant's ability to pay. This doesn't fun afoul of Gideon because every indigent citizen is provided with representation - it's after representation is appointed that they ask defendants to help cover their litigation costs. If the defendant has no assets and no income, then he has no ability to pay, so the state will likely only ask for nominal reimbursement, or none at all.


Title: What can I do if I can no longer afford court ordered air travel expenses?

Question: My ex wife and I live in separate states. I moved with our two daughters to OK. She lives in TX. I have been ordered to receive no child support and to pay 100% or their travel to and from South TX. The problem is this cost has gotten out of hand and I have had to resort to driving them all the way to south TX. We were meeting in Dallas or Waco before. The case is still in TX but the children and I have lived in OK for almost three years. What can I do? I have been the custodial parent for over five years.

Answer:
 You can probably go back for an amendment at this point and propose alternatives. The goal is ultimately to ensure that your kids have the opportunity to maintain a relationship with the other parent, not to bankrupt you.

What would be an alternative you would find satisfactory? Increased notice before travel might be an option, as would changing how travel costs are divided or changing from flights to rail or bus.


Title: How do you research illegal/darkmarket items by procuring them and then analyzing, without being prosecuted by the American Government?

Question: For example, lets say you have an amateur science lab at home or office and want to test the purity of darkmarket drugs. This would be a legitimate service enhancing the safety of molecules sold on these markets. How might you ensure your legal protection and maximum unbiased research legitimacy to the consumers; ie, the government cannot influence the research or spy on the consumers?

Answer:
 You can't.

Because those things are illegal to possess, distribute, purchase, receive, manufacture, etc. there is nothing you can do to protect yourself from prosecution if discovered.

The law doesn't care WHY you say you have them.  If you have them you have broken the law.

So the way to ensure your legal protection here is not to violate the law in the first place.Answer #2: You don't. You can't opt out of laws you don't like.Answer #3: You fill out an application with the DEA requesting a license to work with controlled substances.

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/reg_apps/225/225_instruct.htm

Keep in mind, the odds of you actually receiving a license is basically zero.Answer #4: > lets say you have an amateur science lab at home

Is that what you call it?Answer #5: You'll need to start here: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/reg_apps/225/225_instruct.htm


Title: Getting charged for refusing an ambulance (IL)

Question:
Last August, my 4 year old and I was in a car accident. A lady ran a stop sign while she was texting and totaled my car. A couple who lived right where we were hit, called 911. A fire truck, 2 cops and 2 ambulances came, took all of our information, and asked if any of us needed to go to the hospital. I refused and wasn’t checked out in anyway. We did use one for my son because I wanted him looked at.

The lady, admitted fault. She didn’t fight us on anything and even went as far as looking us both over before the ambulances came and saying to make sure to have my son seen when the ambulance came. Turns out, she was an ER nurse who was on her way home after her shift.

Yesterday , I have received an ambulance bill for refusal of service. Now mind you. They didn’t even check my vitals, I did not get in the ambulance (for myself), I wasn’t even checked out at the hospital where it happened. Her insurance has covered our medical bills since(I had a fractured spine and a concussion, I was checked out the same night back home).

Am I on the hook for this 800 dollar bill for an ambulance I did not call and did not use? What do I do here?

TLDR: was in a wreck, 2 ambulances were called, I did not use one in any way. Do I have to pay?

Answer:
 Send the bill to her insurance.Answer #2: In IL, it's completely legal.  In fact, if you signed the 'declined service' form they provided, it most likely explicitly stated that by declining service you are accepting responsibility for the 'time and resources' necessary to respond to the call.

Most ambulances in IL (Not all) are private entities that bill patients directly for services (rendered or in this case not).

Send it to the other drivers insurance and let them fight it out.

And next time, should you be in a similar situation REFUSE to sign their 'declination of services'.  You are not obligated to be treated OR sign any document declining service.  It's not like the EMS crew and handcuff you to a gurney and take you to the hospital.  Simply state that you are under no uncertain terms declining services and you will not sign any documents and that they need to go.  You are NOT accepting any responsibility for the call, their time or energy.

&#x200B;

Good luck.Answer #3: Tell them no. My grandma once needed an x-ray and the hospital made her take a pregnancy test after she kept refusing. She called the insurance to have them not pay the bill. She had had a hysterectomy years before and the hospital knew thisAnswer #4: Since you did not call he ambulance nor did you receive any service (even checking vitals or an assessment), they can't charge you for the call out.

Other poster is right that you could probably try to get the other insurance to pay it, but you can probably just tell them no.


Title: Not hired because of religion, should I pursue legal action? [California]

Question:
In August of this year I had an interview with a large restaurant chain. During the interview I was asked by the interviewer(who I assume was the manager), "How do you behave in church?". In all honesty I was so shocked, my tone of voice completely changed and I fumbled with coming up with an answer, and I'm almost certain we both knew I was not being genuine. I didn't want to flat out say, "I don't attend church because I'm an atheist", so I tried to give an answer I felt he wanted to hear, because I really needed the job(broke college kid life). Immediately after my answer, he said to me, "I think this interview is done". No "thank you", or when I should expect to hear back. Is this grounds for a lawsuit against such a big company for one manager's mispractice?
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer: Probably not but you might consider a complaint to the top of the chain, with the manager's name. At the very least it might give you a new interview with a different manager, and it might get him fired.


Title: How do I cover my ass before sending any money?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >Now he wants me to pay for the cost of the computer and shipping.  He will not take a credit card or PayPal. Just a cashier's check.

>I didn't sign anything and he didn't go over terms.

You're about to be ripped off.


Title: [TX] I Was Involved In a Car Accident and my job wants the accident report

Question:
While driving to work this morning, my vehicle got involved in an accident and refused to start. I then proceeded to call work informing them
I’d be unable to come in that day because of said accident, and my manager told me that they would need an accident report by the next day or they would have to fire me.
I’m currently on probation at this job as I recently got started, and have missed a few days earlier due to sickness.

The question here is, are they legally allowed to demand an accident report from me?

Answer:
 >  are they legally allowed to demand an accident report from me?

As a condition of continuing employment, yes.


Title: [USA/MI] lawsuit for wrongful firing for pending charges

Question:
I have a misdemeanor charge for possession of a controlled substance. I told my boss who eventually went to go get my pending police report. ( I thought I was suppose obtain the document and give it to them). A month goes by and HR calls me about the situation. I tell them what happened. For a week or two nothing happened. I checked the policy nothing was in there saying if a pending charge could terminate your employment. When I filed another complaint about a bigger issue. That very week I was terminated for violation of controlled substances. I figured suspended until my court date. If my charges are dropped can I file saying fired for a pending charge. ( I have the medication so I know the case will be dropped)

The only reason I am asking can I is due to the fact I lost my personal time, vacation, insurance, and 401K cashed out and check got shipped to my old job. Also denied unemployment even after faxing over my police report showing that incident did not happen on premises.

--- also why does it state if I was to lie about my incident I could lose unemployment which I can't get anyway and fined $500. But my company is allowed to have three different answers every time I turn in my redetermination papers

Any help or knowledge would be gratefully appreciated. My court date is a week away. And I'll have this case dropped.

Answer: You can be legally fired for pending charges, or for almost anything else. You have no case.


Title: [WA, USA] I'm taking my sorta granddaughter to the doctor, what should I do to protect myself?

Question:
"Sue" is almost 4.  She's not related by blood but my wife and I have been babysitting her since she was born.  She has a bedroom in our house (her only bedroom) and we couldnt love her more if she was ours.

Sue's mom is a single parent without much free time.  Sue has not yet recieved the inoculations she was supposed to get on her 3rd birthday.  Sue will be 4 in a couple months.

With the mothers permission I made a doctor appointment and my wife and I will be taking Sue there without Sue's mom.

She has never been to this doctor before.

Do we need to worry about protecting ourselves from angry relatives if she has a reaction to the shots, or if she "gets autism from it"?

  Do we need something saying we have permission to make medical secisions or anything like that?  We would only do what the mother wanted and would call her to get her decision, but we could find ourselves in the position of relaying information and decisions.  It's very unlikely to occur obviously, but we want to be prepared.

Answer:
 Before you start putting together letters, I would call the doctor's office and see if they have a specific form or procedure they require you to use.  They might not, but I know I have had to sign office-letterhead forms for specific doctors to give certain people rights to make medical decisions for my kids, even when I already have a generic notarized letter on file.

Edited to add, thanks for being there for Sue.  You are good people.Answer #2: vaccines don't cause autism, you'll be fine.


Title: Service animals and renting a home with no pets - Ontario

Question: Currently, my friend lives in a house with 3 or 4 roommates and the landlord enforces a no pets rule. She suffers from clinical depression and has considered getting a cat as a therapy service animal to help her during mental breakdowns. I know that service animals are allowed in most public places that pets wouldn't necessarily be allowed. If she were to get a cat as a therapeutic service animal, is there any rule that says she is by law, allowed to have a cat in her rented home if the animal is a service animal?

Answer: There is a difference between service animals, emotional support animals, and therapy animals. Which is she thinking about obtaining?


Title: [USA - CT] Board of directors changing pet policy without my consent

Question:
Late last year I purchased a unit in a condominium whose rules and regulations stated in their pet policy that unit owners could have either one dog or two cats on-site. I was told changes were being made to the rules (overall, not the pet policy specifically) in a few months and that unit owners would have a chance to review the changes before the rules were put into effect.

A few weeks ago the final copy of the new rules and regulations was sent out to unit owners with a pet policy stating unit owners may only have cats, and that current unit owners with dogs were allowed to keep them.

I wrote a letter to the board asking them to extend the grandfather clause to those who had moved in when the original policy was in effect, explaining that the fact that I could own a dog in a few years if I so pleased played a huge part in my decision to purchase this unit and make it my permanent residence. After a week there was no response.

I discussed this with my neighbors (who were, prior to the new policy, able to negotiate and have two dogs), and they suggested that I go to the monthly board meeting, which has an open forum for unit owners.

The board meeting is held in a resident's unit at noon on Tuesdays, so I had to take off from work to attend.  When I arrived, there was nobody to let me in - I called the cell phone of the unit owner, who simply explained that the meeting had been cancelled (no alerts were sent out about this) and asked me if I was attending to discuss the pet policy (which the board had never responded about).  He told me very firmly that the policy was in effect and they would not amend it or make an exception for me, even after I explained my situation.  He invited me to discuss it at the next meeting, but I have my doubts that the board will be very receptive, and I am concerned they will cancel the meeting without alerting unit owners again.

This is my permanent residence and I am very concerned to be living under a board that can seemingly change the rules on a whim and close themselves off to unit owners' opinions.  What can I do here?

Answer:
 You need to explain to the condo that you can't grandfather a dog into a policy, you grandfather a resident/home owner. It's irrelevant whether you owned a dog before the new policy was made, you agreed to the previous policy.

I would maybe consult a lawyer and have them draft some sort of letter stating that you bought the condo under certain pretenses, and legal action will be taken if they don't allow you to live under the rules YOU agreed to. Evne if you don't plan on taking legal action, the bluff may scare them enough to reconsider. I'm not a lawyer, but I work at a retirement community and we are now operating under a no smoking policy. Residents who arrived before this policy was put into place have to be allowed to smoke. It doesn't matter whether they were a smoker when they moved in, if they agreed to the old policy rather than the new one, they can smoke.

Either way, trust me, if you raise a big enough stink they will make an exception. Just be prepared for them to hate your guts and possibly make your life difficult in the future.


Title: [CA] Tenant not paying rent?

Question:
We are renting out a house to a tenant here in California. They have 5 days after the due date to pay for each month's rent. On the night of the 5th day, I sent a text asking for the rent. They replied the next day by text saying they don't have the money to pay yet. I replied back by asking if that meant they are ready to move out. The following day, they sent a text saying the tenant's wife said she wants to stay but she said her husband may want to move out.

What should I do next?

Answer: Give them notice to pay or quit then fine for eviction. "wanting to stay" doesn't mean they can pay


Title: Risk of signing bonus payback? [NY]

Question:
Any advice/thoughts on this situation are much appreciated.

I am planning on putting in my notice of resignation this Thursday (June 30) with a termination date of July 15. I have to meet July 13 to not have to pay back my signing bonus to my company, according to the documentation I signed with my offer letter last year. Even though I didn't start until August 3, my agreed upon start date that I signed in my offer letter was July 13. The wording regarding paying back says "I agree, that in the event I voluntarily terminate employment working 12 months of my start date or transfer date (as identified below), I will reimburse the company for any hiring bonuses received." That "identified below" date, in writing, is July 13. Again, my actual start date was August 3.

So, two worries I currently have are: 1) I will be putting in my notice prior to July 13, but with a termination date after that (July 15). Am I at risk of this Thursday the 30th being considered the termination date since that's the day I'll be putting in my notice?

2) What is my risk of HR trying to get me on the fact that my real start date was August 3? If I meet the July 13 date, that meets the requirements of my signed contract. I did not sign anything regarding the pushed back start date to August 3, but since my official start date was August 3 and is documented with my employment profile, is my risk high that HR will try to fight that? I'm thinking and hoping that my signed documentation should win here, but obviously am not interested in any kind of lawsuit happening over this...

Thoughts please? I'm not looking for the option of staying until August 3, even though that would certainly be the easiest/least risky solution here. Thanks!

Answer: The day you give notice will be your effective termination date, as your company will be able to (and will likely) accept your notice as quitting your job.  They do not have to honor your 2 weeks notice.  If I were you, I wouldn't give notice until Jul 13th, but if you absolutely can't, be prepared to have to repay your signing bonus.


Title: MI - Beating a LiDAR Speeding Ticket

Question:
So I received a speeding ticket the other day, and I'm looking for advice on beating it.

I was driving home from work and it was about 7.30, the sun was down but it wasn't quite night yet. The road I was driving on had a speed limit change from 55-45, and I was surrounded by cars, two on the left, two on the right and one behind. I slow down as the speed limit changes. About a mile down the road, I look at my rear view mirror and am surprised to see an officer right behind me. He turns on his lights, I pull aside unsure why I'm being pulled over.

He walks up and asks if I knew why I was pulled over. I say no, I honestly had no idea. He said I was doing 57 mph, which completely threw me. In a daze I hand over my details and he returns to his car to write up the ticket, it seems to take some time. He comes back with the ticket, and I ask him where it happened. He asked me how long I had been on the road, and I tell him about 10 miles, and he nods saying the speed limit is 55 back there, but 45 here. I say I wasn't speeding and he gives me the ticket, tells me that I was and goes on his way.

Now, I have some questions. I'm challenging the ticket since I know I wasn't speeding, so I'm to have an informal hearing next month. He mentioned he had clocked me with laser, which I assume is LiDAR. Researching it a little it seems like it's pretty accurate, but has some issues if used by hand, or in low light conditions. Would I be successful if I bring this up in my informal hearing?

The ticket also says that he was over 500 feet away, is this kind of distance likely to affect the accuracy of the reading? How successful would I be if I argue this point?

MI is also a state without front plates, and apparently the LiDAR looks for the most reflective part of the car which is usually the license plate, would this affect the reading? Can it affect the accuracy of the reading enough to cast doubt on whether I was speeding?

What is the likelihood that he actually was detecting another car speeding (there were definitely other cars going faster than me)? How likely is the adjudicator to believe me if I argue this?

My biggest question is the distance. The ticket says he was on or around a specific street, and clocked me speeding over 500 feet away. This is about the area where the speed limit changes. If the ticket says he was on or around that street, how much leeway does this have? Is he at that street, or is he a short distance away? What are my chances of arguing that I was still in that 55 zone even if I was going that speed?

Really I'm looking for advice on how to approach this. I wasn't speeding but now the onus is on me to prove it. I have a job which checks my driving record and a false ticket like this can have a bad effect on my employment opportunities. I don't even care about the cost of the ticket, I just don't want it to be a speeding ticket that's on my record. What are the chances of me arguing this down to just a fine, no ticket or something similar? I have no experience with any of this, so any and all advice is welcome.

Answer: If you want to challenge LIDAR you need an attorney. Google is not the way to go here.


Title: Roommate went into diabetic shock and fired 3 revolver rounds in his bedroom while incoherent, no one injured. We rent and I want to know how this affects us as tenants

Question:
This was located in the state of Georgia.

My roommate's type I Diabetic and his blood sugar got critically low. When this happen's your mind gets incoherent. It's not like you're super drunk, it's like a completely unaware of yourself, of your environment, of your actions. He managed to fire three stray shots into the ceiling from his revolver before he was assisted. No one was injured in any way from these shots. Only one person (myself) besides him could have been reasonably considered in danger from one of the shots, no one else but him could have been impacted by the other two.

Obviously, he's getting a reckless endangerment charge. That's reality, unless I guess anyone has any advice about that but I'm not asking about how to fight the charges. I'm asking this affects us cause we are one tenant out of many in a semi-nice (as in no crime happens) suburban apartment complex. We are on the top floor and shot the ceiling 3 clear bullet holes. Can they evict us or anything? I assume we'll inevitably have to pay for damages to the ceiling but what all can happen as a result of this, how does this affect our relationship with the apartment owner (which is a corporation, not exactly sure if I should give out the name. They do own a lot of complexes though), and I don't know what I can be doing to minimize this incident's impact on things.

Thanks in advance.

Edit 1: I appreciate everyone's input and help.

Edit 2: If there's any confusion, without any doubt of any kind this was definitely a reaction from having critically low blood sugar. This is well documented and verifiable for us. I'm really only looking for advice that assumes this is easily verified as a starting point, as that is the only advice pertaining to this situation. Thanks

Edit 3: Added more details in a comment.

"Gonna give a few more details since apparently going from a few comments it's not a given that paramedics were there?

He sleeps with a gun (he's one of those "always prepared" sort of people that likes to know he's safe, ironically). Revolvers don't (usually) have safeties and he fired the stray shots from his bed as far as I know. the gun was under his blanket so I didn't know about it when I was first calling 911. I initially discovered him in his hypoglemic state because he was yelling some blabber really loudly. Because of his position (he was laying down, he awoke into hypoglemecia, if that's a word), I couldn't get him to drink the first sugary drink I could get (chocolate milk) and if I poured it on his mouth him choking was a very real possibility.

I had quickly gone to the front door to keep the door unlocked and open for the paramedics to walk straight in when they arrived. When I turned the corner back into his bedroom he was laying in bed waving his revolver around. I'm like "oh shit", turned back into the hallway super fast and he shot a bullet probably about a foot away into the ceiling from where I had been standing in his bedroom.

At that point, I had no choice but to leave the apartment (and the 911 operator who was listening the whole time went ahead and dispatched the police in) to await further assistance. It was while I was outside that he fired the other two shots. Then the police went in, disarmed the gun, got him some kool aid so he calmed down, and walked him out to the paramedics. (And just to give you an idea of how night and day sugar is for ya in these scenarios, when he walked down from the apartment he was 100% coherent. Exhausted and definitely didn't look his best, but I was able to say his name and he was able to respond and make a coherent reply to "you alright?").

So yeah, documentation here is of zero issue whatsoever. No one is going to question the events as I have laid them out and everyone, including myself, police, paramedics, roommates, and the apartment management is on the same page as far as what happened. It's just what people will do as a result of what happened that I'm asking about."
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Did he take a trigger lock off the gun and load it in this state? If not, the reckless endangerment charge is, unfortunately, well deserved.

Your friend should probably get an attorney- if either of you admit wrongdoing, he could still face charges and be evicted.Answer #2: If I were you, I'd be looking for a new roommate.Answer #3: Everyone is missing the point. The guy knows he has trouble regulating his blood
Sugar and periods of violence. Yet he still kept a loaded gun in his apartment. He was willfully negligent.

If I was his landlord I'd be evicting him immediate and pressing charges.

He was doubly stupid. Answer #4: You should make him surrender his gun first of all.Answer #5: do everyone a favor and just move - no one wants to live next to the people who live in the unit where someone shot off a gun recklessly


Title: I (24M) had sex with my CEO's son (18M) at a company retreat in Mexico & I was fired

Question:
Throwaway for obvious reasons. I never thought I would be one of these people but, thanks to my horny nature and copious amounts of tequila, here I am. First, the story. Legal questions in the last paragraph. I'm in California (SF).

Our company has a retreat every year. We all fly to a beach location out of the country and chill, drink, and reminisce for a few days. It's always a good time. This year, my CEO brought his son along. We'll call him Adam. Adam and I have met three times before and got along well. I could definitely tell that he had some kind of a bro crush on me but, I didn't think anything of it. We all have slightly inappropriate crushes at that age so, it wasn't ever a problem. I just ignored it.

Fast forward to last weekend.. we were on our retreat in Mexico and I was hanging with some coworkers on the beach. We were deciding where to go out for the night. Adam texts me and asks where I'm going and can he come. Sure, why not. So that night, we all hit up a few bars, start drinking, and from what I remember, Adam comes onto me hard. Dude seriously wouldn't let up. One of my coworkers pulls me aside, asks me what's going on. My coworker asks if I need them to tell Adam to leave. Drunk me says no and that I can handle it. Everything after that is kind of hazy but, I remember taking more shots, and then leaving with Adam. I blacked out for some time and then we were in my bed. We woke up the next morning and went on with life as if nothing happened.

On Wednesday, I am back in the States. I walk into my office, sit down, and the head of HR walks into my office. We have regular conversations so I didn't think anything of it until she really started probing into "the events that took place on Saturday". That's when I knew something was up. She didn't ask me specifically about any sexual activities but, she left the room and came back 5 minutes later with my exit paperwork; told me I was out. No severance and no reason for termination since "this is an at-will state".

I'm not terribly sad about losing my job. I was going to quit next year anyway and I have access to enough cash to last for at least a year or two if I need it so, that isn't a problem. It's just very inconvenient. There are two issues here though. First, I would like to ensure that my (now former) employer doesn't give a bad reference to any future employers. I work in finance so, references are really important. I've worked at this company for 4 years and have had nothing but stellar performance reviews, was promoted to a senior role, and have never had any issues. So, I don't want all of that effort wasted. I tried to ask for a written reference but, my emails are going unanswered. Second, I know how "at-will" employment work but is there grounds here to sue for wrongful termination? From my perspective, two people making a private decision to have sex isn't something that an employer should factor into a decision like this. Ultimately, I know I fucked up but, I don't want this termination to ruin my entire life and career. Any advice would be helpful.

Answer:
 > First, I would like to ensure that my (now former) employer doesn't give a bad reference to any future employers.

Your employer can give any truthful reference. Not giving details is a matter of policy and risk management, not law. The best you can do is use your line manager or HR for a reference, rather than the CEO, but they might still - truthfully - report that you were terminated for cause.

> Second, I know how "at-will" employment work but is there grounds here to sue for wrongful termination?

No. You are not being terminated because of your membership in a protected class. Your employer can absolutely fire you for sleeping with a coworker's family.