Title: Disability discrimination in workplace. Need help.

Question:
Location: Virginia

Hello Reddit, I need some legal advice. I am a twenty-three year old with a physical disability, that makes me move and perform tasks a bit slower than others due to extensive nerve damage through out my entire body. I am still able to do things like a normal person, but it just takes me a little bit longer. I have been working on a production line for almost a year. I make small archery releases. Over the past six months, my boss been treating me terribly. He pulls me into his office to tell me I'm to slow, however, I'm putting out slightly above average numbers, I've just slowed down a bit due to my condition flaring up like it does sometimes.
He has talked to me multiple times and I've explained that I move a bit slower than others, but I am doing my best. He's made
remarks about my disability saying, "Maybe you should consider not working since you are so broken..." or "Maybe you're not cut out for working." Hes told me, "You're twenty-three and young. Maybe there's something wrong in your mind. I think this 'physical disability' is just an excuse." Its gotten to the point that hes called me into his office every two weeks for the past few months, threatening my job. Today was the last straw. He pulled me into his office and told me I have two weeks to either somehow get better or I will be fired.He made more comments about my disability being an excuse and even made rude comments about my mental health. Is there anything I can do? I am really tired of being harassed and stressed out. I need a job and hes making my life hell.
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer:
 Sure - you can file a claim with the EEOC under the ADA. The ADA doesn't prohibit employers from firing employees with disabilities, but it prevents them from firing employees because of their disabilities and requires them to engage in an interactive process to identify a reasonable accommodation.

I don't think the Supreme Court has officially recognized a harassment claim under the ADA, but lower courts have.

So you could go to the EEOC and make a claim that you're being a victim of a hostile work environment because of your disability and certainly if you end up getting discharged, that'd be a tangible employment action and you'd have a viable claim.

They would likely say that you were fired because you weren't meeting production quotas, which if what you're saying is true about your above average production, would likely be very strong evidence in your favor.

Good luck. I hope this helps.


Title: Is it possible to let the court know that someone fighting a DUI charge just had a hit and run?

Question:
In Arizona, a person committed a hit and run.  Based on info from the vehicle left behind, a name was discovered by insurance investigator.  Based on this name in a Google search, this person is fighting a DUI charge and will have a hearing date soon.  Is it possible to let this court know that this hit and run happened and will it play any part in their decision in this person's DUI case?

Possible pertinent info:
This person caused a large amount of property damage but no injuries (astonishingly).
This person reported the car that was left behind as stolen the next day.
The police do not seem to be pursuing this case too strongly, I'm guess because there were no injuries.
Based on name search, this person also has numerous traffic tickets in the last year alone.

Thank you so much for your help!

Edit: I called the DA this morning and he stopped me before I could begin, because he didn't want me to tell him anything regarding that DUI case. I explained that this wasn't about the DUI case, rather it was just information regarding the accused and a hit and run. He said he could only get specific info about it from the police. He never asked for the case number so he has no idea who I was even talking about. He did say that once they receive the info from the police, that it won't affect the verdict, but could affect the penalty or whatever the judge decides on.

Tomorrow I will speak with the detective assigned to our case and ask if she can please forward this info to the county and so on but I don't really know if anything will come of this. Since no one was hurt (thank the universe), it's as if it's been immediately put on the back burner. I get it, I do, but it's hard to not feel some righteous anger about this.

Answer: Sure. Call the district attorney and let them know.


Title: OR-Is an employer allowed to discuss an employee's health to a third party without their consent?

Question:
I couldn't find any information about this on the BOLI website, but I have a feeling that this is a big no-no.

Background: I work in the food service industry. Every time I have been too sick to work, I would back it up with a doctor's note. I applied for a new job and used my current boss as one of my references.

My potential new boss (I was offered the job over the phone, but I haven't received a written offer yet) called all of my references. She called me up with concerns about what my current boss had to say. He said that I was "untrustworthy" because I got sick too often for his liking. In the two years that I've worked there, I've only taken 5 days of sick leave, all backed up with notes. I did have to take 3 days off when I was badly injured and one day when my father had a heart attack. That would be 9 days out of nearly 730. I was "punished" by being placed in a different department. I don't know what he said exactly since I was hearing all this from my potential employer, but he said something to the effect of "I don't know what game she was playing at, but I think she learned her lesson. I still don't trust her though."

My potential new boss wanted my side of the story, but also wanted to tell me that what he said was inappropriate and illegal.

I don't plan on taking any legal action against my current employer. I really love that company even if he is an ass. Especially since I didn't suffer as a direct result of his poor reference.

I was planning on trying to work both jobs, but in light of this new information I don't think I can bring myself to work for a man who deems me so untrustworthy because I refused to put myself and others in harms way.

I want to know if what my new boss said is correct, and if it is illegal to discuss an employee's health issues to a third party without their permission.

Thank you all in advance. Any advice/help is greatly appreciated. I wish I could send you all freshly baked goods to show my thanks.

Answer:
 > He said that I was "untrustworthy" because I got sick too often for his liking. In the two years that I've worked there, I've only taken 5 days of sick leave, all backed up with notes.

This isn't information protected by HIPAA or anything like that. This is your boss's own observations, and his own observations aren't privileged information. If what you wrote above is what the ex-boss said, then all he told the prospective employer was that you took too many sick days, in his opinion. This isn't private information and doesn't require your consent to disclose. "Health issues" is a very broad category. The ex-boss couldn't discuss, for example, specific diagnoses and treatments without your consent. But he didn't do that; he just said you took a lot of sick days.

And no, it's not defamation, either. There's a privilege for situations like this, where a prospective employer solicits an opinion about the employee from a previous employer. In that case, the previous employer can offer an opinion about the employee to the prospective employer.


Title: Judge gave advise during docket call. Said if we go with a jury trial, we lose our deferment ability in the event of a guilty verdict. More questions in text.

Question:
(USA/TX)
I have read the rules, and the wiki regarding traffic offenses.

This will be stream of thought, I apologize in advance.

Offense: DISREGARD TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE
Code Ordinance Section 38-46 / State Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (HUGE, don't know where to start)

I drove through a street with a barrier that was not erect, but on the other side of the street.

There was a 4 way street which was turned into a dead end. The barrier was moved to be almost parallel (on the opposite side of the street), not facing my direction nor in my path. I didn't swerve nor have to move around anything to go through to my destination, a block down.

Here, I put my hazards on and began unloading equipment. An officer was talking to a group of 3 18-21 yr old female partiers (on video, this is where the video starts) . I asked him if it was ok to be here a couple more seconds, he looks surprised as if "how did you get here" proceeds to write a citation.

During the process a bystander off camera (audio on video) mentions "hey someone moved the barrier" .

Today was the docket call.

During docket call the judge mentioned that if we have a jury trial (nearly everyone did) he could not arrange for deferment if we were found guilty. He mentioned "I'm not trying to sway you towards a jury trial, but..." and stated that during a bench trial, he has the ability to defer, keeping points off our licenses.

He also gave us an outline for tomorrow's jury trial (my case is first up);

*25 jurors to choose from, we need 6. We can eliminate 3 for any reason (excluding gender or race), so can defense. Can ask questions, etc. Judge can strike for reasons such as mental illness, favoritism ** can I ask the judge to strike someone for cause from the jury?, should this even be my concern? The 25 have already been pulled from 100's right? what's a Jury shuffle? Should I ask for it? **

*Should I make my opening statement first or second?

*The judge mentioned some common objections such as; leading questions, relevance, direct evidence/heresy **Are there any other objections I should be aware of? How do I call for an objections?**

*How should I address the judge?

*Should I thank anyone? The officer? The jurors? What is the etiquette? Is it ok to ask questions?

**Meeting with the Assistant DA**

*I forgot to ask about the burden of proof and ordinance from the assistant city DA, he seemed a little aggravated at my questions. He mentioned he subpoenaed the officer and the corporal when I mentioned the person in the background stating "someone moved the barrier" **he also stated I could not bring it up in court due to heresy** Is this true? It's on the video, can I ask the cop about it?

*How would I navigate the ordinances aspect? Would it be relevant to ask about definitions such as "erect", or "traffic control device"?

*He mentioned that I could take screenshots of the video, but if I had pictures, I would have to "lay predicate" with the judge, and that he could object to the pictures. How would I lay predicate?

Thank you so much for your help and advise.

Answer: If you represent yourself, with the questions you're asking about how to do so, I absolutely guarantee without a shadow of a doubt that you do not get any of your desired outcomes. Like you will not be able to make a case because you don't know how to enter evidence or question witnesses, it will be a *shit show* which everyone leaves upset. Get an attorney to help you with this one.


Title: Fiance charged on false rape accusations. In desperate need of some advice.

Question:
I'm not even sure where to begin this story with out going into every little detail about the ridiculous situation this world has put us in. Basically, the most important details are: My finace was found guilty in a US military court in Kansas for sexual assault after being (so obviously) falsely accused- but like I said, I'll spare the ridiculous details. But, no minors were involved, no harm was inflicted, it was the lightest degree of a sexual assault you could be accused of (because basically she willingly had sex with him, then later sought out the attention of a rape victim so claimed she didn't).
He is currently serving the 8th month of a 10 month sentence in a military prison in the state of Washington. I currently live in northern/central California, and the plan was for him to move in with me upon his release.
However, now that it is getting closer and closer to his release date, I'm growing more and more terrified of what's to come.  I am not seeking advice on how to get this to go away, we already have a lawyer on the case for an appeal. I am just desperately seeking any sort of condolence anyone can offer about the countless worries I have, specifically about getting him moved in with me.
My main question is, as of this very moment, while he is still in prison serving the time, is he on any sort of registry already? If a landlord were to run a tenant screening on him right now, would this charge come up? And if so, would it in the state of CA, or just KS. Because my plan was to get him on the lease before he is released so he is not yet technically registered, but I am just terrified. I just don't know what to do. I don't know the answer. I just need someone to tell me there's a way to make it work, and get him living here.
Any advice or answers anyone in CA may have, I am willing to hear. Thank you.

Answer:
 >Fiance convicted on rape charges. In desperate need of some advice.

FTFY.


Title: Daughter had to move from Wa state to CA for health reasons. being charged 11k for breaking lease

Question:
Daughter had to move from Wa state to CA for health reasons.    being charged 11k for breaking her lease.  Anything we can do?
She had no medical insurance there and does here (Ca).

Answer:
 In order for her to owe all the rent for the next 8 months, the apartment has to sit empty the whole time.  Under common law, the landlord has both a duty to mitigate damages by attempting to re-rent, and is prohibited from collecting the money if he does re-rent because it will be unjust enrichment.

What you have there is an acceleration clause, and some states have held those clauses to be unconscionable because of what I posted above.

You may to consult with a lawyer in the state with the lease to find out exactly what the case law in your area is.  Since these are principles of common law this is not likely to be covered by statutes, you will need a lawyer to check past cases.

Most people who are not lawyers don't pay for access to the databases with the answers, although if you have a friend who is a legal secretary or a paralegal they may be willing to check for you.Answer #2: What does the lease say? It's not likely she can do anything here. The lease is still binding.


Title: MA - Served an eviction notice to tenant 3 months ago. They aren't going. We can't afford legal costs to kick them out.

Question:
My father is landlord of a two story building. We live in one story, rent out the other. one thing came to another and we want our tenants out. Talked to a laywer, served an official notice to vacate.

Nothing has changed. They aren't leaving. They are waiting on the housing authority to give them need-based housing. Until then, they are sticking around and paying monthly as if nothing has happened.

For the past three months, their [terrible behavior](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/4vk1uv/my_tenant_is_stealing_my_mail_and_packages_then/) has only gotten worse since they know we mean to kick them out. However, we do not have the money or means to actually attend a court date, we do not have the money to pay for item storage in case of eviction, we only barely have money to talk to a lawyer sparsely.

What in the world do we do? Do we wait around and hope the housing authority suddenly finds a house for them to live in?

Answer:
 Eviction via the courts is your option. If you refuse to do that, then you're out of luck. Answer #2: If you do nothing then nothing happens. It doesn't sound like your father can afford to be a landlord. What would he do if the heat went out?Answer #3: You are a landlord and you want the tenants out.  Your solution is to follow your state's eviction process by filing in court, serving them properly, attending court and arguing the reasons why they should be evicted.

That is the solution.  Complaining that you don't have time to attend court is silly.  The cost of the court filing looks to be about $200.  Anyone who owns a building can afford that.

Incidentally, you probably need to start over from the notice to vacate, if you've accepted rent from them in the meantime.


Title: Me, [16M] Teen in Ontario not being allowed to go outside by parents.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Is this a serious post? Your parents are not required to allow you to go to a party.


Title: My sister's neighbors shot at her animals and refuses to leash his own dogs

Question:
My sister moved into a trailer in the countryside. She and her husband own a large pitbull mix and a purebred German Shepard puppy. Neither of her dogs are remotely agressive and have never snapped at another animal or a human being. They have been raised around cats and dogs of different sizes with no problems whatsoever. All her dogs are updated on shots and have their tags on their collars. They neighbors have met her dogs before and know she owns them.

The problem is with her neighbors. Her neighbors own a small, snappy Chihuahua. They like to let their dog out without a leash. It runs between the properties including onto her property. Their dog barks and snaps at her and her husband as well as their dogs while on my sister's property.

Today, the neighbors Chihuahua ran over onto her property and was snapping at her husband. Her dogs charged after the neighbors dog. Before my sister's dogs reached the neighbors property, they neighbor came outside and begin firing a gun at her dogs and toward the direction of her trailer where her husband was standing outside.

The neighbors threatened to then kill her dogs, if they were ever seen outside without leashes. The neighbors did not offer to leash their own dogs. They shot bullets directly toward her home and could have killed her dogs while they were on her property.

The neighbors have been known to shoot animals before. They poisoned the dog of the last people who owned my sister's property. What legal action could she take to protect herself and her dogs? Can she force her neighbors to keep their dogs off her property? Do the neighbors have any legal ground to stand on? Should she file a police report?

Answer:
 They should call police about the shooting, as that is most definitely going to be an issue.

However your sister should really leash the dogs or build a fence. If her dogs had successfully chased the other dog onto the other property then she may be the one facing legal issue. The fence would also have the benefit of keeping the chihuahua out. In the future, you can call animal control on the neighbors dog, although I imagine it will be difficult to get them there in time. If she takes some videos showing the neighbors dog as being a regular nuisance  that will go far towards some action in the future. Answer #2: >neighbor came outside and begin firing a gun at her dogs and toward the direction of her trailer where her husband was standing outside.

**Call the police.**

This isn't an animal issue. It's a neighbor shooting toward another neighbor issue.


Title: I want to sue my local hospital

Question: Just yesterday night at around 8 PM in Ridgecrest California my mother passed away being transferred to another hospital in Bakersfield. She had been sent there almost four different time including this last time and during the entirety of her being there the hospital almost refused to test her for Corona and because of the whole scare they didnt treat her once the last three times she went they sent her home as soon as they could because they said it was nothing serious. My only question here is, is it possible to sue my hospital in any way shape or form for what they did to my mother.

Answer:
 I am so sorry for your loss.

Unfortunately, medical malpractice is a very fact-specific matter, and something we can't assess here. You will need to reach out to malpractice attorneys in your area and further discuss the matter.

For now, though - take care of yourself, and family, and deal with final arrangements. You have a very long time to act (1-2 years, usually) if you want to pursue a lawsuit, and malpractice lawsuits take many years to settle. Right now is the time to be with your family and grieve.


Title: Is, "I don't recall" a good defense?

Question:
I'm in California myself and the tactic seems to be used on the federal level.  What kind of mileage could such a tactic get on the state level.  Could one be held in contempt or be held until they could recall and/or definitively answer yes/no?

It seems to be a favorite of those working under the [Executive Branch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCgn1XsJq5U) when asked to testify before Congress.

I was curious if it could be useful to us 'civilians' as well.

Answer:
 Not a good analogy, really.  Those aren't criminal proceedings.Answer #2: If the ability of the prosecution to make their case hinges on your ability to admit to remembering and then recounting the answer to their question, then it's probably a pretty good tactic. If there is a lot of circumstantial evidence and what you can't recall is something that most people would think you should remember, then you may come across as guilty.

Most of what you see in political hearings are dog-and-pony shows where one team wants to force somebody from the other team to look like an incompetent ass.


Title: Can the Florida Governor block extradition to New York?

Question:
Two news articles as reference. Please read the articles before commenting. There are discussions in Palm Beach County, FL about what to do if Trump is indicted in New York. There is apparently a law in Florida that allows the Florida governor to block extradition. Can these be appealed to federal court? Can the federal government get involved?

Please avoid a political comments. I really do not know and am just curious.

[https://www.mediaite.com/trump/palm-beach-police-have-reportedly-discussed-trumps-possible-extradition-if-hes-indicted/](https://www.mediaite.com/trump/palm-beach-police-have-reportedly-discussed-trumps-possible-extradition-if-hes-indicted/)

&#x200B;

[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9575341/Ron-DeSantis-block-extradition-Trump-indicted-New-York-probe.html](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9575341/Ron-DeSantis-block-extradition-Trump-indicted-New-York-probe.html)

Answer:
 Vance is the Manhattan DA.  Any charges he files against Trump would be NY State charges.  Vance does not have the power to file federal charges against anyone.

As far as New York charges go, Florida Governor De Santis does have the power to decide whether to allow extradition from Florida of anyone in Florida facing charges in another state, including New York.

De Santis will likely not enforce extradition of Trump to New York if there are charges.  As such, as long as Trump stays there in Florida with a Republican Governor like De Santis, New York won't be able to do a damn thing.  Trump can just sit tight and let the Statute of Limitations run out.


Title: Awful neighbors do not pay taxes as house they live in is in the name of the previous owner who is deceased

Question:
Hello, first time poster here and not really sure what, if any, laws are being broken by my neighbors?

Here’s the rundown:

These neighbors are currently renting the property from the previous owner. His wife passed away and she was the sole owner of the house. He rents the house but does not pay taxes on it, as the taxes are being charged to his wife who is no longer alive.

These neighbors are messy, loud and disruptive. They have seven dogs who routinely run free and chase people walking through the neighborhood. Recently, our neighbors cat was killed by one of their dogs.

They do not do any upkeep on the house and it looks barely liveable. They park in their yard and sometimes chain their dogs up in the yard (when they’re not running free). They keep trash and furniture on their porch.

We have complained numerous times about the dogs, but nothing happens because the fines they face are simply going to the owner - who is dead.

Are they breaking any laws by doing this? How can we get them to either be financially responsible for their actions, or at least have the husband of the deceased owner be responsible? We are trying to find information but it’s been difficult. Any advice is welcome. Thank you.

Answer:
 You seem confused by some things.

> These neighbors are currently renting the property from the previous owner. His wife passed away and she was the sole owner of the house.

That means her estate, and maybe the husband, is the owner. Not the neighbors.

> He rents the house but does not pay taxes on it,

Of course not, if you're in the US. He's a renter.

> as the taxes are being charged to his wife who is no longer alive.

They are being charged to the property. Whoever owns/buys it is responsible. Not a renter.

Your issues with the neighbors should be dealt with by calling the police/animal control as applicable. You can't control who is fined or how that is handled.

> How can we get them to either be financially responsible for their actions, or at least have the husband of the deceased owner be responsible?

You can't. That part is between the owners and renter.Answer #2: They have nothing to do with the taxes... they don’t own the property, the owner being alive or dead changes nothing.

Your hope here...

A family member gets the house in her will and they want to sell it. They see the condition of the house and start eviction process so they can boot them and get it cleaned up.Answer #3: >How can we get them to either be financially responsible for their actions, or at least have the husband of the deceased owner be responsible?

You have no standing to do either.  How do you know the taxes aren't being paid?  This is a debt issue the owner will have to deal with eventually, and not your concern.


Title: Failed a polygraph test now what?

Question: So my Mother was working as basically a cleaning lady and an organizer for this wealthy woman. The wealthy woman is having her home redone and there are many people in and out of the house. The woman says she is missing things from her closet and from other parts of her home. Under my Mother's advice she filed a claim with the cops. Now being one of the people who was constantly in and out of the home the Detective working the case said she was on a short list and wanted her to take a polygraph test. My Mother having not taken anything and being honest to a fault agreed to it and took the test. During the questioning the examiner stopped the test and said she failed and he knew she was lying. My Mother protested and they told she had to write a letter to the Woman. She did that but still protested she took nothing. They told her that if that was the only thing she was going to say they would have to file with the prosecuting attorney. My Mother is a total wreck. I only learned of this yesterday and didn't want to tell she shouldn't have taken the test or should have had a lawyer present. She is calling a lawyer tomorrow. Is there any advice? Is this typical? It sounded like she was being bullied into making a confession even though she did nothing anything would be a huge help. Thank you.

Answer:
 The cops are most likely bluffing to see if your mom confesses. In most states a polygraph isn't admissible as evidence unless both sides consent. Answer #2: > My Mother protested and they told she had to write a letter to the Woman. She did that

What did this say? Was it a confession? She never should have talked to the police without an attorney present.

> It sounded like she was being bullied into making a confession

This is why you don't talk to the police with an attorney present.

She needs to get an attorney and only talk to this attorney and nobody else.

If she is "honest to a fault" why would she make a confession?Answer #3: > It sounded like she was being bullied into making a confession even though she did nothing

Yes, it sounds like this is exactly what was happening.

Polygraph tests are scientifically unreliable and are therefore inadmissible in court.  It's unlikely your mother even failed the test.  Much more likely is that the cops believe she stole from her employer, and they are lying to her - which they can do - to get her to confess.  She needs to cease all cooperation with the police and call that lawyer asap.  She should refer any further calls from the police to her lawyer.Answer #4: It sounds like your mom has worked for this woman for some time and only the construction workers are new.  Is that correct?

Apparently there's no Sherlocks in the real world, only Barney Fifes.


Title: Discrimination at Work - Need Advice

Question:
I work at a major hospital in NYC and I have tics that have been really minor since going on meds. I'm a research assistant and have contact with patients a couple times a week where I ask them 4-6 questions about their pain and mobility for about 3-5 minutes. Once in a while a few small tics (hiccup sounds) come out - usually after my manager who is really cruel to me and yells at me in front of patients/doctors or hospital staff for no reason and I feel super humiliated, which triggers my tics.

I got a call from HR today that a couple patients (out of hundreds I see) complained about my tics claiming it inhibited my communication with them. Which is really just a euphemism for it annoying them, as I have no issue communicating, and am actually a quite eloquent speaker. When they come out it's usually just between sentences.

Anyways, HR was so patronizing to me and asked me if I have "troubles communicating" and I was like... "no....?". And it took me forever to realize they were referring to my tics. Then they literally handed me a disability policy. I do my job just fine it doesn't inhibit me at all. Then asked me if I was medicated. Then asked if I was in therapy. Then they threatened to fire me if they get more complaints because apparently I'm not protected under disability policy since Tourette's inhibits me from performing the "essential duties of my job". Which is ridiculous because asking those 4 questions is only 3&#37; of my job. The rest is strict research.

I came out feeling so humiliated and demoralized and am so scared of getting fired not because I feel there's no way I'm going to last two more years in this job without getting another complaint. I'm also worried it was my malicious manager who filed the complaints against me.

After speaking to my direct supervisor it because clear that my suspicions that patients were merely uncomfortable/irritated by my tics rather than actually unable to understand me were true. Therefore, my worries that HR is actin biased towards me and favoring patient comfort over my rights seem to be founded. I'm just not sure what to do or how to proceed since they haven't tried to fire me yet but it seems pretty inevitable and I feel like I have no protections from my own hospital.

TL;DR: I had complaints filed against me to HR for my tics claiming they inhibited me from doing my job and now they're threatening to fire me. Pretty sure this is illegal but they found a loophole and I'm terrified.

Answer:
 I am a hospital administrator.  If I were you I would meet with the chief HR officer at your organization.  You are protected under the ADA. Shame on them for treating their employees that way,  especially in our industry where compassion should be paramount.
If you still feel this way at work, I would reach out to the EEOC. I have seen employees have success going this route and for complete bs, and I feel your complaint is founded.


Title: [OH] I place bulk orders for fake IDs and make money doing it. What laws, if any, am I breaking?

Question: So i found a great way to make a little cash by overcharging people for fake IDs. I do not order any for myself, just other people. They are addressed and delivered to me. I make a decent amount doing it, and I would like to know what laws I am breaking, and/or how much untaxed income i can legally have. I know this is wrong and very stupid, so please don't comment just to tell me how much of an idiot I am. Thanks a ton in advance.

Answer: Possession of a fake ID is a first-degree misdemeanor, subject to a maximum penalty of 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Additionally, selling and distributing fake ID's can get you forgery and/or fraud charges in Ohio, which is a fifth-degree felony and comes with 6-12 months of prison and fines up to $2500.


Title: Restraining order against my parents (CT)

Question:
So I'm an adult. My mother is mentally ill, as is her family, although she is not diagnosed. My family is rather wealthy and powerful.

My mother has been abusing me my entire life. I could detail all the screaming, belittling, and isolating I've gone through, but I think it's more relevant just to say a) my school was aware and ceased contacting her when I got in trouble b) my boarding school was sending international students home with me and a teacher explicitly told me it was because they thought it be better for me not be by myself with my mother c) she has somehow gotten my bank account information and knows my balance (it's not a joint account) d) they've opened up credit cards/applied for schools in my name without my consent or knowledge (I'm assuming that requires forgery). e) threatened and tried to bully a hospital I attended at 18 when the hospital wouldn't release any information about me.

I have't spoken to any of these organizations about this.

They are basically supported by my entire family who are either being paid off or don't know the difference (you only need a few people on your payroll to push your lies).  When I was in fifth grade my mother brought me to school with a whole bunch of gifts she had bought for my teachers and told me "this is how you get what you want in life". They're really wealthy so I'm terrified that they can (they have) devastate peoples lives with money, including mine.

There's lots of gifts being made to lots of people. I'm not sure what is or isn't declared.

I'm assuming they're also contacting my leasing office and school because it would be 100% in line with past behavior and they are completely mentally ill (they are OC recluses).

I was kind of a fuckup for 18-23yrs so nobody cared about me and I started to doing really well for myself. When I decided to go back to school- they were proud of me- and I was "taken back" into the family which essentially means the abuse started again. I asked my parents to support me through school. They told me to try going to "Univ A" but that I could transfer. I impressed on them that the school seemed like a poor choice given my age and the degree I was pursuing but they promised me it was just to prove myself. I found myself really unhappy there, but still maintained a great resume though (I maintained a 3.8GPA + scholarships + awards + jobs) because I was so isolated since there is *literally no one* within 5 years of my age here except for graduate students who are forbidden from associating with me since I'm getting my BA. I started becoming mentally ill, eventually became suicidal, but when I told my parents I wanted to transfer, I started receiving hate mail from a lot of people in my family and friends who my mother contacted, I was screamed at and terrified by my mother, and when I told her I was suicidal (I was for two years), she told me she didn't care. Things got worse, my health deteriorated precipitously, I'm obese now, I can't sleep, I live in a constant fear of these incredibly powerful people. My grades have dropped since all of this has happened, and I'm still relatively isolated.

Furthermore, I'm too scared to contact anyone within my family, who I'm sure my mother is lying to in order to "gaslight".

Should I, can I pursue a restraining order?
I'm considering leaving the country.

edit: You can't convince me that learning about legal rights and pursuing my options isn't taking responsibility for my life. I may not have this option, but  it's not right to speak to me like a child for wanting to learn more about what my options are. Further: I AM taking responsibility for my life. I took out loans and cut off contact a while ago to finish my degree and move on. But occasionally these people find ways to contact me or contact my friends, and at times pay them or lie to them to convince them to try and convince me to move back into the abusive relationship.

edit2: A lot of the responses to this thread amounted to personal advice, not legal advice, and a lot of them are assumptions and insults. It's not about the money: I've turned down several thousand dollars in gifts for fear that it would entitle the abusers. I've been working nearly continuously since I was sixteen, I'm not a "basement dweller". I was doing relatively well in the restaurant industry before I was convinced to go back to school.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: What exactly do you think you need a restraining order for? What are your parents doing that is illegal or threatening?Answer #2: There should be a counseling office at your institution.  I'd suggest scheduling an appointment there.Answer #3: What you need to do is cut them out of your life, completely. Move away and never look back. You dont need a restraining order for that.Answer #4: Get a new bank account at a different bank and close the old one. Report any identify theft and keep an eye on your credit reports. And never speak to these people again.


Title: Potential omegle threat

Question:
So this happened to my friend yesterday. Hes 23 for context

He went on to omegle and ended up running into one of those black screens, who claimed to be a girl. He figured that he could trust it, so they exchanged snapchats to continue at a later time. So the "girl" sends my friend a snapchat of an ass and a pic of my friends face, taken from omegle. To which he replies with a dick video, and stupidly his number.

Well immediately after this, the "girl" says that she's actually a 13 year old boy, and that my friend is now being tracked, and took a screenshot of the chat. Before this point there was no mention of age by anyone.

My friend immediately blocked and removed the person.

So I need to know if this is real. And what to tell my friend to do.

What would the consequences be if it is real?

Please help, so i can help my friend who is rightfully a bit worried.

Answer: This is at best a prank and at worst a scam. If he is contacted by actual verifiable police then he should get a lawyer but the chances of that happening are almost zero. What is far more likely is that someone will demand money from him or they will post his video. If that happens he should be aware that no amount of money will ever get them to delete the video.


Title: Feds took my computer stuff

Question:
Location: Philadelphia, PA & DHS/Federal

Hi. So here's my story told as succinctly as possible:
1) gf and I broke up last October/November.
2) I had caught her cheating and the breakup was a mess.
3) After catching her cheating, she disappeared and so I went to find her with no ill intention, I just wanted to talk and make sure she was okay. I didn't get the chance to talk to her because when I showed up at her home to speak to her she called the cops.
4) Cops came and told me to leave so I left. They recommended a restraining order and they tried to get one.
5) I fought the restraining order and won and it was dismissed in early Feb 2016.
6) 2 months pass and police come and raid my home and arrest me and take all my computer equipment. Bail set at 100k for alleged stalking, assault, and threats that they accused me of and claim happened in October. There was no such assault or threat and it won't make it thru court.
7) However, DHS/feds confiscated my computer equipment and everything important to me is on there. They took my backups too. Many years of work and computer code. So many sleepless nights working on my projects. A lot of work information that I need for my job and have been suffering without. Not to mention sentimental pictures and videos.

There is a lot in those computers that they took and I need. I have literally been considering suicide or moving into the woods to be a survivalist until I die over this. I find it unbelievable feds can just come seize items from your home regardless of what they might be. They had no search warrant even, only an arrest warrant, which I can't even believe they got either.

I am exceedingly worried they will just make me "forfeit" all my equipment and more importantly data/work. What can I possibly do about this?

Answer: You've been charged with a crime and should seek the representation of a criminal defense lawyer.  I would also stop posting about it on the internet. Answer #2: Just... lawyer.


Title: Oil change but no oil

Question: I got an oil at a small auto center a couple weeks ago after I bought my car. Yesterday my car starts making a weird knocking and I went to get it checked out by my mechanic and he says it's a lifter inside the engine and we'd have to replace the whole thing. He then checks the oil and sees it's almost bone dry and tells me I should've changed my oil.  The only reasonable explanation was that I have a leak but there is not a single drop of oil on my driveway where I park everyday. Is there anything I can do legally about the oil change? I'm in Michigan USA

Answer: That's not the way oil works in a car. If the auto center had forgotten to put oil in your car, your engine would have seized up a lot earlier than that. There is no way it would have lasted a couple of weeks.


Title: Boss knowingly hired convicted sex offender

Question: I'm so afraid to post anything about this because I'm not using throwaway. I can write about it,  but I would just like to know my options.

Answer: Sex offenders need jobs too - so long as they aren't interacting with children or otherwise violating the terms of their parole or sex offender status.


Title: [WA] I feel I was deceived when I entered into a contract with my chiropractor, and I don't feel I should have to pay the huge bill they gave me.

Question:
UPDATE: The chiropractor agreed to waive the remaining balance after we told them we were going to A) talk to a lawyer, B) file a complaint with the state Board of Health & Board of Chiropractors, and C) make sure they wouldn't be invited to any more wellness fairs at my company. Thanks for your help! I only wish I could stop them from doing this to other people.

Original:

[WA] In November of 2015, I was experiencing back pain and decided to visit a chiropractor. I subsequently signed a contract with the chiropractor to pay $150/month for visits once or twice a week. At time of signing, chiropractor told me this was a standard program that lasted 4 months, and at the end of the four months, appointments and payments would stop; however, this language is not in the contract.

Turns out I've been accumulating a huge balance in addition to making my payments, and I was never in a program. The contract's language is vague and only says something like "you agree to pay $150/month for servies," etc.

After my appointment today, I asked how many appointments and payments I have remaining. They then told me I have a balance of over $700 on top of what I have already paid (I have not missed a payment).

I feel I was deceived when I signed the contract, because the employee who was there with me when I signed it specifically told me I was in a program that would last four months (even though it turns out I could have stopped going any time). She also made no mention of the fact that they would be charging me more than the agreed upon $150/month.

I feel I was misled. But the contract language is very vague. Can I fight this?

Answer:
 I know it's not helpful for your predicament at the moment, but the best advice I can give you is to avoid chiropractors altogether. A lot of people don't realize it, but the entire profession is a scam with no more legitimacy than homeopathy. For back pain you're actually significantly better off seeing a physical therapist, because at least they have a legitimate medical education and are significantly less likely to injure you in the course of treatment.

This subreddit gets scammy chiropractor questions periodically. Expect that this guy is going to keep charging you regardless of whether or not you try to cancel the appointments. Unfortunately, you're going to need to have someone look over that contract for you. You can often find a lawyer willing to give an initial consultation for free or cheap, and that should at least give you an idea where you stand moving forward.Answer #2: Without seeing what the contract actually said, I'm not sure anyone can give you useful advice.

But you can certainly take it to a lawyer for a look.Answer #3: They charged you more than what was on the contract, correct?


Title: [Hypothetical] How much legal trouble could you get in by feeding someone semen without their knowledge?

Question:
 So I'm sitting around drinking with some friends and I remember an episode of tosh.0 where he feeds his crowd pudding created, supposedly, with semen. (Link:http://www.cc.com/video-clips/u38gui/tosh-0-tosh-0-book-club---natural-harvest) from a cook book centered around semen as an ingredient.
 Now we can't decide how much trouble you could actually get in if you fed someone semen without their knowledge but somehow found out after the fact. One friend says sex offender status and my train of thought is: If it's non toxic, sti free, and the person eating it is not allergic legal action against feeding them semen in, say a cookie, would be akin to trying to take legal action for the cinnamon in the cookie. Helps us settle this Reddit.

Answer: It depends on where you live and who you fed it to. In Montana you can be charged with assault and end up with a year of prison time. There was a teacher in LA who fed semen to his students who was sentenced to 25 years. But in Nebraska some students who fed their semen to a teacher couldn’t be charged because there’s apparently no law against what they did.


Title: [Virginia] What are the laws behind making porn in Virginia? My girlfriend and I want to do Clips4sale and camshows, but heard from a friend who makes porn that "Obscenity" is banned in our state. What does that entail or even mean, and how would it effect us?

Question:
I've heard of obscenity as having a bajillion different meanings depending on your location, and I've heard some say Virginia DOES have anti-porn production laws, and I've heard others saying it DOESN'T. I personally can't find anything other than an article from like 2001 about porn availabilty on the internet rather than production. I was wondering if anyone could help us with finding out what the standards are in our state (and county if relevant, Fairfax) as well as whether we need any forms on file for us or any costars we work with (we did film with someone in Maryland once, and they made us sign consent forms, and I'm not sure where one would find those if we wanted to work with one of our friends)
Edit: This is the only law I could find that sounded like it would be relevant, but the language seems very vague and hard to understand from a practical perspective. I think this one only applies to selling porn to minors though based on it's language, which is a problem easily solved by the "You must be 18 years or older to view this" page most porn sites have: http://www.techlawjournal.com/courts/psinetvva/vastat18_2_391.asp

Answer:
 Paging the porn king of the pacific northwest, /u/grasshoppa1.Answer #2: If the porn you produce features no one but you and your girlfriend, you're probably fine unless you do anything that could violate obscenity laws. Keep it "normal" though, and you'll be fine.

If you hire others to appear in these videos with you, you will be risking prostitution-related charges.


Title: I took away merchant copy that had tip on it and waiter still charged tip on card. Spoke to management to no avail and considering a civil suit.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You're kidding, right? I sign one and grab the other. I don't pay attention to which copy is which. You have as much chance of winning your civil suit as I have of becoming Miss America. Get over yourself.Answer #2: It's $10.  Just let it go and take your business elsewhere.


Title: [US-MI] Employer Pushed for Unwanted Medical Leave and Are Pushing Me to Leave In General Due To Disability.

Question:
I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 and PTSD seven years ago.  Until six months ago, it was fairly well regulated on medication.  I have been working full time for my company just over one year now and have proven myself to be an extremely valuable employee.

&#x200B;

Six months ago I was extremely suicidal and had to be hospitalized for a week.  I came back to work with a reasonable accommodation request for 2 extra days off per month for mental health reasons **if needed**.  This was not enough as I backslid even more to a place where I couldn't shower, eat, or get out of bed.  I was suicidal again and was in the hospital for 2 weeks.  This was at the beginning of August.  I came back with another reasonable accommodation to have me work 32 hours per week instead of the full 40 hours per week.  (Note: when I was hired in, I was hired to work 32 hours but I have only ever worked 40 hours).

&#x200B;

Now this past Saturday I saw the man who raped me as a child at a coffee shop on my way to work.  I broke down and had a terrible anxiety attack in the office bathroom.  They sent me home.  I then went on to miss Monday and Tuesday of work because I wasn't sleeping and having nightmares.

&#x200B;

Wednesday was my scheduled day off and they called me in to the cooperate run office for a meeting.  My boss, her boss, and the VP of the company where conference called in.  They told me that they had fulfilled their end of the reasonable accommodation by allowing me to work 32 hours instead of 40.  Now, because I was off the past few days, I was not fulfilling my end of the accommodation and now if they let me go without being reprimanded it would be reverse discrimination against those who came to there shifts as scheduled.

&#x200B;

They gave me a choice and said I could go back to work on probation and I couldn't miss any more work or I could be terminated.  The other option was to use the rest of my FMLA to get healed and come back to work.  This is a total of 9 weeks.  I felt I didn't have an option because I can't promise I won't be sick again and I just had my medication changed.  I said I would take FMLA.

&#x200B;

The VP said that because I get so triggered easily, perhaps I should find a different job where I wouldn't have to deal with the public.  This upset me as I have worked costumer service for 4 years with no issue.  They also stated another reason I needed to be reprimanded was because I "acted inappropriately" in the work place.  This was in reference to the panic attack I had on Saturday in the bathroom.  They said it scared my co-workers and could have driven away business.

&#x200B;

I feel like they want me to just find a different job so they don't have to deal with me anymore and this is just a polite way to push me out the door.  I don't mind getting another job as I have some extremely toxic coworkers, however, I still feel discriminated against.  Is there any legal action I can take?  If I reached out to a lawyer, do you think I would have a case?

Answer:
 >This upset me as I have worked costumer service for 4 years with no issue. They also stated another reason I needed to be reprimanded was because I "acted inappropriately" in the work place. This was in reference to the panic attack I had on Saturday in the bathroom. They said it scared my co-workers and could have driven away business.

Glad to know you get along with Halloween supply men well.

But in all seriousness, you *did* used to work customer service without an issue, but now you are very clearly having issues.

You went to them asking for extra days off, which they gave to you. Then you went to them asking for reduced hours, which you also got. And you, unfortunately, still weren't able to make your shifts, and broke down in the workplace.

Now, I feel for you; I've been in similar shoes. But your employers only have to work with *reasonable* accommodations that don't disrupt the workplace - and having to miss many shifts, especially sporadically, is 100% something you can be let go for.

I strongly urge you to walk away from the job, get that stress off your shoulders, and work with your mental health care professionals to get yourself to a better place. You can apply for short-term disability, which should alleviate some financial stress, and other than that - take care of yourself.Answer #2: Employers are provided to follow the FMLA, which it sounds like they are doing, and agree to reasonable accommodation for disabled employees so they can perform their jobs.  Allowing to be disruptive at work, even if not your fault, it likely not a reasonable accommodate. Are you in therapy to learn coping techniques for this?


Title: Uninsured driver ran into my car causing $4,000 in damage. He is also unemployed. What would the best route to take to get my car fixed?

Question: As the title states a gentleman hit me with his vehicle last week. We exchanged information but it turnsput he gave the previous owners car insurance. I have communicated with him multiple times and he is giving me the run around. I am assuming he was uninsured at the time of the accident. I called the police and they did not send out a squad car becuase no one was injured and at the time I did not know the damage was over $1,500. I am in Keizer, Oregon and that is what the dispatcher told me. I also reported the accident to the DMV. My innsurance has collision and uninsured driver coverage but I don't think it is right I shpuld have to pay the $250 deductible. I have thought abput taking him to court but he is unemployed so I don't believe he would be able to pay me anything. Thank you for any advice!

Answer:
 Your insurance should be able to get the $250 from the other driver, if they cannot, you can personally sue.

Your insurance may or may not be able to help track down the other guys insurance (if he has any)Answer #2: So far your assessment of the situation sounds pretty spot on. You can sue him, but even if you win, you would have to try to collect. You can't get blood from a stone. The insurance company will likely come to the same conclusion and not pursue him for subrogation (or if they do, they won't put too many resources into it and throw good money after bad).


Title: I had a hit and run couple days ago and it's hard for me to pay the deductible. What do i do?

Question:
I was parked in the Vons parking lot when I came out to find that the side of the drivers side had been dented pretty badly. I asked if Vons had any cameras but they did not.

I did file a claim with my insurance (AAA) and took it in to get the estimate amount which came out to be around $2k+. They told me all I had to worry about is the deductible which is $500. I can't afford that right now so I was wondering if there is anything I can do to get it reduced or anything I can do to make this easier.

Thank you in advance.

Answer: Can you drive the car? If you can't afford the deductible right now, save up and get it repaired when you can.


Title: A local dentist is regularly lying to their clientele. After being lied to and given an exorbitant estimate, I want to file a suit and make an example out of them (USA, California)

Question:
I am not lawsuit happy by any means. I've never sued anyone in my life. But after this experience, I'm prepared to pursue this if enough people here feel it's worth pursuing.

I'm in-between jobs. My girlfriend is in-between jobs. I freelance and find gigs on the side and earn enough to keep our head above water, but that's it. As a result, finances are incredibly tight. We're surviving on the bit we make here and there, and our savings.

About half a year ago, my girlfriend suddenly had a toothache from hell. The sudden bout of "holy hell this hurts, where the hell did that come from" type of pain. Her dentist (since childhood), whom she trusts, told her it was impacted and she needed an extraction and a replacement. She also had a deep cleaning and was told the rest of her teeth looked great and she had no cavities or other issues. The bill wasn't pleasant, but it was necessary. We took the financial hit and moved on with our lives.

Six months later, she decides she should have a cleaning just for the sake of general maintenance. Unfortunately her primary dentist's office no longer accepts medicare / denti-cal for cleanings, so she decided to make an appointment at a local office who does. Or in this case, claimed to. So she found one, gave them a call, and said she would like to make an appointment for a cleaning. They say sure, and schedule her in for a 1pm appointment the following day. Great.

She walks out 10 minutes later with no cleaning and a bill estimate for $2500 worth of supposed work she needs "immediately".  Not only did they refuse to provide a cleaning, but the dentist ACTUALLY TOLD HER THEY LOSE MONEY ON CLEANINGS, as though that's something you share with patients be it true or otherwise, or that it matters to a patient. I looked up yelp reviews for the same office, and other people have reported the exact same circumstances, to the letter.

Freaked out at the possibility that just maybe the bad news was potentially true, my girlfriend contacted her longtime dentist and showed him the paperwork, and he provided a second opinion - that they were full of shit and she was FINE. She didn't even need a cleaning.

I want this asshole to pay for what he's doing to the community. He has no bedside manner, no social skills, and he's ripping off anyone and everyone who sets foot into his office. I want to find a lawyer who will take the case pro-bono under agreement that he or she gets a cut of the settlement.

Is this worth pursuing, or is this so common it's a lost cause? We have the paperwork they gave us, and her dentist is willing to provide a written statement with his second opinion and his findings.

Answer:
 You don't file lawsuits because you want to set an example.  You file them for compensation for a concrete, measurable wrong.

*You* have no standing here whatsoever.  Legally, you are a stranger to this entire situation.

*Your girlfriend* has no case against the second dentist because her damages are zero.  She never spent any money with that dentist.  Legally, she suffered no harm.   Even if you wanted to sue for unfair business practices and simply seek injunctive relief, you still have to have a plaintiff who has suffered concrete harm.

So please take a breath, put your pitchfork away, and move on with your life.


Title: [CA] homeowner put a "no parking sign" by his curb to deter people from parking there. Does anyone actually have to obey the sign?

Question: The sign is clearly one that somebody would buy from a store, and NOT posted by the city/county. Is it actually enforceable, and if not, is the homeowner allowed to have the sign there?

Answer: Call code enforcement or the city traffic engineers and they'll get the sign taken down. No one has the right to exercise control over a public curb except the city or county.  Answer #2: No, it is not enforceable.  However, if you take it down yourself, you may be accused of theft or vandalism.  Contact the city's traffic department and they'll take it down.


Title: Bought a car off a classified ad on eBay. Company declared bankrupt before delivery.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You are a creditor to the organization and will be paid back in accordance with their liquidation. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do here for a bit. Did you attempt a stop payment on the check? Answer #2: Ignore the other responder and contact a local lawyer about this situation. [UCC 2-502](http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XXXIV-A/382-A/382-A-2-502.htm) ("Buyer's Right to Goods on Seller's Repudiation, Failure to Deliver, or Insolvency") might give you recourse to get your car or a refund.


Title: Fired for no call no show, but I called in sick

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You can apply for unemployment and appeal when denied. Answer #2: Completely legal. They are free to terminate you for missing work, whether you called in or not.

Keep the call logs and the voicemail and file for unemployment. If it is denied, appeal.Answer #3: You can be terminated for missing work.Answer #4: Did you call the hotline? Because they give out confirmations for calling in. Provide them with the confirmation. That's your proof of calling in sick.


Title: Got a girl pregnant from another country in the US, what happens?

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 Suuuuure it's "hypothetical".

1. It's still your responsibility.
2. It's still your responsibility.
3. Doesn't matter.

She will likely win support, the child can apply for dual citizenship, and you will have to provide for the child until they're 18 years old.

Welcome to the rammifications of being a horny idiot. Answer #2: Hypothetically, you should post hypotheticals in /r/LegalAdviceOffTopic.


Title: My father has Peripheral Arterial Disease. After 7 years of agony, he snapped and shot himself in the foot to "end the pain". He is being charged with discharging a firearm within city limits... But he is also a convicted felon. Advice? (US, WA)

Question:
This is a very convoluted situation. My father has had poor health and extreme pain from Peripheral Arterial Disease for many years. In a period of extreme pain he took my brother-in-law's rifle (my brother in law lives with my father) and shot himself in the foot to "end the pain".

He has been in a deteriorating mental condition for some time, but no one expected this from him.

He is now being charged with the unlawful discharge of a firearm within city limits and has received a court summons. We are worried that this will escalate and he will find himself in worse trouble because he has a criminal past.

My father is a convicted felon (Second Degree armed robbery, served his time and has been out incident-free for 17 years.) His past is not the best, but he has been a changed man for many years and never been in trouble with law enforcement since.

Is there any advice you can give us, tips, or anything of which we should be aware?

Answer:
 Attorney. If he is unable to possess guns because of his prior felony then it may get worse.

In this case it seems mental health treatment would be more effective than criminal sanctions. It's like arresting someone who tried to commit suicide for the same reason.


Title: Missed time punch resulted in getting overpaid, now HR is talking about not paying me until the excess value equals my hours worked. What are the pitfalls in this situation and is it even legal for them to, effectively, pay me in advance?

Question:
To get the basics out of the way: I work in king county in washington state; I'm an hourly worker, and there SHOULD have been fail safes in check to avoid this(managers have to sign off on time cards via Paychex); I get paid through direct deposit.

Yesterday was payday and I checked my bank account that morning to make sure my paycheck went through. I found the deposit into my account being about three times what I was expecting, so I went into my Paychex accoutn and looked at my pay stub and found out that I had failed to punch back in after a lunch break during the last pay period. After missing that punch, the logging system inverted my time off and time working. Instead of working about 8 hours a day, it was logging 16 a day and weekends, resulting in 200+ hours logged instead of the actual 80.

I informed my boss and he contacted HR. They did the calculations and came to the conclusion that they *could* just calculate what I would make going forward and only pay me once that balance exceeds the balance "owed". I asked for more information on how that will affect me or if I could just pay them back the excess amount but I didn't receive any concrete answers beyond that they don't think it's possible for me to pay them back. That's why I'm asking everyone here what I should do, what's possible, and what the correct course of action should be.

First off, I'm worried these calculations are not taking everything into consideration. My paid time off and sick time are based on my hours worked, so that's definitely thrown off.  In addition, our company gives us an additional 100 dollars a month for transportation. Also, won't this also skew this year's W-2 for me as well?

I'm looking for help to develop a frame of reference for this situation and to get my bearings on what the pitfalls to this situation is and how to avoid them. Thank you.

Answer:
 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-126-030

Yes, it's legal, as long as it happened less than 90 days ago. Budget that paycheck to last you through the deduction period. As for your benefits, I would check those calculations to make that it balances out in the end. If it doesn't, then you should discuss it with your employer.

It shouldn't affect your W-2 at all, as long as it all happened within one tax year. You'll still end up being paid the same.


Title: [OH] City shutting off water for failure to clean up yards

Question:
Curious about something. The city I live in is passing a bill/rule that would allow the city to turn off your water for failure to clean junk off your property (broke down cars, dilapidated structures, trash, etc). They say it would be a last resort situation.

I'm just curious where this lands on legality. Water is a basic human need.

Answer:
 > Water is a basic human need.

Water is a need.

Water delivered to your house is a luxury.  Answer #2: Would the bill require some finding that the landowner violated an ordinance regarding the property? Would there be notice of the upcoming water shutoff and a chance to challenge that? If those procedural steps are met I can't think of a specific reason it would be unlawful for the city to do that - perhaps there's something in utilities regulation that I don't know about?

Still feels like a dick move to me.Answer #3: IANAL.  I am just curious why this would be allowed but a landlord cannot shut off water for a non-paying tenant (from what I have learned here that would be a constructive eviction).  just curious (like the OP)Answer #4: Oooh. what if this was used in conjunction with other things to declare a place uninhabitable? I could see that being okay. In other words, the places is uninhabitable so we're cutting off the water until it is. You could probably make a public safety argument there.


Title: Is there anyway to get religious broadcasters off the TV and Radio?

Question: I know that the government owns the TV and radio airwaves. Is there anyway to bring a lawsuit to forbid religious broadcasters and content from the TV and radio networks? It seems like this is government involvement in religion.

Answer: Sure. You just need to ratify a constitutional amendment that overrides the "freedom of religion clause" in the first.


Title: [FL/NY] Grandfather filed as administrator for the death of my father in probate court, how to override?

Question:
My father was killed in a car accident , and his date of death was July 9th, 2015 ad he has no Will. My grandfather (his biological father) filed for probate on the 27th of July. He lives in florida ( where the accident took place,) and I live in New York. I'm my father's only child, and rightful next of kin. How do I appeal my grandfather as probate?
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer: File to be named administrator. The court will then choose the administrator.


Title: Ohio - Car V. Bicyclist collision back in April, cyclist now trying to sue. No tickets issued, do they have grounds?

Question:
On April 10th of this year my friends mom hit a bicyclist with her car. Today, they got letters in the mail from Liberty Mutual saying that the cyclist had filed a claim. The cyclist was taken to the hospital and released with no injuries. Three hours later he was on a one-way bus to North Carolina, which is where he is now and is filing the claim from. Neither party was ticketed but a report was filed with the city she lives in.

Does he have any grounds to seek restitution? He was making outlandish claims via Facebook a few weeks ago claiming multiple broken bones and everything, but has been able to work and has posted pictures and videos of him moving around no problem. Also, he had destroyed her families property and was fleeing on the bike when he was hit, which the police are aware of.

Any advice is helpful, we are going to speak to an officer today at 3pm but I need a jumping off point. Thanks so much!

EDIT: Really glad that I came here for advice on a situation I didn't know how to handle/help with and I'm being bullied. Thanks guys, as if my day wasn't shitty enough already. And thanks to the few who gave me useful advice without making me feel like a useless idiot. I appreciate it.

Answer:
 I'd be curious to learn how you received information about the extent of his injuries from the hospital, but at any rate, the insurance company will make their own determination on how legitimate his injury claims are.Answer #2: Wait a minute - he had destroyed her families property, was fleeing on his bike, so she chased him down and hit him with her car? "Accidentally"?

In any event, I'm wondering how NC is hearing the claim, as I'd imagine Ohio should have jurisdiction over the accident. Answer #3: > Does he have any grounds to seek restitution?

We can't possibly answer that.  First, we don't know if your mother is at fault.  Second, we don't know what he's asking for in the claim.  Third, we don't know whether his request is backed up by evidence.

If your mother is at fault, she likely owes him for the damage to the bike and whatever the hospital checkup cost.  The insurance company will likely handle this.


Title: CA- My bf(23) and I(f,25) are talking about getting married before he enlists in the Army. What are some things I may be overlooking?

Question:
I have been researching marriage in general, especially the military benefits. My SO and I are actors in LA.  He's young and his best roles will come when he's older (in his "sheriff" years) and he is looking for income before then to have some financial security in a pretty delusional industry.

He brought up enlisting over the weekend and it sounds like he's really into it (he scored high, would get a good job, probably wouldn't see combat).

Anyway, we've been together three years, living together for two, but marriage had never been something we seriously considered until now. It's all happening fast and he would enlist in June so we would elope in May.

My question for you guys is what are some things I could be overlooking? Also we are going to sign a pre-nup, any comments on pre-nups? I don't have a ton of assets currently but in my industry I could be poor in 6 years or I could weirdly have a few million so I need to be fully protected from our possibly impetuous love.  Any thoughts?

And pre-emptively, I know this isn't "legal advice" I'm looking for input in the situation. We're young and probably being stupid so I want to know as much as I can about what I may be doing.

TLDR - might elope with my bf, give me thoughts on pre-nups

Answer:
 > he scored high, would get a good job, probably wouldn't see combat

I will **heavily** caution you not to believe this, if your SO is getting this information from a recruiter.  I won't go so far as to say recruiters lie, but they certainly tend to offer a very optimistic view of a recruit's chances.  They also don't have the authority to make promises; the very first thing your SO would sign is a set of documents that say "I'll do whatever you tell me to!"

Second, I can't really recommend getting married because you feel some sort of external pressure to.  If you want to get married, do so; if you feel you need to for some reason, don't.

The benefits for a military spouse are that you get access to the military's support system(which can be very good), and you get the opportunity to transfer with him when he goes.  This may be somewhere awesome, and it may be somewhere highly shitty.

Legally, you get the same benefits as any other spouse, with the added benefits of being a military spouse.  If you choose to get a pre-nup, make sure you and your SO get separate attorneys to help you draft it.


Title: Ex-fiance wont give ring back after she broke it off with me. I'm in California and shes in Nevada. What are my options in getting the ring back?

Question: I had a gf of 5 years and I proposed to her about 8 months ago. She thought I was cheating on her and broke it off with me. When I asked for the ring back she told me it was a gift and to realize that's life and to cut my losses. She said she never asked for any gifts back from me but I feel this is a conditional gift rather than a regular gift. I proposed to her in California and I live in California but shes in Nevada. Do I have a chance at getting the ring back or should I really cut my losses? The ring was $3000. I feel as if she sold it already or pawned it.

Answer:
 [Link to relevant California law](http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=civ&group=01001-02000&file=1565-1590).

> Where either party to a contemplated marriage in this State makes a gift of money or property to the other on the basis or assumption that the marriage will take place, in the event that the donee refuses to enter into the marriage as contemplated or that it is given up by mutual consent, the donor may recover such gift or such part of its value as may, under all of the circumstances of the case, be found by a court or jury to be just.

Nevada takes the approach (based on a quick google search) that the ring is a gift in consideration of marriage, so you would be entitled to its return.

As /u/Chey1789 said, your recourse is in small claims court, likely in Nevada, although it's possible that California would retain jurisdiction.Answer #2: You might not be able to get the actual ring back, but you should be able to successfully sue her for the value of the ring. This would be in small claims court in Nevada.


Title: Step-father is in prison for a case that was a mistrial at best. Lawyers want $250 just to look at the transcript. I don't have the $250, what are my options?

Question:
I can answer any further questions you may need. Just ask.

EDIT: The problem isn't paying the $250. Even if he reads and takes the case, his charges are $5,000-10,000. The problem is if I pay that money (which I currently have no budget for) and the case doesn't go anywhere, I feel like the money was wasted and it could've been put to better use on someone else or something else. I could spend $3,000 just finding a decent lawyer at that rate.

Bit of backstory - My mother is the one actually running the whole case situation. She has asked me for the $250, but this isn't the first time I've assisted in funding the case.

Am currently in West Tennessee if this helps any.

Answer: An appeal will cost you thousands unless you can get a non-profit or pro-bono interested this is not a legal issue. As in you have no recourse here under the law.  Answer #2: $250 is incredibly cheap to review a transcript


Title: WNC - Neighbor's trees keep falling on my house and he wants me to pay for their removal

Question:
I have a small home on ~.5 acres of land. My neighbor owns ~100 acres of uncleared land (mountain forest) that runs along one edge of my land.  The back side of my house runs parallel to his property, and is about 10 feet from the property line.  Two trees in two years have fallen from my neighbor's property onto my roof.  Both times I had to pay to have the trees removed, at the cost of ~$500 each time.  Both times I was very lucky that the damage to my home was minor.  There are about thirty other trees with a good probability of falling onto my home in the future. These are big trees, 30-40+ feet tall.

We get a LOT of rain in the Western North Carolina mountains.  During the heaviest rains the ground around my property can get very waterlogged, and  when that happens, the soil loosens up, and trees are prone to fall from a combination of the weight of the water (on the tree) and the loosening of the soil.  This is a known issue around here, and tree removal is good business.

I looked up the property owner after the second tree and I wrote a certified letter to him explaining that two of his trees have already fallen on and damaged my house. The letter explained the reason the trees were falling, that I believed it was his responsibility to maintain the borders of his property, and that I would even be willing to split the cost of the maintenance for future problem trees as a measure of good faith.  The letter also contained photos showing the first two trees and the damage they caused.

The property owner showed up at my house a few weeks later wanting to talk to me.  He explained that he was old and retired, and didn't have the money to pay for anything.  I said it was his responsibility to maintain, and that I barely had the money to cover the two that had fallen.  His response was that he would 'give me permission' to cut down (and pay for myself) any trees that might be in danger of falling, repeated that he had no money, and left.

So, what do I do at this point? It is the rainy season again, and I'm worried that any legal recourse I take will not be effective until AFTER another tree falls, and the next time I'll end up with tens of thousands of dollars in property damage, or worse water damage inside if the roof is breached.

[Photo of the first tree that fell](http://imgur.com/bHzCYZk)

***EDIT***

What I REALLY want to know is what can I do PRIOR to another tree damaging my house? I don't want to have another one fall, and then take him to court.

***EDIT***

Definitely the best suggestion so far has been by placebo_addicted, to request the owner subdivide his property and give me the portion behind my house roughly equal to the height of the trees. I'll be sending a letter to the property owner suggesting this. If he has no money, and 100+ acres of land, this seems like a very friendly resolution.

Answer:
 Good Lord, what a gorgeous plot of land.

Why didn't your homeowners insurance pay for this?  You should be covered.Answer #2: > I have a small home on ~.5 acres of land. My neighbor owns ~100 acres of uncleared land (mountain forest) that runs along one edge of my land.

Do you know if it's possible for him to subdivide his parcel? If he can, perhaps he would be willing to deed you the portion that borders your plot in exchange for the expense of clearing it. Answer #3: INAL, but could you get someone in who sells firewood to cut the trees for free? It would probably depend on the type of tree.


Title: **I'm [f 19] seriously considering obtaining legal guardianship of my little sister. [f 11] **I need help!**

Question:
Backstory:
So basically my mom is "raising" my younger sister and she is extremely neglectful to the point my sister suffers from severe depression as an 11 year old. My mother abandoned 4 out if 7 children, myself being the oldest and first to be left alone with no mother. My sisters father is an alcoholic drug addict, and she always dreads his house more than my mothers. Yes, their basic needs are met through food stamps and welfare checks, but there is no love or positive encouraging environment for a young developing girl.

My fiancé and I are currently students living together in an apartment complex with a second bedroom. We would be more than willing and able to take guardianship over my sister and provide more opportunoties for advancement than my mother or her father could ever offer.

However, we have no knowledge on taking her into our care, or who she may legally belong to. I would greatly appreciate any advice on this subject for my personal situation on how to proceed if at all possible. I know that we could already provide so much for her and my mother will lead her down a horrible path in life that can be so easily avoidable.

Thank you so much in advance.

Edit: I live in Ohio, and am currently becoming an Ohio resident. My sister and mother live in PA. So that's relevant im sure

Answer: Is your mother on board?  If not, this is likely to be difficult and expensive.


Title: [Federal] Magazine/Website used my potentially copyrighted personal photos without permission, taken from Facebook

Question:
**Jurisdiction**: Federal, Western District of Missouri

First off, I am actually a lawyer, however, my main practice is criminal law. My copyright knowledge is limited to a survey course and a copyright seminar I took in law school. I do know the basics of copyright law, and I believe I have something actionable.

Little bit of backstory: years ago (2003), I participated on a reality television show - I took up an entire episode. This was when I was approximately 18/19 years old and signed several releases, all of them with a duration of five years. The show has not been aired in its entirety since approximately 2006. I participated in a handful of "reunions" and "followups," the last of which occurred in 2009. The photos relevant to this incident were never released to the production company or the station the show aired on.

So, a few weeks ago, a friend posts of my Facebook, "hey [mb10240]! Look at this! Must be a slow news day." Attached was a screenshot from a website for a major entertainment magazine. It was a "where are they now" article, and attached was a picture of me and my wife, taken by me (with a timer and a tripod) in 2015, and a selfie taken by me in 2004 - used on my personal website at the time. Both photographs are available on Facebook, but are private - you have to be friends with me to see them. The magazine credited the broadcaster and Facebook for the photographs. Neither photograph was released to the broadcaster - hell, one of them was taken 11 years after my initial appearance on the program.

The photographs are not registered with the copyright office, nor are they marked, so there's no statutory damages available obviously. But there are damages, and I'm not entirely sure, but I think the article was available in print, too. The magazine has a large subscription base (for magazines, anyways), and the website is frequently linked to on Facebook as major clickbait.

I see a few potential issues, but one of the ones bothering me the most is: Did uploading the photographs to Facebook give them the ability to further license the photos to the magazine? The way I read their terms of service is that you give Facebook a license for reproduction and other assorted rights so they can use them to provide their service, not so they can re-license your photographs for money.

I searched to see if that was something Facebook even did (i.e. looked for a way to purchase photographs from Facebook) and was unable to find anything that indicated they sold the rights to photos or other media.

Is this something worth pursuing? Obviously would hire an attorney to pursue this rather than do it myself, since you can't get attorneys fees if you act pro se (even if you're an attorney).
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer:
 Come join us in r/lawyers, my learned friend.Answer #2: I see two issues here:

The first is that your photos are unregistered.  There is a circuit split on whether a copyright must be registered or just applied for as a prerequisite to bringing suit.  Unfortunately for you, the Eighth Circuit doesn't seem to have addressed the question yet, which means this may be an expensive one to litigate.

The second is, "What are your damages?"


Title: What if a police officer on FMLA misses court? [NM]

Question:
My husband is a sheriff's deputy in New Mexico. He's currently out on FMLA after the birth of our son. He thought he had filed a continuance for a court date he had this morning (for a traffic citation) but apparently it wasn't granted or wasn't filed correctly (not sure on the details), so he received an FTA (failure to appear). His sergeant called to let him know he'll be facing disciplinary action as a result. He has multiple court dates within the next few weeks--the question I have is, since he would have to appear in uniform and would receive 2 hours pay for attending these court dates, is that in compliance with FMLA? He can go to dismiss them all but again I would think that could be considered a work function.

So I guess my question is, can they discipline or terminate him for missing court during FMLA? I honestly don't care--this department is so awful that being terminated would be a blessing but I'm interested in what the answer is and why.

Answer: He can't be required to appear, but he could be disciplined for failing to properly deal with a scheduled appearance prior to going on leave.


Title: (CA) I dropped out of university and my financial aid payment was somehow reversed. What do I do?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Financial aid is often dependent upon successfully completing your classes.Answer #2: you're occupying a spot and taking financial aid which could have gone to someone else, so not surprising they want that money back

i'd talk to the school to see what can be worked outAnswer #3: At many institutions (and for many types of financial aid) there is an attendance requirement.  Failure to attend instead of requesting leave or withdrawing sometimes results in a loss of aid.  It sounds like this is what happened.  Keep talking with them to see what requirements and options you have.

Thanks,  /u/BUBBLYSTRING.


Title: 17 year old male here, I’ve been getting nude pictures from a girl online and her mom found out and she’s threatening to report me

Question:
I’ve been talking to this Canadian girl for about a week through Snapchat, we really hit it off and we both like each other a lot. Both of us being horny teens we sent nudes to each other. We talked on the phone last night and today in the morning. About 30 minutes ago her mom calls me and she’s yelling at me saying I’m sick for what I’ve done and that she’s reporting me. I apologized to her over text and explained that I’m 17 and not some pedophile taking advantage of her daughter. She tells me that her daughter is actually 13 and not 15 like she told me. At the moment I am freaking out. If anyone could help me or give advice I’ll gladly appreciate it.
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 1. This is probably a scam. Expect them to demand money.
2. Stop talking to anyone about this who isn't your attorney.


Title: Resigning from a job due to changed hours in PA.

Question:
I took a higher paying supervisory position within the company I had worked for in another city. I live in a smaller town so making $60k a year is hard to come by, so to work my way up I decided to apply for this job in a big city thats about 1:30 away. The job was posted as 7am - 4pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday. My non-scheduled days are Thursday/Sunday.

On my first day at this job I learned that on Saturdays my boss does not work, therefore I have to work 7am to 7pm, every Saturday. I was pretty upset, but I figured its once a week and thats an extra couple hours on my paycheck, even though we dont get OT time & a half pay we only get extra straight pay.

Well I get nasty emails from our area manager for taking that extra straight time every week. She asks 'whats with all this extra straight time your taking??' even though she knows I have to start at 7am and we wont be closed until 7pm. She wants me to not take the pay but wont actually use those words. I was once told we dont take extra straight time because we can leave early during the week to make up for it. This, however, is total bullshit. I work 7 to 4 everyday (9 hours) and get paid for 8 hours. We are supposed to take an hour of unpaid lunch, but were always eating while working or getting something real quick to get right back to work. We basically give away 30-45 mins of work for free daily.

Anyway, today I get an email from our area manager saying that I will need to be trained to work the Sunday shift (its a different work operation than any other day). I asked her why I needed trained and she simply said that supervisors in our city take turns running the Sunday operation. I think theres 4 or 5 guys that rotate working Sundays, so its only once every few weeks, but its really starting to wear me down. im wondering what the next thing Ill be required to do is..

I took this job knowing id be driving over 3 hours back & forth during my 5 day work week. I thought, the moneys great but Ill just have to make the most of my free time. Well its been really rough on me & my family since I end up staying late a day or two a week, & every Saturday. Now they want me to start working on Sundays. None of that was in the description of the job I applied for or accepted.

Im wondering if I were to resign if I would be temporarily eligible for unemployment until I found another job? Ive been looking the past few weeks, but today getting that email makes me anxious that I wont be able to find/apply/interview/start a new job anytime soon & I dont know if I can keep up with this miserable position.

I know this is long, Im really stressed out & am hoping a good amount of info will get me the answers I need. Thanks to everyone who reads.

Answer:
 I hate weekend /r/legaladvice. Everyone is so confident about their understanding, and completely lacking nuance.

OP, here's the real answer: maybe. You may very well get unemployment here, but there's no guarantee. If I was a gambling man, I'd bet that you *will*, in fact. You'll almost certainly be denied initially, but you've got a good shot if you appeal. The reason there's no guarantee is because this is a borderline case. If you show up with documentation of everything you've described, I can see it happening. I've certainly seen appeals won by the employee for a less compelling story.


Title: Postal worker refuses to drop mail off

Question:
I'm in the state of Colorado

I've lived in the same house for about 5 years now and I've always had the same issue with my mailman.  If i or my SO have a busy work day and we forget to pull back our trash can after trash pick up on friday morning my mailman refuses to leave the mail for the day because cant just pull up to the mailbox (trash is picked up/dropped off at the end of the drive way near mailbox, which isn't ALWAYS directly in front of the mailbox) without having to get out of his car. I've called multiple times to the post office and I get ignored or told to move my trash because it's not his responsibility to stop and get out to drop it off because he's not on a "walking route". NOTE that he has to get out of his truck to unload the mail for the neighbors across the street because they all live in duplexes so it's one of those large things with multiple people's boxes.

If I were to move my mail box to a spot closer to my door is that legal? I was reading around that as long as the path is clear and visible to the box I can put it where I want.

Answer:
 I'm a mail carrier. You cannot move your mailbox without approval from the postmaster. You live on a mounted (driving) route so your mailbox MUST be accessible from the mail vehicle. When your mailman withholds your mail because your mail receptacle is blocked, he's doing his job. Stop putting the trash cans in front of the box.Answer #2: Postmaster has to approve any moves.Answer #3: You can't just move your mailbox.

Stop making his job harder and move your trashcans.Answer #4: Moving your mailbox usually has to be approved by the local postmaster.


Title: Should I try to recover emergency vet costs from a negligent doggy day care?

Question:
Dear Legal Advice,

Our dog has been a frequent visitor to a day care and boarding facility near my work. Last Thursday our pup came home from a day at day care and started throwing up rocks that night. After several episodes and throwing up lots of rocks, we ended up taking her to the emergency clinic for x-rays. Her stomach and large intestine were totally packed with stones. We've been required to get follow up x-rays and fluids and have surpassed the $1,000 mark easily. Here's the waiver we were required to sign for her visits: http://woofwoof.net/woofwoof2013/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/WW_Client_Agreement.pdf
I wouldn't really consider this kind of negligence of supervision to be a normal risk involved in a visit. The behavior is totally out of the blue and the vet could not explain it. Anyway, I'd appreciate any advice, we won't be taking her back so I don't mind burning any bridges.

Thanks in advance,

A very concerned dog parent

Answer:
 Just to play devils advocate: How do you know that the rocks were ingested at the boarding facility? (Or more importantly: how could you prove that in court?) It seems nearly impossible to prove without footage of the dog eating the rocks or an X-ray right before you took the dog to the facility.

Basically, what’s to stop them from saying your dog ate the rocks before she came in and how could you actually prove that she didn’t?

The burden would be on you to prove gross negligence that invalidates the agreement you signed with them.

Hope your dog is ok. Answer #2: I work at a dog daycare, boarding, and grooming facility. Depending on the situation, we would offer to help with vet costs and be ridiculously apologetic. My facility is non-profit so our resources are limited but we would at least try to make it right. As far as our contract is concerned though, we are released from all liabilty for illness or injury and it looks like this contract is the same.

I really hope your pup is okay!


Title: [AR->NM->CO]Question about traveling with weed

Question:
 So according to [this map](https://i.redd.it/syxp9v3r2utx.jpg), depending on the results of the polls, it may be possible that 6 recreational weed states will become connected by land, forming a "dank road", if you pardon me.

Thing is, the boarder between Arizona and Colorado has no length, it is just a point in the four corners. So there is a 1 mile long unnamed road that is the shortest road between those states, passing through New Mexico. My question is, if I were traveling that road with some dank in my car, but there was a cop car setting up a trap there, hoping to catch stoners, and they decided that in their opinion, there was reason to pull me over, turned on their lights, but by the time they approach me, I'm in CO, can they continue the pursuit there? And if they do, can they arrest me for the pot under NM laws? The same applies for the reverse route.

Alternatively, if a passenger left the vehicle with the marijuana while the driver crosses the states, then the passenger goes to the AZ corner of the four corners monument and steps into CO, for a moment his body will hover above Utah and New Mexico. Can a police officer from one of those two states stop and frisk them? And charge them with possession?
Topic:
Searches and Seizures

Answer:
 > forming a "dank road", if you pardon me.

I do not.  That name is horrible.  I'd vote for Northwest Grassage.

> My question is, if I were traveling that road with some dank in my car, but there was a cop car setting up a trap there, hoping to catch stoners, and they decided that in their opinion, there was reason to pull me over, turned on their lights, but by the time they approach me, I'm in CO, can they continue the pursuit there?

Probably.  A number of state and local PDs have agreements about pursuing into other territory when a crime was committed or suspected.  It's not like TV in the 70s where you cross a border and the cops stomp on their breaks and throw their cowboy hats on the ground, cursing.

Of course, you're ignoring a larger problem.  MJ is illegal federally, and bringing it across state lines means you're trafficking, which carriers multiple years in federal prison.  Even if both states legalized it


Title: Ex served with temporary restraining order before separation

Question:
My ex, who used to be a LEO (was fired due to this incident). He drove his police car extremely intoxicated, trespassed into a locked apartment building, broke down one of the residents front door in said apartment building, broke kitchen lights in residence, broke lights in hallway of apartment building. I got a temporary restraining order against him because he did all that to come get me from my female friends apartment. He was eventually found guilty of vandalism (b&e was dropped by judge due to first charge). The incident itself happened 4 months before he left the marital home. (I reconciled with him, stupidly, a few weeks after the incident. )

My question is, is this a viable factor in a custody decision? Or is it not a viable factor because it happened prior to separation?
Topic:
Alcohol Related Other than DUI

Answer:
 Check with a family lawyer in your jurisdiction. Every state has different laws.

That said, *most* states take quite a lot of factors into custody decisions that would never be admitted into evidence in other contexts. Past criminality, a history of abuse, alcoholism, poor employment records, and instances of past violence are taken into consideration in most jurisdictions when it comes to child custody decisions. Most courts will consider anything and everything that is relevant to the "best interests of the child," and whether it happened before the legal separation or not is irrelevant.


Title: [VA/PA] Ex filed for custody of daughter while on winter vacation.

Question:
As the title said my daughter went to spend her 2 weeks vacation with her mom and while she was there the ex (her mom) filed for custody of her in the city she lives in(PA). I was given full custody of my daughter back in February and have played everything by the book since then, the ex is the one who moved away. So this came out of the blue.

I hired an attorney in PA (ex's state) because I thought they would serve me better than a VA lawyer (my state). The attorney filed a motion to dismiss her petition for custody but the PA judge denied it.

Is that even possible? Can a judge do that? My attorney has been on a family vacation (I'm not mad at him, just sweating bullets) and hasn't been able to return my calls since court Wednesday.

Help Reddit!

Answer: That's very odd. Looks like PA has adopted the UCCJEA, which would state VA has jurisdiction. You need to talk about this with your lawyer and whether it's worth doing an appeal (called an interlocutors appeal or a mandamus or sometimes something else depending on where you are).