Title: HR at my workplace is married to the owner

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > If I get terminated for this is there a major conflict of interest since she is the owner's wife?

Nope, she has the proper interest in mind, the business.

>If I do get terminated will I have any legal recourse?

Nope, you can file for unemployment but probably nothing else unless you are in a union (doesn't sound like it) or have an employment contract stating otherwise.


Title: [DC] New tenants throw away STB and router upon moving in, I, the old tenant in collections for un-returned equipment...

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Why did you leave them there if you were supposed to return them?


Title: Private school denying food [TX]

Question:
My school recently instituted a new policy that you must wear an identification badge to enter into the school lunch hall. The school lunch is the area for eating at our school, and it is also where the school lunch is served. The school lunch is provided by a private service separate from the school. This was notified to the students during the morning without being given a chance to get theirs if it was left at home.

If a student does not have this, the student must go to the front office to get a temporary pass. However, these run out sometimes, and it is expected that the student bring the permanent one the next day. The school ID badge is provided by the school at the beginning of the year, but to replace it the cost is $10. Although the teachers repeat that it is part of school uniform, it does not appear in the official school guidelines.

I am concerned is about the fact that students were not notified of this change until it was too late, and that this punishment for not wearing a badge may result in the denial of food. Is this entirely legal?

EDIT: A few of the responses have suggested what I should do to workaround this. I just wanted to notify you all that I bring packed lunch anyways so this does not affect me personally.

Answer:
 > and that this punishment for not wearing a badge may result in the denial of food. Is this entirely legal

There's no issue with you skipping a single meal.  You'll live, and you won't suffer permanent ill effects because of it.Answer #2: Yes. If you don't comply, you can complain, and be expelled, and go to public school. You've got no right to go to this school so you must abide by their rules.


Title: Question about divorce and child support

Question:
Hi, I know absolutely nothing about the law so I just want to ask a question here about divorce and child support so I can know the correct course of action.

So basically I'm probably going to be leaving my husband soon. We have a 7 months old daughter. I've been supporting the family over the last 4 months, since my husband lost his job and decided to take care of the baby. I make a low amount of money and I have also given notice to quit my job for personal reasons, so i will have no income for a while. My husband on the other hand had a very good career making six figures before he lost his job.

I do not want to have primary custody of my daughter if we get divorced, so it is my understanding that I will have to pay child support because of that? But I will also have no income and I can't even support her properly with the amount of money I can make. Lastly, can I have no custody of the child, and will that change the child support laws?

So what will happen here if we get divorced? Oh and I live in Georgia.

Answer: You call your daughter a burden and say that you want no custody. That's quite unfortunate. You can, I suppose, choose not to have an parenting time. Your husband quit his job to care for the child so hopefully he actually wants her. Yes, having no physical custody of the child will change the child support calculation. You will pay *more* because you are not doing any of the work of parenting and need to support the parent who is. If you are not working, especially for "personal reasons," the court will impute an income to you (which means that the judge will decide what you are capable of earning) and you will owe support based on that imputed income. If you do not pay, you will face legal consequences.Answer #2: I feel so bad for your husband and daughter. They don't deserve to go through this. I hope he gets everything


Title: [Texas] I believe I have been illegally hired as a contractor instead of an employee

Question:
I have been working at this job since last month and it has recently come to my attention that I am technically a contractor and not an employee.

Last month I was contacted by a family friend who owns a headhunting firm and was told that one of her professional contacts needed someone, preferably a student, to do some paperwork in the office for him. I was told to show up at the office the next day at 9am, which I did, and immediately began training on how to digitally file various paperwork. This period of training lasted about four days. On my first day, I was given a W-9, a NDA, and a inventions agreement, all of which I signed and returned. I was specifically hired to file paperwork from an acquisition of another company some years ago, however this is not the only paperwork my boss has me file and work on. I know this not because my boss has told me so but because I can read, and of the various contracts and other documents I file, many of them are not from the acquired company. I am required to verbally inform my boss on my progress with the paperwork, and am required to send an invoice via skype messaging detailing how many hours I work each day. I was unaware of the additional tax burden that I would have as a result of being under a W-9 instead of a W-2 and as such did not question it. I am ignorant of employment law, however I suspect that my boss, as the CFO of an international company, is less ignorant and has set the situation up to screw me over. I can not afford this tax burden as I have not budgeted for it. I have $7 in my bank account at the moment after having spent all of my money on classes an books.

At this job, I work from 9am to 5pm, using employer equipment, and am paid hourly by ACH transfer weekly for time spent the previous week. What can I do about this? What are my options from here?

Answer:
 If you believe you're misclassified, you can file an SS-8 with the IRS asking for a determination of your status.  If they believe you are, the tax burden will shift.

However, that probably won't be resolved before tax time.  You'll wind up owing and needing to get it back via refund.


Title: Shellfish allergy

Question:
Help, is it state law in Wisconsin to have sperate fryers for shellfish?
Topic:
Business Law

Answer: No there is no law that restaurants have to have allergen free food. They only have to provide information on allergens and offer substitutes when possible.


Title: CenturyLink has a monopoly on my street. Been out of internet for 7 days now. Customer support keeps hanging up on me.

Question:
I really don't know what to do at this point. I tried time and time again to get CenturyLink to send out a technician to repair this issue ASAP. They've already troubleshooted remotely to pinpoint that it is a device failure. Its some ONT box that changes fiber to ethernet that is not working which is mounted outside my unit. The outage happened sometime around noon last Tuesday. I got the ring around through support when I called it in and finally they agreed on Thursday or Friday that they'll send a technician out but because I called late in the evening and that they are fully booked on field assignments, they said the earliest they could send someone out was on Tuesday which was ridiculous. So I keep calling and being persistent I finally get them to send someone out on Monday. However the person never called me like I asked them to and claimed that I wasn't at home so they couldn't diagnose to troubleshoot. it is true I wasn't home I was traveling on a day trip for work but I had my neighbor on standby waiting for me to give him a heads up to greet the tech. The device that's at fault is actually outside the building I'm not quite sure what they need to enter the home for anyways. Long story short customer service is still not willing to help me understand what SLA is are in place in regards to the terms of service I agreed to when I signed up for fiber. They have been really rude and hung up on me several times despite me being persistent in holding them responsible to try and explain to me what my terms of agreements are. I find it outrageous that they can get away with seven days of no internet and not compensate me for it. there's a technician slated to come out tomorrow morning but I don't even know if he's going to be able to fix it or even call me to determine I'm home or not. I work 100% from home and I've been having to use hotspot to get any work done which has been extremely extremely painful. What are my options to get this rectified? I literally feel like I'm at their Mercy. no one's willing to engage with me in conversation on how they can fix this right instead they just keep giving me updated appointments for when a representative OR technician could come out to help.

Does anyone know where I can reference legal literature outlining their service agreement to residential fiber customers? Is it completely legal and fine for them to keep me in the dark for 7 days? Also I apologize for any typos. I'm using voice to text while I board an airplane. I'm just extremely disappointed depressed and angry. I have to work from home all day Tuesday and I have no internet and 5 meetings back-to-back starting at 9 am. I'm so f*****.

Answer:
 So you scheduled an appointment and didn't show?

That's entirely on you man. They don't owe you anything because you failed to allow them a chance to fix the issue.

Make the appointment, skip work or duck out early to meet the tech, and get it settled. THEN, call billing for credit. If the CSR gives you any pushback at that point, ask for a supervisor.

 Telcom policy is usually not to issue credit/pro-rated for ongoing issues. Once it's fixed, that's when you get compensated.Answer #2: There is no legal issue here.


Title: Someone broke into my house last weekend and I have surveillance images of the guy and his distinctive truck. The cops haven't done anything yet. Would it be okay to put flyers with his picture on neighborhood street signs?

Question:
I'm almost positive the suspect lives two blocks from me and I've provided the officers with that information. The truck is lowered only in the back with different types of rims on the front and back and there's no other like it in my neighborhood. He wore a bandana over his face and a hoodie. The flyer I made says Thief in big letters at the top, then a clear image of the guy in his Van's hoodie and an image of the truck. All from the images I got from my next door neighbor who has cameras. Also saying he's been seen breaking into houses and to call the sheriff with information. Only with the police station phone number, not mine. I'd love to put them all over the neighborhood including the street sign right in front of the suspected person's house. Is this a bad idea? I figure I'll wait another week and follow up with the police before doing so. I'm not describing what was stolen on the flyer but it was over $3000 worth of my things. I have a police report for insurance. I feel violated and unsafe and would like this guy to be caught.

Edit: This is in California.

Answer: Not illegal but probably a bad idea.Answer #2: It would be just fine, but be sure to check local ordinances to make sure putting up posters is not prohibited. Answer #3: Nextdoor app is perfect. You can also try suing.


Title: Someone is threatening to write a highly negative story about me in a foreign newspaper (California)

Question: I live in California and recently was contacted by a person who claimed to be a journalist from a newspaper publication that is primarily based in a foreign country threatening to write an article accusing me of some incredibly heinous crimes. A brief exchange via text with this person gave me the impression that he's serious about following through. These accusations are 100% false and  I have never heard of this person before or have any connections to him or the newspaper. I am aware that it is likely that he is most likely attempting to extort me. However, I'm wondering what sort of legal recourse I have should be actually follow through with this? I am a private individual and have no public profile whatsoever so I am aware that I can bring a libel suit against him and/or his newspaper company but I'm not sure how viable this is given the fact that it's a newspaper based primarily in a foreign country even though both the person and I live State side. This is a very bizarre situation and I would appreciate any  feedback or advice on my circumstances. Thanks

Answer:
 > I live in California and recently was contacted by a person who claimed to be a journalist from a newspaper publication that is primarily based in a foreign country threatening to write an article accusing me of some incredibly heinous crimes.

Okay, and?

Do you do business in this publication's country of origin? Do you have assets there? Social connections?

I'm not sure why this would be intimidating, honestly. The odds of a story like this affecting your life in the slightest are low, and unless you're newsworthy in some way I can't imagine a reputable publication anywhere bothering to run a hit piece about you.Answer #2: They want you to pay them not to say those things most likely. It sounds like a blackmail scam to me.


Title: Caught doing 120 in a 60

Question: This happened in Illinois. I got clocked in at 116 in a 60 mph zone. I have court appearance and this is my first offense. I didn't get arrested. I'm 20. Should I get a lawyer? How much is this gonna cost? Any other advice is welcome.

Answer:
 Get a traffic lawyer. You very well may be facing some serious penalties. Costs vary; consult the state bar association for a referral.

And seriously, stop speeding. You have no reason to go that fast.


Title: My Neighbors Dog is eating my fence.

Question:
Like the title says, my neighbors dog is eating my fence. (Also sorry for the crappy writing and layout. This is my 5th post)

We live in a suburban area in Kansas City, Missouri where houses are back to back, and the House behind us has HUGE dogs. Taller than 5 feet when standing up! That's an estimation of course.

Almost every day I let my dogs out, and there is almost always a hole in the fence. It's a shared fence, and the owners never replace it. We always have to replace it. It has cost us a lot of money. They are aware of the situation, and have done nothing about it.

These dogs are eating the fence, and we have photo and video evidence. I know it isn't my dogs because mine are puggles, which aren't even as tall as where the hole is.

I love animals, and I'm concerned for the safety and well-being of the dogs, as they eat and digest the fence. We've seen them do it . And the owners just don't seem to care. I'm just wondering if I should take legal action?

Thanks for the help.

Answer:
 >I'm just wondering if I should take legal action?

If it's a shared fence, they owe *at least* half the cost of repair.


Title: [KY] How likely is it that i just won my unemployment hearing

Question:
Ex employer submitted ZERO evidence, ex employer got caught in a lie stating I could have fixed said problem that Caused my termination when it was a maintance specific issue... And then, ex employer ends up in a fight on the phone with the judge !!! The judge states he is soon to have back surgery and doesn't have time to worry about ex employers paper work... Ex employer says he doesn't even care about the hearing or which way the determination goes, doesn't make a difference to him...
Question... How likely is it that I won if this is what happened at my interview? I was calm, answered questions truthfully, I feel confident but I have to wait for the mailed determination!
Also, I've been requesting my benefits for the past few weeks online but $0 has been dispersed, still says pending investigation, will I get back pay for the last few weeks... First time drawing.
Thanks.

Answer: There is no way any of us could know what is going to happen.


Title: My workplace just accidentally emailed out an employees extensive personal information, what legal repercussions could this have on the company if the employee decides to act?

Question:
So my employer just accidentally emailed out an employees extensive personal information. This information included home address, social security number, as well as the full name and social security numbers of their spouse and children. The information went to about 100 people. I am wondering what the employee could legally do in response to this? This is in Wisconsin, USA.
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 Nothing if there are no damages.

The employee should ask the company to pay for credit monitoring


Title: I'm in the UK/France. I have been asked to go to magistrates court in the UK, charged with 'careless cycling', an incident when i was living in UK. Now I'm living in France. What happens if I don't go?

Question: They have said in the letter that if I don't go, they may issue a warrant for my arrest. But carefless cycling is a very minor offence. And they would have to get French police to arrest me. In reality, would they really issue a warrant for my arrest, or just reschedule date to one I can make?

Answer:
 NAL - but I'd assume the following:

A warrant for your arrest doesn't mean that they are going to go out of their way to get you extradited.

But, if you do ever go back to the UK and get in trouble with the police (even just a speeding ticket, or another "careless cycling" ticket) you'll be brought in due to the warrant. Answer #2: /r/legaladviceukAnswer #3: Realistically, as this offence is not severe enough to be covered by a European Arrest Warrant, nor subject to the Cross Border Enforcement Directive, the British authorities are unlikely to pursue you in France. They are, however, very likely to issue an arrest warrant for you in the UK, meaning should you ever go back you may be arrested.

Should you ever wish to return to the UK I would suggest hiring legal representation for this. While it isn't a particularly serious offence, it also is considered to be a bigger deal than speeding or parking offences.


Title: [Oklahoma] Target of harassment, hostile work-environment

Question:
I'm a moderate-severe stutterer.  I am also in an interracial relationship.  I work for a small company in the oil and gas industry.  For the past five months, I have been the target of constant derision, degredation, and harassment.  I am to the point where I am wanting to take legal action.  How do I properly prepare myself?  I have already consulted management concerning having objects thrown at me.  They are well aware that I am mocked, and more so of the behavior of several employees.  I am frequently the subject of;

- Have cigarettes flicked at me
- Having my boots spit on
- A co-worker peed in my station
- I am constantly mocked for my stutter
- Having objects thrown at me
- Frequent use of the term ni***er around me, and only around me

I'm fuckin' dying here.  I can't make the same money anywhere else.  Can anyone help?

Answer:
 Yeah - go to the EEOC or the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission. (They'll probably cross-file for each other so you can pursue either state or federal claims). Do it soon.

There's more info we could give you, but there's not going to be a magic bullet. It'll probably be a long process.

**Through the magic of Google, here are your two OHRC options**
Oklahoma City Office
Jim Thorpe Building, Room 480
2101 North Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Phone: (405) 521-2360
Fax: (405) 522-3635
TDD: (405) 522-3993

Tulsa Field Office
State Office Building, Room 302
440 South Houston
Tulsa, OK 74127
Phone: (918) 581-2733
Fax: (918) 581-2940

Similar level of expert googling will lead you to the nearest EEOC office.


Title: Overtime is being denied to me (x-post from r/personalfinance)

Question:
Hi all. I am in Illinois, USA.

I'm having a dilemma.

This week my hours at work will be 44 total of the 40 hour work week.

My boss is saying that I will not get the 4 hours overtime because of a new office rule saying overtime is based off of the two week period, 80 hours instead of 40. As long as I'm not over 80 hours in two weeks, I'm good.

I read online off of the government website that this is illegal. If so, what are my options and what do I say to my boss when I sit her down?

Answer:
 You can point your boss to the [Illinois Department of Labor's](https://www.illinois.gov/idol/Laws-Rules/FLS/Pages/minimum-wage-law.aspx) description of overtime being due for greater than 40 hours in a work week.

If they refuse to pay you can file a claim with the Illinois Department of Labor.

Your boss can, however, decide not to allow you to work overtime in the future.


Title: is it illegal for me to call a gay person a "faggot" in public?

Question: Location: Texas

Answer: No, the first amendment protects even offensive and vile speech.


Title: PillPack acquired for about $1 billion

Question:
Every few months /r/legaladvice gets a post like "wait, is it really illegal in my state to carry prescription drugs in a container other than the one the pharmacy gave me? Is Grandma really going to jail for her pill organizer?". The answer is often "yes".

Interesting to see Amazon has acquired an online pharmacy ( https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/28/amazon-buys-pillpack-an-online-pharmacy-that-was-rumored-to-be-talking-to-walmart/ ) for about $1 billion.

One of the key distinguishing features of this company (PillPack) was that they automatically group your drugs into multi-pill packets for you -- thus circumventing the legal restriction against consumers doing it themselves.

Very cool to see a dollar value placed on a solution to a common crime.

Answer:
 Another more boring view is that $1B is the cost of paying someone else to have a valid current license to be a pharmacy in all 50 states. But that's less fun.Answer #2: I use them, the costs on their supplements and other addons beyond prescriptions are pretty nice too.

The convenience factor of having everything all in one or two pouches is amazing.Answer #3: I just wish i could figure out whether they would work with my insurance.


Title: Purchased a PC with sensitive info

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer: You cannot get in trouble, unless you use the data for nefarious purposes. Just delete the files and move on.


Title: My uncle is threatening to dock my inheritance because my grandmother gave me gifts (part two)

Question: Please see my profile for my previous post. My uncle has finally replied to my email, a very long reply in which he paints himself as doing nothing wrong. In this email he claims he needs to see my bank statements for the last 7 years to see how much money my grandmother gifted me in order to calculate inheritance tax. Please could someone tell me if this sounds legitimate, or if this is a ruse to get more information. Thank you.

Answer: No that is bullshit don’t give him your bank statements. Unless your uncle is a CPA and is looking at estate taxes that’s a total lie


Title: [US, GA] Turning on street-side gas meter without gas company present

Question:
[Background: We are renting a home in the state of Georgia, United States. We have been here less than a week, and already requested the utilities to be switched over into our name; however, due to the gas company's scheduling, they turned OFF the gas (in the property management company's name) instead of simply switching it to our names and will not come back to turn it ON until Friday. Trust me, I've gone back and forth with the gas people and the property management group and there is NOTHING they will do until then, so my question is this...]

I'm perfectly capable of removing the simple barrel lock on the street-side gas meter and turning on gas to the house and lighting my pilot lights. I fully intend to pay for all of the gas that I am using and in no way intend to tamper with the meter itself. I just want to turn it on so I have heat and hot water for the next two days, since it was a company scheduling problem in the first place and not locked for non-payment. Can I get in legal trouble for turning the gas main on myself?

Answer: Of all the terrible ideas on this sub, this is one of the worst I have seen.  DO NOT remove the lock on the gas main, and DO NOT touch the gas main.  Jesus H. Christ I can't believe I actually have to tell another, presumably adult, human being that.


Title: (NY) How does the insurance company determine the value of a totaled vehicle? I feel that I'm getting screwed here.

Question:
A couple of weeks ago, I was rear ended on the highway and pushed into the vehicle in front of me.  I had minor injuries and my car was deemed a total loss.  The insurance company of the driver who hit me accepted 100% liability and they're covering the property damage portion of the claim.  They made their settlement offer to me on Thursday and I am unhappy with it.

I've been told by just about everyone I know who has dealt with this that they have to pay what it would cost me to buy the same car, and that it's based on an average of what the vehicle has sold for in this area.  I have checked autotrader, cars.com and cargurus and found a few for sale within a 75 miles radius and if I rule out any of them with over than 10,000 miles more than what I had on my car, they're all around $1500-2000 above what I was offered (on average).  I told my adjustor that I reject the settlement on the grounds that it would put me at a financial disadvantage from where I was prior to the accident and sent her all of these listings for similar vehicles for sale.  She told me that it isn't based on dealership prices, but on private party sale prices, which are lower.  Is this true?  I feel like this can't possibly be true.

I showed the offer to the manager at one of the dealerships I visited and he told me that they have to base their offer on the NADA database.  He pulled it up, put my car in and printed out a piece of paper with my VIN and a value that was $2000 above what I was offered.  I've never heard of NADA before and it being the weekend and all, there's no one I can "officially" ask to confirm this for me.

Also people keep telling me that if I get a low ball offer, just tell them they need to find me that car for that price and they won't be able to, which I have so far found to be true.  But then what happens after that?  Like if I just keep saying no to the settlement, at what point does something need to happen?  Obviously if I were to demand an outrageous amount and reject everything else, they're not going to pay it, so would it just sit there as an open case forever?

I have another question related to the accident.  I was rear ended while stopped in traffic on the highway.  The driver behind me told me that she went to brake and her foot just missed the pedal entirely.  When her insurance company called me to ask about the accident, I told them that I was stopped in traffic and was hit from behind, which launched my car into the vehicle in front of me.  I then asked him what the driver told him, and he said that she said that when she tried to brake her foot missed the pedal.  So the same thing she told me.  I had to sign up on their website to look at the total loss documents they sent me, and under the claim section it says that I was cut off by the car in front of me, crashed into that car which caused the vehicle behind me to rear end me.  Knowing that she already told them what happened and they already accepted 100% fault, why would they do this?

Sorry this was long, TIA.

Answer:
 > Also people keep telling me that if I get a low ball offer, just tell them they need to find me that car for that price and they won't be able to, which I have so far found to be true.

They don't "need" to do anything.  They certainly don't need to go car shopping for you.

Right now, you and the insurance company are negotiating a settlement.  You don't have to take their offer, and they don't have to take yours.  If you can't come to an agreement you'll need to sue the other driver to get your money.

Suing the other driver will likely cost you way more thatn $1500-$2000.


Title: Anonymous user posted my selfie on Reddit

Question: A reddit user posted my Instagram selfie on a sub called r/IndianBabes without my consent. I requested the user to delete the post and he has complied and he has deleted his account as well. What can I do about this?

Answer:
 You asked him to take it down and he did.  What's the problem?

You could file a DMCA takedown notice of he hadn't taken it down, but he did so that point is moot.

If you're trying to stop people from reposting your selfies, your only other remedy is to delete/set private your social media presence.


Title: My girlfriend's dog killed another dog that instagated a confrontation. Owner went to the police and we now have to pay $260 'Animal Neusance' fine.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >I just don't see how we are responsible for her dog being aggressive and getting hurt/killed by our dog

You are responsible to maintain control of your dog, you failed to do so. Also, if your dog is aggressive enough that a smaller dog just growling elicits a serious attack you need to have your dog on a leash 100% of the time. I think you are in some denial about your pet's behaviour. Answer #2: You are responsible to make sure your dog is trained enough to not attack other dogs. Answer #3: Your dog killed another dog. Unlike human crimes, your dog's intent, even if it could be ascertained, does not matter.

You can make your argument to a judge, but don't get your hopes up that s/he will be persuaded.


Title: Pulled Over for Speeding... Call my Parents??

Question: Tonight I was pulled over for going 57 in a 45 as I entered a street off of a highway ramp. I'm 17 years old and I have no excuses; I know I broke the law and I should be paying more attention for the safety of myself and others. The officer was nice and he made his point clear about how my insurance could go up over 1000 dollars a year if he ticketed me. (I'm driving a 1995 Mazda Millenia with no prior tickets). He only asked for my license and spoke my name over his radio as well as my date of birth and got an "okay" from whoever the cops talk to. He proceeded to tell me that instead of giving me a ticket, he would like to call one of my parents. (He said give me the parents number who is least likely to get you in trouble). I gave him my dads, he wrote it down, and I was free to go. I got half way home and called my dad to see if he got a call. He said yes, but he declined it because there was no Caller ID or phone number. So my question is, are they going to call back at a later date? Send a note in the mail? Just forget about it? Im just a little nervous and appreciate any input! (Montana)

Answer:
 It's up to the cop whether he feels like calling back.

Calling your parents likely isn't any kind of official procedure. He decided to let you off the hook for the ticket and let your parents deal with you instead. Just tell your parents what happened, and there's no reason for you to worry.


Title: Received a court order addressed to "occupant/tenant" but it is for the previous owner

Question:
[Silver spring, MD]

I recently purchased a new house (about 3 months ago) and i have been receiving mail from the previous owner like crazy, i always put it back in the mailbox and return it to the sender. today I received a letter addresed for "occupant/tenant" so opened it. Well, it turns out this letter is a court order against the previous owner from what i assume is a collection agency

My questions are:
does this mean i am involved in the case somehow?
should i just ignore it or contact the sender (which is a law firm)?
Since it wasn't addressed to any specific person and i am the current occupant, was it ok i opened it?

This is the letter:
https://imgur.com/a/KniUj

Answer:
 You do not have to do anything since you are not named int the case.

But since the former owner is going to end up with a default judgment for not knowing, and the plaintiff is going to have to fight an appeal based on improper service, it might be nice to at lease call the plaintiff or lawyer shown and let them know the owner moved.


Title: Started my first day at a job, quickly found out something wasn't right. I left not long after my first day. How should I handle this situation?

Question:
Not entire sure how much if this is actually not legal, but I'll say what happened. There's a lot to it, so I'll try not to prolong it with details. I live in Florida. I was offered a job at a local restaurant. I was hired and asked to start the first day. The manager didn't ask for my ID, my ssn, and didn't background check me. They were smoking cigarettes in the office, which is attached to the kitchen, essentially, and we're walking in and out with their cigarettes. Manager almost sliced my finger open with a knife, and kept splashing me with grease on the fryers. No gloves were warn while preparing food, and I wasn't told to wash my hands, ext. Other general health code stuff. Hardly anyone there spoke English (kinda fishy with all the above info) Here's the good part. Manager had a big thing of... Personal lube in his office, under his desk.. quickly hid it when I came in there (said it wasn't his). He started hitting on me, and making some.. Off remarks. I quickly left. What should I do? What part of any of this is illegal?

Also, the manager chooses your pay, day by day, it seems. Offered me to not put it on my taxes (not entirely sure what he was trying to say, but we all know what it sounds like)

I forgot to add, I found a shard of metal in some of the food about to be made, and said, "Oh my God," and the manager ran over all scared, and saw it, and was like "awh thats all good.." like wtf. I looked online, and last year the place had 28 violations.

Answer:
 Holy crap. That's more red flags than a communism parade.

IANAL. I'd say department of labor for your state first to report the labor law violations,  (no documentation, no payroll taxes being paid, no employment record, safety issues, etc.) then next stop the department of health to report the food safety issues. Answer #2: The IRS will likely have a field day with this. (No SSN, no taxes reported.)

https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/How-Do-You-Report-Suspected-Tax-Fraud-Activity%3FAnswer #3: >Hardly anyone there spoke English

That's pretty normal even in better kitchens, just saying.

You've already left, not sure you have any actual damages from a shitty job you left almost immediately. But do drop a dime to to the health inspector, the DoL, and the IRS. Owner sounds sketchy as fuck, and the people working there might not feel empowered to do this.


Title: Is it illegal to go to a bank with a note asking for money? [Canada]

Question:
I was just curious if it was illegal to. go to a bank with a note that simply says:
> I would like $10,000 in 50s and 100s please

Would it be illegal? There's no threat, no mention of a weapon, just a polite note asking for money.

EDIT: What's the difference between that and panhandlers on the street?

Answer:
 Yes.  [Just ask the guy who did the AMA on being a bank robber](https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/39b67t/im_a_retired_bank_robber_ama/).  That was his exact method and he wound up in jail for it.  Answer #2: It's legal if you have $10000 in your account and you provide them with your account number and probably ID. Answer #3: You're passing the note with the intention of taking money that doesn't belong to you. That's theft, even if you're polite about it.Answer #4: > Would it be illegal?

Depends on a lot of factors.  The first, and strongest, would be whether it's reasonable to believe that this was *not* a robbery.  Are you mute?  Did you put an account number on the request?  Did you provide ID with the note?

If you walked up and slipped the above note to a teller, it would very likely be seen as a robbery.


Title: Moved to a new apartment, vehicle was told due to landlord giving me wrong parking space number. Landlord claiming the condo association gave them wrong info so I should sue the condo association. Need advice.

Question:
On September 1st I moved into a new townhome in a gated community. I have an email from my landlord telling me to park in space #936, which I felt strange as my apartment number is 935 but they assured me it was correct.

Sunday I got a note on my windshield stating that this was the note-writer's spot and for me to move. Not having anywhere to move the vehicle to, I left it where it was. That night I went to my truck to get something out of it and it was gone. Called the complex's towing company and needed to pay $350 cash to get it out of impound.

I spoke with a fellow resident at that point who explained to me where the parking spot that corresponds to my apartment is and got my truck from the towing company and parked it there.

I called up the leasing agency (my landlord) Monday morning and explained to them what happened, that it was their fault that my vehicle was towed and that I wanted to be reimbursed. The agent said they were going to talk to the condo association and see what happened and make sure that I'm now in the space where I need to be.

I get an email yesterday stating they're "going back and forth with the condo association regarding the towing" and "We're still going head to head with them and asking for you to be reimbursed immediately AND provide the correct parking spot". Another portion of the email from the landlord that struck me as odd: "It was just brought to my attention the previous tenant sued the condo association for a similar event where he was towed. It was settled for $2000. I'm not telling you what to do but..." and that sentence isn't finished.

Essentially, I feel like the landlord is trying to push the responsible party to be the condo association, and by doing that, absolving themselves of the responsibilty of telling me the wrong info. Am I wrong in thinking that even if the leasing agency was misled, they're still the ones who should reimburse me because I parked where I did due to them telling me so?

This is all taking place in Maryland, if that matters.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 You can sue both of them on the same suit, and then let the judge sort out who is responsible. Answer #2: You likely have a contract only with the landlord. The landlord has a contract with the condo association. In addition, you only have correspondence (I assume) from the landlord, so you would have no evidence to present against the association.

IMO you should take your landlord to small claims if they're unwilling to pay, and your landlord can take the association to court if he has evidence against them.

Note that your landlord can choose to not renew your lease based on this (though they can't evict you), so choose your battle.

The landlord's story about getting $2k is likely bullshit. They wouldn't settle for more than the suit amount, and the only damages would be the price of the tow and storage, and possibly a bit of lost wages.


Title: Do NH State Police have radar in the rear of the car?

Answer: I can't say for sure about NH, but it is pretty common to have forward and rear pointing radar.


Title: Friend is trying to serve divorce papers to her estranged wife, but she won’t accept them.

Question:
My friend has been trying for months to serve her estranged wife with divorce papers,  but she refuses to answer her door or accept the documents.

What options does my friend have? If delays continue, she will be forced to re-file and incur additional fees. She has a lawyer, but limited funds. We are in California.

One thing to note - her wife is a German citizen and is here on a visa she acquired after they got married. She’s probably not answering because she fears deportation if the divorce goes through.

Answer:
 Your friend can't serve her own wife with divorce papers.  Papers have to be served by a third party.  Your friend's attorney would know this.

A professional should be hired to serve process.  There are options available through the court if the wife persistently ducks service -- again, your friend's attorney should know this.


Title: Cops showed up to my friend's on campus party. I could use some advice BIG TIME.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Why does every college student believe a breathalyzer is the only way to prove someone was drinking?


Title: Landlord wont refund my security deposit or provide a statement of what I owe. Can I sue for my security deposit?

Question:
I moved out of an apartment at the end of December 2015 in Minnesota when my lease officially ended.  Since then the property management company has only provided me with a written estimate of what I might owe.  I received the estimate on January 15th, but have not received anything since. I paid a security deposit back in July of 2013 when I moved in. Do I have any grounds to take them to small claims court? Is there a cutoff date for when they must provide me the final statement after which point I am not liable for any charges they claim I might owe?

Edit: The statement I received documented "Total estimated charges against security deposit" and does include some itemized damages but the document states: "At this time we not have received all invoices for the costs incurred to restore your apartment to move in condition. Once we receive all costs incurred we will send you a final security deposit statement. Please also not that some items are estimated at this time."

Answer: A great thing about Minnesota is that, if the lease provides for legal fees for the landlord, the tenant automatically also gets legal fees even if the lease doesn't provide for it.  This is why you should talk to a Minnesota attorney who specializes in landlord tenant law.  They will often take such a case on contingency because their legal fees are just added to the judgment.


Title: Child marriage laws and immigrants

Question: Say a 13/14 year old married couple from Indian came to live in a place where its illegal to get married under a certain age (18 in most places in the US). Would their marriage be considered null and void? What kind of legislation is there surrounding a situation like this?

Answer:
 >...its illegal to get married under a certain age (18 in most places in the US).

No state in the US in has a minimum age for marriage over 17. Some have no minimum. Many have 13/14 as the minimum. Child brides are as much of an issue in the USA as anywhere else in the world.

Coincidentally, I read an article earlier today about a girl in Florida forced to marry her 20 year old rapist when she was 13, as several states exclude married couples when considering statutory rape.

If a marriage is valid in the country of their residence, the US generally recognizes the validity of the marriage. I don't know and am on mobile so looking things up is tricky and although IAAL; family law is not my field, but my suspicion is that provided the ages are at least the minimum, if one exists, the state would accept the marriage as it is and the answer will depend entirely on the law of the state in which they visit/wish to reside.

It's an interesting question, and I'll tag my favorite unusual family law question answerer  /u/fugegopants, just to see if he may have input or insight.

I more wanted to disabuse you of the notion it's against the law to marry as a minor and the statistics of how many completely legal child brides marry each year in US states will make you jaw drop. (I'll try to edit in some numbers; not all states report this info.)

 It is a genuine issue everywhere, not just third world countries. It's a topic that needs massive reform.


Title: Son wrongfully accused of abusing sister by ex-wifes' ex-husband what do I do? Us & Canada

Question:
I have a situation I wanted to ask if you have a suggestion on. I am so angry and dont know what to do. My kids live in Canada and I live in the US.

So my ex wife is divorced from her husband recently. He accused my son of hitting and sexually touching his 4 year old sister. After the cps visit, it is clear that it was made up. The daughter did not tell cps the same story.

My son is an autistic preteen and his sister is in preschool. The accusations dont match up with his maturity level. He is nowhere near puberty and doesn't show any interest in sex yet. Its out of left field and thankfully the daughter doesn't have the same story that her dad said.

So my question is, is there anything I can do legally about a false accusation? My son is an American citizen. If it were only in the states would there be a recourse?

I want to make this stop. I feel like my son was attacked and I want revenge. I fear this isnt over and want to prevent more problems. What do I do?

Answer: No. There's nothing to be done here. It's not illegal to call CPS and for all you or CPS knows the ex-husband really believed your son was harming his sister.


Title: Second-Degree murder in Arizona

Question:
I'm writing a story (I'm bored, OK?) and the character kills a 14 year old boy as he is robbing a convenience store. The testosterone-filled teen attacked him as he held up the register and got shot for it.

Arizona law states that the murder of a child under the age of 15 can warrant the death penalty; does it still apply in second-degree cases?

Answer: Your person would be eligible for the death penalty under the [felony murder rule](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felony_murder_rule_%28Arizona%29).  Because he was in the process of committing armed robbery at the time of the murder, the murder would be treated as if it were a first degree murder. It doesn't matter that the specifics of the crime, under other circumstances, would qualify as 2nd degree murder - the perpetrator would be eligible for the death penalty because it occurred during the course of a qualified felony.


Title: (NC) I suspect a martial arts school is running a scam, and I want to explain why on social media, but can I be sued for defamation?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 McDonalds is not illegal. What makes you think McDojos are?

What you believe to be a "breach [of] business ethics" is not necessarily illegal.

I'd like to reiterate: McDojos are **not** illegal.

Let's say the place in question is a BJJ school. Let's say the instructor says he holds a brown belt or a black belt from some other black belt instructor who teaches at the HQ. Let's say this is true, but he clearly isn't at the skill level you'd expect.

Then, no matter how bad he is at BJJ, it's perfectly legal. He has the credentials he advertises and it is a student's prerogative to either train or not train with him.

**But** if he claims to be a black belt under Renzo Gracie and he has no association with Renzo Gracie, never trained under him and never got a black belt from him then that is fraud.

To answer your question: You can always be sued for libel. Whether you win or lose depends on precisely what you say.

Going over a statement you prepare **is** legal advice and no licensed attorney can help you with that without establishing a attorney-client relationship.

Whether or not what he is doing gives rise to a civil claim or a criminal charge depends on information you are not sharing.


Title: (Durango, MX) A young tiger in an enclosure with no mother or other companions. Anyone know if this is legal?

Question:
https://imgur.com/gallery/597I8vE

My boyfriend sent me this video and I just feel like the environment it’s in isn’t suitable for it, but I’m not familiar with Mexican laws. Any help is appreciated!

Answer: IANAL but see if you can reach out to The Wild Animal Sanctuary! They handle big cats and cases of egregious abuse.


Title: [CA] Running from the cops, screwed or no?

Question:
Hey there,

So i was sitting at work today and my friend came into the building freaking out.  After calming him down, i got the full story as follows:

**My friends History,** Has had 2-3 DUI's before, multiple run-ins with the law, multiple hit and runs, never seen jail time, and rarely any community service, has a great lawyer and a well off family.

**The Event**
My friend after being pretty good the last year decided to get drunk, and drive his car home, he is almost home and gets pulled over.  He see's the lights and pulls over and gets out of his car and runs.  He succesfully evades the manhunt and now is hidding from place to place trying to figure out what to do.  The police searched his car that he fled on foot, and fed marijuana in it along with a pipe.  They also are staking out his parents house and his neighborhood looking for him.  They told his parents he will be charged with a DUI and felony evasion.  But they never actually got to breathalize him, as he still hasn't turned himself in.

**My Question**How screwed is my friend, he is turning himself in tomorrow with his lawyer, and is losing his mind.  What will he be charged with, and with his history what could he be facing.  He is pretty sure he is going to jail for at least 30 days, but has no idea!?  I'm worried!

Answer:
 Wow! This is just ridiculous; I'll never understand how the thought process works when people do this.

I don't want to scare you or your friend, lest he decide to stay on the lam, but he's pretty screwed. And the police don't decide what he'll be charged with, the DA's office does. If I were the prosecutor, I would 100% be adding in the marijuana and paraphernalia charges on top of everything else.

But you shouldn't be worried about his impending jail time; you should be worried about his propensity to drink and drive and cause accidents and feel immune to the consequences. Some time in jail, and the alcohol/drug counseling he will likely be required to undergo, could very well save his (or someone else's) life.

Sucks that you're losing a friend for a little while, but it's better than losing a friend forever.


Title: Double Park Vigilantism

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Civil liability for any damage you do, ranging from scratches on the locking mechanism all the way to totalling someone's house or for wrongful deaths if the car gets away from you.

Criminal charges for breaking and entering, possibly charges for theft depending on the facts as a prosecutor sees them and the available evidence, and any of a plethora of charges for reckless endangerment, mischief, or anything else that might apply if you lose control of the situation, plus fuck-you charges for possession of burglary tools. Maybe felony murder charges if someone dies as a result and a felony charge sticks.

If someone's illegally parked, call parking enforcement and let them deal with it.


Title: Car towed off the freeway after a breakdown

Question:
Location: WA State

I was driving down I-5 around 1030 at night when my car suddenly lost all acceleration so I pulled off the the shoulder to safely be out of the way and see what I could do to fix it.
There was nothing I could see wrong, but the car would not start and was not going to move. It was quite dark out, so a repair was not happening until morning. I was able to get a ride home with the intention of returning early the next day to get it off the interstate and possibly fix it. When my father and I went to retrieve the car at noon today (Sat Dec 3, 2016), and it was not there. I called 911 and was told that it was towed and impounded at a local tow lot. The guy at the lot said it was called to be towed around 930 this morning. After having to pay the fees to get it released, I have the car back. (still not working).
Among the paperwork I had to sign to get the car released was some forms stating I may file with the municipal court about the legality or the cost of having the car towed and impounded, but I must file within 10 days (Dec 13th, I believe). The tow place says the car was impounded because I was parked in a tow away zone, which he claimed was the entirety of I-5. I attempted to record the interaction at the lot and he refused to be recorded. I didn't push it because he said it was private property.

I would like to know what I am supposed to do and what legal recourse I have. I don't feel it was right for my car to have been towed, and especially not by one of the most expensive towing operations I have ever seen.

Thank you in advance to all those who help, I really need it as I am broke. I have a small amount for emergency funds, but other than that, I am broke.

EDIT: thank you guys for responding. I guess this is just a costly mistake that I'll just have to take. I can dispute the charge, I found out, but fighting it would cost more than I would get waived. I should have just called a tow when I broke down at first.

Answer: There is no recourse here. Highway shoulders are considered tow away zones. Please see this article from the Washington state patrol: http://www.wsp.wa.gov/mweb/m_disabled.htm


Title: Do I have a case as a gay man?

Question: I work at a retail store that is shuddering its location in 2 months. I have been working for the company for nearly 5 years, with 3.5 years in my current management position. I was offered 4k severance. My hourly wage is $21.63. Another manager received her severance letter and her offer was 11k, which she shared with me. Her hourly wage is $22 and has only worked for the company a little over a year. I feel as if I'm being discriminated against due to the huge discrepency between severance pay. As an associate I was open about my sexuality. I moved locations when I was promoted to manager and as a manager I'm an advocate of keeping my professional and personal life separate and haven't explicitly stated to any one employee that I was gay, but I have had employees ask. Do I have a case? Thank you

Answer:
 Generally you are not entitled to any severance pay.  Yes, it sucks.

So, unless you can prove that the reason you were offered less is because of discrimination (and that's hard to prove unless you have a pattern you can show), you're not likely to have a case.

If they gave her better severance pay because she was prettier, that's legal.  If they gave her better severance pay because they threw a dart at a board, that's legal too.


Title: (CO) My company uses video calls to discuss company business. One employee exposed his penis while not realizing his camera was turned on while masturbating.

Question:
I myself suffer from PTSD, depression, anxiety, list goes on.

Since this event occured my mental health has deteriorated and I find it difficult to continue to work for this company.

I have been seeking psychiatric help along with medication to help me through this ordeal. I am missing days of work which puts my job at jeopardy; whether it's from seeing my Doc last minute, or suffering from severe depression forcing me to miss a day of work.

1) My question is, can I hold the company responsible for my current state of mind?

By that I don't mean my trauma from decades ago. Just for the past few weeks since this occured.

2) I suffer from severe depression (suicidal) and seeing a grown man pleasuring himself on camera while on company time just really fucks up my head. Is there any legal action I can take against the company or the individual person?

It may sound like I am attempting to sue for money, but since I have yet to acquire health insurance I am paying out of pocket for my doctor visits and medications. Not to mention missed wages.
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer:
 LAOP, according to another post you made [(a month ago)](https://old.reddit.com/r/ptsd/comments/flifw4/diagnosed_with_ptsd_for_years_was_recently/), you screenshotted him and watched him for a few minutes?  Without notifying him that he was on video?

>I noticed a man making fast hand movements with only wearing underwear. Clearly I knew what he was doing. So I took a screenshot to show to HR as evidence. Many times throughout the few minutes, I saw the man's penis in full plain view.

It sounds like you took pornogrpahic images of him without his consent and what he did was a mistake since based on this post and the other one he was unaware he was on video.Answer #2:
>1) My question is, can I hold the company responsible for my current state of mind?

No.

>2) I suffer from severe depression (suicidal) and seeing a grown man pleasuring himself on camera while on company time just really fucks up my head. Is there any legal action I can take against the company or the individual person?

Almost certainly not successfully.

You need to continue working with your therapist, not looking for a lawyer.


Title: My sister took my keys and car without my permission while I was on vacation

Question:
I know this sounds like stupid sibling squabbles from the title but I feel so violated.

I live in Texas. My parents allowed my (piece of shit, drug addict) sister (26) to stay at their house while we were on vacation. I left my car at my parents' house and hid my set of keys in my room because I was worried I would lose them while traveling. I forgot I had a spare key in my purse, which I left behind.

She went through my room and possessions to get my key and then drove my car. I can tell because the driver seat has been adjusted, the front seats are reclined, she parked like shit, left the car unlocked, and it reeks of cigarettes.

While she had permission to stay at the house, she did not have permission to drive my car. She does not have car insurance either. She has done this kind of thing before- she once took my mom's car without permission and was involved in an accident. Thankfully my car is back in one piece. She probably also has drug-related charges in the past.

I'm pissed, I feel violated. She's a drug addict and has made my life hell. Do I have any legal ground here? I know my room wasn't locked and my keys weren't locked anywhere, but she absolutely did not have permission to take my car and never asked or brought it up, plus does not have car insurance.

Answer:
 Okay, so.

1) No, this is illegal, and you can report her to the cops. Try to get her admitting she took your car in writing, by text or something, because there's no evidence otherwise.

2) On the criminal side, this is known as "joyriding," and varies between being a misdemeanor and a felony depending on where in Texas you are. You can report her to the police - call your local non-emergency line. Be sure to include her admission, and the fact that she can't drive.

3) On the civil side... You can't get money just because she took your car, because you got it back. Do a full inspection of it, though - are there any scratches or dents that weren't there? One thing that you *could* sue for is cleaning it to the level it gets the smell of cigarettes out of the upholstery. This would probably be covered by small claims court, so you wouldn't need a lawyer. Answer #2: It doesn’t matter that she doesn’t have car insurance. Cars are insured—not people.

Your car insurance would cover any driver given permission to drive your car. Since she didn’t have permission, she wouldn’t be covered so if there’s any chance she was involved in an accident while driving your car, you should file a police report.

Maybe do a thorough check for body damage.

Also, hope she wasn’t involved in a crime while driving your car.


Title: A teacher told my classmates i had ringworm can i sue?

Question: So i went to the doctor to be treated for ringworm from being in wreslting (no surprise). My teacher announced to me across the room that i had to cover it up with bandaids in order to stay in her class and since it was on the back of my neck she said i had to go the bathroom to put them on in order to continue her class. When i came home my father said she was in violation of HIPPA but i later figured out that FERPA was what he was talking about. She was an old family friend but i don’t know how she found out i had ringworm. What can i do?

Answer:
 HIPAA only involves healthcare and electronic medical records, your teacher doesn't work in healthcare.  FERPA involves educational records so she's not in violation of that either.  You're parents can complain to the administration about it but that's pretty much it.

[https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/students.html](https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/students.html)Answer #2: Unless you have quantifiable damages here, the most you could do would be to complain to school administration regarding the incident.


Title: Landlord claims we’re extorting her by threatening to move out [VA]

Question:
[Virginia] Hey all, my roommates and I rent a 4-bedroom house. We all have separate  month-to-month leases, so X’s rent doesn’t affect Y’s rent. Last week, our LL gave us 30 days notice that she would be raising our rent by $150 next month. She has difficulty renting this house because it’s quite a bit more expensive than surrounding properties. (It’s also a lot nicer, which is why we live here.) We know she has difficulty renting and needs this income (it took her 3 months to find a fourth tenant), so all 4 of us threatened to move out at the same time if she raised our rent. She claims this is extortion and is threatening to sue if we move out. We think she’s full of shit because we’re negotiating with leverage.

Legal question: Is she full of shit?

Answer:
 > Legal question: Is she full of shit?

Pretty much. You're all month to month tenants. Provided you give the proper notice you can move out for any reason. That includes a $150/month rent hike.

On the flip side she can also end your tenancy with the same notice.Answer #2: She can sue you, but it's not really extortion because you're not demanding that she give you money or you'll release some kind of information to the public or the police. Threatening to move out if she raises the rent isn't illegal, as long as you give written notice as required by your state. Answer #3: It is not extortion.

Extortion is the threat of future damage in exchange for something of value.

https://statelaws.findlaw.com/virginia-law/virginia-extortion-laws-and-penalties.html

Moving out does not illegally damage her like assault, vandalism, or financial abuse would.


Title: Company will not pay me because there is no money.

Question:
Hello,

I worked as a contractor for a startup in the US for 9 months and was not paid for the month of December (I am owed $6,000). In January I went on maternity leave and around the same time a terrible review came out and made it impossible for the company to secure funding. The CEO resigned in April. I've been in touch with the new CEO who is also an investor and he keeps stringing me along. He made it clear that he would not pay me the full amount but he would work something out. They are still selling the product and offering support for it so I don't think they have filed for bankruptcy yet. I'm not sure what my options are at this point? Do I get a lawyer? What happens if they don't have enough money to pay?

&#x200B;

Any help or guidance is appreciated.

Answer:
 > He made it clear that he would not pay me the full amount but he would work something out.

Hahahaha, make it clear to him you will be suing him for the full amount you're owed. File a wage claim yesterday, you need to get on that ASAP as 9 months is way overdue.

> What happens if they don't have enough money to pay?

There is no getting blood from stone. You need to try to get what your owed before they don't have the ability to do so any longer.


Title: Busted In St. George, Utah for Possession of Marijuana

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Drug Possession

Answer:
 Of all the places to do drugs, your car is the least sensible of them all; it's one of the least constitutionally protected places you can be within the United States.

It's also interesting seeing how often a post comes up where the cop "smells weed," OP claims that there's no possible way the cop could have smelled weed, and the resulting search does in fact find weed.

You've got no grounds to have this thrown out from what you've stated.


Title: 14 year old and my girlfriend was sent a dick pic

Question:
So my girlfriend and I are both 14 years old and today she was sent a sick pic by a guy that she knows and I have heard of as being sexually harassing towards girls and especially her. Not only did he send her this picture, but he also made an instagram account and posted a picture of her from her account with a very sexual caption. I don’t know what I should do, do I call his school, the police?
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer: Not a lawyer but I would start with your parents, who should then contact the school and/or the police.


Title: (Iowa) Can a landlord hold a deposit if they sell the home?

Question:
I came home to a note stating that they gkot an offer on our house we are renting from a couple, and they are forewarning us so we can be prepared to move.

I am fine with moving, we have outgrown this home, but I want my deposit back. The landlord said it goes to the new owner, and they are keeping it for damage to the wall.

 My toddler was supposed to be asleep but tore wall paper off a small section before my wife caught him. The wall is definitely not worth 1000 dollars, but was told that "it's part of the transfer"

Is that legal?

If not is there anyway I can self represent? I literally have no extra money for a lawyer.

Answer:
 Deposit goes to the new owners "Upon termination of the landlord’s interest in the dwelling unit".

Landlord’s successor in interest shall have all the rights and **obligations** of the landlord with respect to the rental deposits.

Tenant is to be notified in writing of said transfer and amount being transferred and has twenty days to file an objection. Objection should include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Example 1: Your deposit was $2000. $2000 is being transferred to new owner: No objection needed. Notify new owner that $1000 for damage to wall is excessive and give a dollar amount you feel is fair.  Example 2: $1000 is being kept by current owner to fix wall, $1000 is being transferred to new owner: File an objection to current owner for return of $1000 and notify new owner that the other $1000 should also be returned minus reasonable amount to fix wall.

The bad faith retention of a deposit by a landlord, or any portion of the rental deposit, in violation of this section shall subject the landlord to punitive damages not to exceed  twice the monthly rental payment in addition to actual damages.

https://law.justia.com/codes/iowa/2014/title-xiv/subtitle-2/chapter-562a/section-562a.12/


Title: My friend (18f) got a dui yesterday and is scared shitless that she is going to be deported.

Question: This is in California. My friend got a DUI yesterday because of one beer. She’s a permanent resident and is currently attending college here. She’s had two car accidents that both went through insurance in the past couple months. She’s a full time student with a full time job and she busts her ass everyday with barely any break. I know this doesn’t justify drinking and driving but she had one beer. They dont know her BAC levels yet but shes so scared that she will be deported. Her friends and family live here and she cant imagine living without them. She came here as a child and barely speaks her native language. I dont know how to help her and I’m hoping someone on here can give me any advice. Anything will help.

Answer: Ah the " had one beer" arguement Answer #2: There is not much you can do. Biggest no no was drinking underage, couple that with driving? Holy Moses. California does not take that stuff lightly. If she is here legally then I don’t think she’ll be deported. If she DACA or equivalent then given the current administration, it doesn’t look good.Answer #3: By permanent resident I assume you mean legal permanent resident, i.e. green card holder?


Title: Boyfriend is in jail for embezzlement in Kent county Michigan. right when he was getting his life back together

Question: [deleted]

Answer: He really needs a criminal defence attorney to mitigate his punishment.


Title: Laws protecting sexual assault victim?

Question: The location is Mississippi. My sister was molested by her father on multiple occasions. He is a repeat offender. He has done things like this in the past, and was accused by 3 young girls within the past 4 years. This happened when she was a minor. The trial didn't happen until last week. She turned 18 about a month before trial. He was ruled guilty on all charges. Her grandmother (the fathers mother) and a few other people keep posting online calling her a liar, and identifying her as the victim by posting her name and photos (photos of her with her father and some with other family members/her boyfriend). I am wondering if there are any laws protecting the identity of sex crime victims. Is it illegal for them to post her name/photos/identifying information? Does it change anything since she was a minor at the time of the assaults? What are the laws pertaining to this situation? Thank you in advance for all information provided.

Answer: Oh this is easy - speak to a few lawyers to see what needs to be done to seek out a restraining order for harassment and to find out whether she can sue right now for defamation. Document and print all relevant comments. This may be sufficient to support a criminal harassment charge, too.


Title: [Ontario] Moving into apartment on August 1st, now 5 days before we move in, we are being told that current tenant is now refusing to vacate until middle of august. What can we do?

Question:
Signed a lease for an apartment with a move in date of August 1st, however today i got a message from the landlord stating that:

* The current tenant is apparently unable to vacate unit until mid august (family emergency was the given reason, but no definite date given).
* Landlord is telling us we need to find alternative accommodations until that time.
* After telling him that is unacceptable, as we need to be out of our current apartment by August 1st, and have movers prepared to move our stuff. He told us we need to figure it out ourselves.
* He is willing to give us a free month of rent for August, but beyond that there is nothing he can do.

We need to be out of our current apartment by August 1st, as someone is moving in on the 3rd (Timing is very very tight).    my question is the lease states our move in day is the first of August, is he breaking the lease?

Answer:
 Yes, he's breaking the lease.  While a free month's rent may sound generous, it doesn't seem like it's worth it to you. Calculate how much it would cost to move your stuff into storage, keep it there for two weeks, move it into your apartment from storage, and stay in a hotel for two weeks. You don't have to make any sort of deal whatsoever, but keep in mind that the above, which is most likely several times the amount he's offering, is what he's proposing you sacrifice for the sole benefit of himself and these people you don't even know.Answer #2: >* Landlord is telling us we need to find alternative accommodations until that time.

No, HE needs to find YOU alternative accommodations.

>* After telling him that is unacceptable, as we need to be out of our current apartment by August 1st, and have movers prepared to move our stuff. He told us we need to figure it out ourselves.

He's the one breaking the contract, not you. He needs to figure it out.

>* He is willing to give us a free month of rent for August, but beyond that there is nothing he can do.

Sure there is. He can pay for a storage unit for your stuff for the time you won't have access to the residence you have a lease for, pay for the movers when they have to move your stuff a second time, and pay for a reasonable hotel for you to sleep in.

This is his problem to fix, not yours.


Title: Jury Summons for former homeowner - already notified Court Clerk once. (Tennessee)

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Not your monkeys, not your circus. Just put it back in the box with a note 'Return to sender, Not at this address'.


Title: [OH] Broke a window at my friends place, window is not building code compliant and the replacement isn't either.

Question: I was at a friend's house and we had been drinking for a while and while coming down the stairs from, I accidentally broke a window perpendicular to the landing between the 2 staircases. According to the building code and my father who has been a home builder for 30+ years, a window in this situation should be made of tempered glass, which this window was not. Should I just pony up the $185 to repair it? Or should I threaten to report the code violation because it is an obvious safety hazard (severe lacerations + potentially falling 12 feet out the window).

Answer:
 Pay for what you broke.

I'm glad I don't have friends like you.Answer #2: You broke it , don't be drunk by windows.


Title: (OH) There is an area manager at work asking employees to screenshot ex-employees facebooks and send them to them

Question: I work for a private company that operates in Ohio, New York, PA, and Indiana. I was at work earlier this week and found that a manager was asking a fellow employee to screenshot the Facebook accounts and posts by several former employees discussing their time at the company because “it named names” specifically the manager and the HR head she requested the employees do this over the phone and the employees text message them to her private device. The posts were about various things including a criticism of products sold and management style. I was told not to say anything as it fell under our company’s no gossip policy. However I felt this was at the very least extremely unethical, you can criticise a company and management style or policy even when employed to certain degrees although we are heavily restricted by our no gossip policy as current employees. I found this suspect and I tried to anonymously file a complaint. I was written up on a final warning under the no gossip policy for this. Is this legal? Is it legal for an employer to ask an employee to off the books cyberstalk or invade the privacy of an ex-employee?

Answer: As an aside of this no-gossip policy stops you complaining about your Management or your working conditions, then it is illegal and a violation of your rights to discuss management, working conditions and labor issues under the National Labor Relations Act and the NLRB would probably be very interested in your complaint..


Title: Wife got new job put in 2 weeks and on last day of 2 weeks new employer revoked offer. She is pregnant and thinks this is the reason. (Missouri)

Question:
My wife recently interviewed at a new company and was offered a job to start on 03/02/2015. She put in her 2 weeks at her old job and told them that her last day would 2/28/15. The new company Called her this evening and said they had a family emergency and had to go back home, to china, and wouldn't be able to hire her. However the lady also mentioned that she didn't want to train someone for a month and then have to have her be gone for 6 weeks. Her due date is 5/27/15. So i'm thinking this is all about her being pregnant. And her current job has already hired a replacement for her. So i am seeking a few bits of advice.

1. Can she qualify for unemployment because she willingly put in her 2 weeks, but never filled out any tax paperwork at the new place.

2. Is this illegal? it seems to me they didn't hire her because she is pregnant.

3. Could we qualify for state assistance for the time being as far as food stamps, tanf, etc...

Any answers would be greatly appreciated since we are a little confused as to what to do at the moment. I work full time and we can *barely* scrape by on my salary without including gasoline and food.

Cheers in advance for any help provided.

Answer:
 Can you prove that it was because she was pregnant?Answer #2: > The new company Called her this evening and said they had a family emergency and had to go back home, to china,

The entire company packed up and moved to China? What kind of job was this? If this was just working for one person like a personal assistant or something along those lines then they aren't covered by pregnancy discrimination laws.


Title: Thought exercise: How do you go about evicting a President from the White House if he refuses to leave when his term is over?

Question: Who has jurisdiction? Do you have to provide notice to vacate?

Answer: No one, the federal government can remove someone from a federally owned building. normal Tennent laws wouldn't apply. Most likely he'd be escorted out by the federal marshals if he tries.


Title: Employer threatening defamation over employee Facebook comment

Question:
[Wisconsin]

The other day I had a bad day at work. I made a joke post about "finding a new career, that doesn't care that I'm sick all the time and I don't have to do anything". I had a slew of joke comments back but a few serious ones as well. Somewhere deep in ththe comnent thread some asked, "is everything okay?" To which I replied with something along the lines of, "I feel like I'm being taken advantage of for my skills and not being paid a living wage".

A few days later I was pulled into a meeting with the CEO and CFO, where they threatened that this comment was defamation.

This post was friends only, not public. And i never mentioned the company name. I doubt they could prove any loss of profit over it.
I did delete the thread in a panic while in the meeting.
I might be fired over this soon, it's an at-will employment. I'm more worried about being sued or denies unemployed.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated,  thank you!

Answer:
 > A few days later I was pulled into a meeting with the CEO and CFO, where they threatened that this comment was defamation.

It's not. They can definitely fire you for it though.Answer #2: > This post was friends only, not public.

Everything on social media, and basically email and the majority of the Internet, is public. Once it leaves your keyboard it can go anywhere.

The NLRB does not protect employee's jobs in instances of "mere griping" on social media. Had your post been Protected Concerted Activity about your job it might've been a different story. As others have said they can't successfully sue you but can fire you.


Title: Eviction on my record for 1 year ago, Problem is I moved out of that place 2 years ago. In deep sh*t appreciate any help.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > The thing is the lease was not in my name I was living with a couple of people one of them had lease under his name.

So did you make your case in court back when it happened?  Whether you were on the lease or not, you were still sued.


Title: Shelter says there is legal risk in altering and extracting the teeth of a stray cat until 3 months have passed, pretty sure they're wrong.

Question:
I'm in New Jersey, USA. Last year I took in a stray cat after the neighborhood ferals cornered him under our shed. He was skinny, covered in bite wounds, and intact, but also quite social.  So either he was owned and escaped, or his owners simply weren't properly caring for him.

I took him to an emergency vet that night and had him scanned for a microchip. Shocking surprise...no chip. We also learned he was positive for FIV. FIV is a disease that affects the immune system and is fairly common in intact toms (they get it by fighting each other.) FIV often causes dental issues and the little guy had severely inflamed gums. A speciality veterinary dentist advised that extracting all of his teeth was the best way to fix the problem and allow kitty to live a pain free, happy life.

After learning he had no chip I posted found cat notices to various social media sites. I also called the county shelter and filed a found cat report. I asked how long I needed to wait before I could neuter him and take care of his dental issues, and they said I should wait AT LEAST three months or I risked being sued by the previous owner if they came looking for him.

I'm pretty sure that's b.s.. I could see a few weeks, but months?  I'm supposed to have an intact tom in my home (if you've smelled tomcat urine you know why this is an issue) for months? Plus let kitty suffer from severe oral pain all that time?

So how long do you need to wait before altering a found animal if that animal had no ID? How long do you need to wait before taking care of medical issues that are painful but not lethal, or that might alter the appearance or function of the animal in the process? Like if I found a dog with a large fatty mass and removing it would cause a scar, how long do you wait before doing the surgery?

At this point kitty has been neutered and his teeth have been removed...he recovered quickly and is much happier and can eat without pain.. I waited a few weeks to do the neuter and a month for the extractions. No one ever came looking, but a friend found a terrier mix a few days ago and is now facing similar questions. The dog was intact and had overgrown nails and was limping. He may need surgery to correct issues with his hips. The shelter told her to wait even longer because he's a dog and I guess more likely to have someone missing him. This not only concerns me because it means leaving the dog in pain, but also might discourage people from helping or keeping stray critters. If you have to have a stinky tomcat for months or worry about being sued for doing a needed surgery...I can understand someone being leery about even getting involved. When I said I didn't want a tom in my house they said I could surrender him to the shelter...who would haved killed him as soon as his stray hold expired because they don't adopt out cats with FIV. Ironically the stray hold is less then a week, so they're placing a greater burden on private citizens then the shelter itself.

If the information is wrong, as I suspect, is there something I can do to make the shelter stop telling it to people?

Answer:
 >  they said I should wait AT LEAST three months or I risked being sued by the previous owner if they came looking for him

Well, I mean, that would be a dumb lawsuit, but sure--you could be sued. You could be sued a year later. I could sue you for posting this. You could sue me for drinking water. But maybe they've been sued or maybe they've seen people in your position sued.

Independent of all that, whatever their reasons, if they don't want to do it, they don't have to do it. And they don't have to stop telling people.


Title: Help! Need the name of a famous case.

Question:
Hello, a university student from Vietnam here. I don't know if this is the place to ask this question. But I need to know a name of a case for my university paper.

The case is about a guy suing a firm for rejecting his application for a job. The job required him to have a high school degree, which he did not. However, the actual task of the job is very simplistic and can be done without such qualifications. He won that case in the end.

I'm not sure that I've described the details correctly, as I've read it a long time ago. I hope this is enough for people to recognize what case I'm talking about. Thank you in advance.

Answer:
 Griggs v. Duke Power Co., 401 U.S. 424 (1971)?

Edit to add: [wikipedia summary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griggs_v._Duke_Power_Co.)


Title: [NJ] Grandmother was given deed upon death of neighbor but she does not have access to it

Question:
My grandmother was signed over a deed when her neighbor passed away but the new neighbors are taking advantage of it.  I just now found out about this. Apparently, she owns both properties but only has one at the moment.

What steps should I take to begin taking legal action?  How do I gain access to the documents stating that she owns the property?  Where do I go and who do I speak to?

We don't have much funds so I'm hoping the process isn't too expensive.

Answer:
 What do you mean new neighbors? Why are they there if it isn't their property?

Do you have an agreement to let neighbors stay there? If not and its her house she calls the police and tells them people are trespassing.

If neighbors have established themselves as tenants she needs to give them notice to vacate and then evict them if they don't leave. The process is pretty straightforward


Title: Gabapentin malpractice death?

Question:
Okay, so this has been weighing on me for some time now. My mother passed October of 2016 in the state of Oregon (US) after somehow falling and hitting her head. I discovered tons of paperwork and medical records that seem to suggest it may very well have been caused by Gabapentin (or more specifically, her doctor wrongfully prescribing it and missing or ignoring the signs). I doubt there's much I can do legally to stop this from happening, but at the very least if I'd like to warn others. I'm sharing what I'd written (in a VERY emotional state) soon after finding these things, as well as after further discoveries:

 Maybe it's a weird coping mechanism, but I feel an overwhelming need to hold someone accountable so this can't happen to others.
If I'm correct, then I HIGHLY DOUBT this is an isolated incident 😕

 I strongly believe that Gabapentin and medical neglect led to the death of my mother.

She was prescribed for an off-label use but she should NOT BY ANY MEANS have been put on or kept on this medication.
It is SIMPLE common sense that the common side effects posed a HUGE risk to her safety, likelihood of accidental death, suffering daily, and ruining her quality of life.

The adverse health implications were SO unbelievably clear cut. As her experience of symptoms coincided with worsening side effects over the years, SOMEONE should've caught on. Doctor after doctor did nothing.

The things she couldn't explain, the characteristics that didn't used to make up her character a decade ago... It just makes sense now.

I'm really hurting over this because her mentality, behavior, and limitations left us with a severely damaged relationship for half of my life. It all makes so much sense why she continued to get worse, so much so that she couldn't recognize what she was doing wrong. The mind fog, memory loss, confusion, irrational behavior, outbursts...

I spent so many years of my life resenting my mom because of her limitations. I thought she just refused to try hard enough, every time she got worse medically she'd get worse mentally and all she needed was get help :/ Her behavior was so illogical, overreactive, irrational, hateful. It fluctuated, worsened with her health.

In my eyes, she just kept digging herself a pit without caring who the consequences would hurt. I thought she was being selfish. Even after she passed, I was almost mad at her like I wouldn't have had to be without her if she'd taken of herself...

As I've gone through her things, I realize that neither of us had any idea that these are all likely side effects of a medication she'd been on since my childhood... She trusted her doctors... She had so many other conditions before and while she was treated with this... I almost feel like she was made to be some guinea pig. How could so many medical professionals overlook these problems?? How could she have never had someone stop and say "I wonder if it's the Gabapentin causing/worsening this?"

Her actions had become progressively more toxic and she couldn't understand it. She couldn't remember her own words, I thought it was avoidance, but it was truly memory loss... I thought even if that wasn't a lie, her erratic behavior was still inexcusable.

But no one once considered it was directly the neurological impact of this medication.

One pill, one in a routine handful, a constant that was never second-guessed.
A single skim over its leaflet would've left any uneducated person baffled how anyone could find it okay to give this to her...
And yet a plethora of medical professionals gave it approval?

Why would they keep her on a medication that causes heart palpitations when she had a heart condition? Joint pain when she had severe arthritis? Memory loss when she had 10+ medications to remember to take correctly every day? Somnolence when she already had Sleep Apnea? Dizziness, vertigo, reduced coordination, and falls when she was already overweight with messed up cartilage and damage in her weak knees? When she needed to be pulled up to step onto a sidewalk, which progressed to walking with a cane then a walker? Bathroom and stomach problems when she already had those too? Then even after diagnosing a partially failing kidney, they still had her on something toxic and warned against for people with bad kidneys?

I truly can't remember which of these ailments started prior to her taking Gabapentin, but they worsened significantly despite treatment while she continued to take it.

Almost ALL OF THESE ARE NOT RARE COMPLICATIONS, they're clearly stated common side effects! They're meant to be addressed when they worsen, not assumed to be new conditions to diagnose and prescribe more pills for...

How is any of that logical?
Not one doctor made the distinction between additional co-existing conditions and well-known side effects?

Years of new, continuing, worsening symptoms. Always lumped together into a new diagnosis and  prescription.
This medication CANNOT be safely taken off-schedule or abruptly stopped, but its side effects, especially exhaustion, became so debilitating that it wasn't possible to keep a schedule with 3 doses a day. Going off for even 12 hours starts a dangerous withdrawal. The decreased mobility wasn't limited to preexisting conditions and aging. Much was unexplained for many months. She began to be unable to raise her arms above her head, turn her neck far enough to look over her shoulder, lost strength in her upper arms... They couldn't explain it, just like they couldn't explain her slurred speech the first time she went to the ER, then the next time she should've but instead waited 3+ days to see her doctor per Dr.'s advice. Or the impaired lucidity the next time when went in and stayed for the perforated peptic ulcer. Each day for almost two weeks, it was noted how she seemed "off." Coined to infection just because it "could be" the cause... Septic shock then that didn't improve like it should've. She was always getting infections, maybe from her autoimmune disorder, but Gabapentin is known to increase the risk and she was known to be in a condition that couldn't handle that...

3 hospital visits, all "unexplained"  symptoms that should've been recognized as major adverse reactions to Gabapentin and treated accordingly. But they were instead  writhen off, assumed to be the result of some other medical problem, most of which she developed or had worsened significantly over the years despite treatment.
This wasn't aging. This was the medical system failing my mother.

http://i63.tinypic.com/2cha2r.jpg
http://i66.tinypic.com/2md52kk.jpg
http://i65.tinypic.com/ncxyc6.jpg
http://i65.tinypic.com/k9jggg.jpg
http://i67.tinypic.com/4v5jbm.jpg
http://i66.tinypic.com/xbcohy.jpg

Months later I wrote:
I posted a while back about the mass off-label prescription of Neurontin (Gabapentin) and my belief that it contributed to my mother's death in October...

Just found paperwork showing that after she'd been discharged from her final hospital stay, two weeks before she died her doc started her on 600mg, 600mg, and 900mg daily... Even though that visit she'd reported falling frequently. And she had failing kidneys. A fall is what killed her. This mass prescribing needs to be stopped... I don't care who's making the money, they don't deserve a damn penny of it. They're taking lives...

Answer:
 I am sympathetic to your grief and sorrow.

But this isn't a grieving subreddit.    Medical malpractice is specifically one of the things we don't give guidance on, because it is so complex and fact-specific.

This is true even when you include a lot of facts.

Notably, one of the facts you didn't include is the country, state, or province your mother was treated in.   That's important.

All anyone can, or should tell you is that you can consult with a personal injury attorney, or one who has specific experience with this specific drug.

And, again, I am sympathetic to your grief and sorrow.


Title: Will I be arrested?

Question: I went to Wisconsin in June for the only vacation I could afford in years. On my way back I was passing someone when they decided to speed up so I couldn't, I was running out of room so I too sped up and finished my pass then let off the gas. I came over the hill slowing down and about a quarter mile up the road I saw a state trooper. He claims I was doing 23 over, I wasn't, I was issued a 225 dollar ticket that I can literally not afford to pay. Nor can I afford the increase in my insurance if I pay the ticket admitting guilty. I read on multiple sources that all that will happen is I can't go back to Wisconsin since they will put a warrant out for my unpaid fine. What do I do?

Answer:
 You COULD be arrested.  No one here can say if you will be or not.

They can also contact your home state and have your license suspended...

Ignoring a legal obligation is a losing proposition in nearly all cases.


Title: Victim of a weed scam.

Question:
So I'm just going to preface this as this was probably the stupidest thing I've ever done and it's a huge fuck up on my part.

The story basically goes that I was in Massachusetts and it was a fairly rainy day and I decided I wanted to smoke. I needed a new cartridge so I decided to use LeafedIn to hit up a nearby dealer so I can get it delivered.

Long story short, I ended up paying "some dude" a lot of money for cartridges I didn't get in the end. The payments were made through cashapp and PayPal. I had payed in total $420 (yes I know what a tragic coincidence) and now I'm unsure what to do if anything to get my money back.

I have a Bank of America account and I want to contact them but I don't know how to go about reporting this fraud. It is a state where weed is legal but I'm not sure.

Can I get my money back?

Answer:
 There is no method by which you can report this as fraud without either: a.) fililng a false report or b.) making it known that you were purchasing illegal drugs.

This is an occupational hazard that goes along with illegal activity, and the guy who stole your money knew that you'd basically be unable to report it without incriminating yourself too.


Title: HOA fence issue, fence was built before I owned the house, more than likely before HOA was a part of the community.

Question:
I recently received a notification from my HOA that "a fence has been erected that violates HOA deed restrictions". My SO contacted the HOA and asked what was wrong, he was told our fence was erected without going through the HOA and doesn't comply to the HOA guidelines, he proceeded to tell them we didn't build the fence, we bought the house in 2015 with it. They said they would call back. Today they called him and told him, they knew the fence was there when we purchased it, they would give us till June 2017 to remediate the fence and we needed to fill out the HOA fence application (with fee) to do any work to the fence to fix it. He said we wouldn't pay a fee and they said they would email us more information.

Known facts are that the HOA guidelines are all notarized from 2007, my house was built in 2005, we are the 3rd owners, our house wasn't sold as is, there were no liens on the property when we purchased it for HOA violations/fines, we do not know when this fence was built (it is worn and old looking).

Our families believe we need to be grandfathered in because 1) the fence was more than likely built before the HOA was part of our community, and 2)that if it was built after 2007 why didn't the HOA do their job at that time and go after who built it, up to 9 years ago is a gross negligence for them and if they want the fence to be updated it needs to be on their dime.

I honestly believe the law is on my side, I just do not know how to go about my next interaction with the HOA manager that would make my fence be grandfathered and not cost me money. To fix the fence is ~500 in materials alone and I imagine actually seeking legal council could cost a lot of money.

Lastly, what is wrong with the fence is it doesn't have a shadow box style, it isn't an issue with the fence being broken or unsightly, it just isn't exactly the style the HOA requires.

Thank you for reading.

Edit: OH, USA

Answer: If you look up older photos on Google Earth you might find out when the fence was built.Answer #2: Head down the permitting office and see if permits were pulled to build the fence when the property was first built (or any permits between then and now really).  Should answer your questions right quick.Answer #3: You can talk to a lawyer, but a homeowners association is usually petty, and it's likely they will try fighting you on other "issues" if they can't win this one. Answer #4: The legal doctrine you want to look into is called "latches".


Title: I'm a webcomic artist in Canada. If someone translates my comics, can I distribute the translated comic without giving credit to the translator?

Question: The translator includes their own watermarks on the bottom of each comic. Can I remove these but keep the translations?

Answer:
 You have the rights to the comic itself and the translator probably has the rights to the translation (assuming there is creative input, which is highly likely even for a translation). Legally you can't just take the translation. However, they aren't allowed to distribute the translated comics without your permission either; they are infringing on your copyright.

Contact them and tell them that you're willing to give them permission to distribute the translated comics under the condition that you get their permission to host those without watermark. Tell them that you're going after them for copyright infringement if no agreement is reached.

That said, regardless of the watermark it is still common courtesy to credit them for their translation work if such a deal is reached. Why would you not do this?