Title: Was assaulted this morning by my girlfriend's sister's psychotic stalker boyfriend who came to my apartment uninvited looking for her at 5 AM... What are my legal options?

Question:
First off, this happened in Riverside County, California. Bit of a long post, but I want to be sure I give the details right.

So after a night of drinking with her sister, my girl was very well drunk and had to go home. It was about 1 am when I picked her up and tucked her in, and she was out like a log in my bed.

Note that my girl's sister has a very abusive and controlling asshole of a boyfriend whom her sister has been trying to get away from for forever. We'll call him "DoucheBag", as he's the one who assaulted me - More on that later.

Anyhow, a few hours later at 5am, I was in my apartment(my name is on the lease) enjoying some beers by myself while swapping between college work and reddit, by that time I'd had a 12-pack and one 16-oz beer. (Popped my first one at 1AM after I tucked my girl in, I do drink a lot but I don't drink and drive or anything like that) when there is a knock at my sliding glass window by my porch.

It's DoucheBag, trying to act all buddy-buddy with me asking where my girl's sister is. Apparently my girl's younger brother (Who he's a good guy, but very naive and easily manipulated, probably bullied in to this by Douchebag as well... We'll call him "IdiotBrother" from here on out since for god's sake he should have known better to do this)

Apparently, IdiotBrother *told* DoucheBag where my apartment is located, and then Douchebag took IdiotBrother with him and drove him at 5am to point out to DoucheBag *exactly* which unit number my apartment is.

Anyhow, DoucheBag knows FULL WELL I don't like him. At all. I've made no secret about that, ever. I'm so distracted and rage-filled with this abusive, controlling shithead coming to MY DOORSTEP looking for my girl's sister like a psychotic stalker at 5am that my cat went right out the sliding glass door.

My cat is an indoor cat (we live in a DANGEROUS neighborhood for cats) and I love my cat a lot more than I love a fight, so I chased after my cat outside on the porch, realizing my futility a second later because he was long gone and I knew I wouldn't catch him.

Furthermore, I had a psycho who just came over to my house at 5am completely uninvited searching for my girl's sister on my doorstep.

Now, at that point (right next to my apartment porch/parking lot) I don't remember much at all because I had a concussion out of all this, and I am going on the story that IdiotBrother said happened that he told me later.

At that point, supposedly I grabbed Douchebag's shirt and said "Leave us the fuck alone!" (I don't remember this happening, this is all IdiotBrother's account but I can possibly imagine myself doing that after, just trying to get DoucheBag the fuck off my apartment complex and property), at which point he clocked me square in the jaw. My head hit the asphault of the parking lot that's right next to my porch (about five feet away from my porch itself) and after that I don't remember much, as I fell in to a concussion.

From there I'm told, IdiotBrother and DoucheBag dragged me in to my apartment, and eventually I came to... As I said, I don't remember this, I just remember coming to lucidity again and seeing DoucheBag and IdiotBrother in my living room, completely uninvited. I didn't even realize I'd been punched at that point, to be honest. I told him get the fuck out of my apartment and was damn near ready to fight to defend my apartment, but Douchebag just started talking some high-school level shit talking along the lines of calling me a "punk ass bitch" or whatnot before shoving me in the chest and leaving with IdiotBrother.

I went to the hospital about two hours after the event occurred. My girl woke up and went with me. (she's awesome!) I have 15 stitches in my lip, as basically a big ol' chunk out of the side of my lip was missing (think a much smaller, one-sided version of [Heath Ledger's "joker smile"](https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.M64b51b26390bd1526cefc618764c3a8bo0&pid=15.1). Here's to hoping it's not permanently disfiguring to my face. I was sure to take photos of all injuries to my lip and the back of my head, which also got three staples.

Anyhow... What are my legal options here for seeking prosecution, or recompensation? I'll just be blunt: I fucking hate DoucheBag and would love to see him spend a very long stay in a jail cell, and with his psychotic antics he pulled I think I have all the legal evidence to press charges.

Bear in mind that DoucheBag and IdiotBrother were AT NO POINT invited to my house, or welcomed over in any way at all. I made NO contact with them before all this happened, DoucheBag just decided to come on over to my fucking house at 5am like it's no big deal.

However... Would I also be in danger of being arrested? According to IdiotBrother's story I was right outside of my apartment on the porch by the driveway when I supposedly grabbed his shirt(I guess that grabbing a shirt can count as assault?), when DoucheBag punched me immediately after. Under the eyes of the law, would grabbing his shirt outside of my apartment complex and right in front of my porch legally count as me "throwing the first blow"? I had no intention of fighting him, I just wanted him to go the fuck away.

Also... I do ponder filing a restraining order - not only to further ensure that it gives me some legal protections, but also to "build up a history" with DoucheBag, in the event that he comes to my house again I might be able to use California's Castle Doctrine and invoke lethal force if need be. Mind you, I'm not an idiot with weapons - I do have military experience from 4 years in the Army, and when I have people like DoucheBag coming to my house at 5am trying to stalk my girl's sister, that *does* make me legitimately fear for my safety in my own home.

Speaking of, that's another reason I question IdiotBrother's version of the story... I've heard MANY times that due to my military training, if I get in to a fight with someone I can get an Assault w/Deadly Weapon charge, and I remember that because of that I was VERY hesitant to actually hit him or fight him. Will that come in to play?

Sorry for the long post. This all just happened this morning. Any advice or answers anyone could give me would be very appreciative. :)

(P.S. My girl spent an hour looking for the cat before we left to the hospital and eventually found the little guy. Was scared witless, but she saved the day. Told you she was awesome. :) )

Answer:
 >when I have people like DoucheBag coming to my house at 5am trying to stalk my girl's sister, that does make me legitimately fear for my safety in my own home.

Just some life advice, don't open the door for people that cause you to fear for your safety. If they attempt to forcibly enter your home, then the castle doctrine comes into play. I'm glad to hear you were able to locate your cat.


Title: My employer is switching me from salary to hourly - no title or change in responsibilities. What are my options in the state of Colorado?

Question: My current employer is switching the office hours so that it closes at 12:30pm on Fridays. Employees can make up the 4 hours by working an extra hour Monday through Thursday or only work 36 hours a week. For this reason they are switching all exempt salaried employees to hourly in order to makes us clock-in and out so that they can ensure we are working 40 hours. What are my choices, if any, to avoid being paid hourly? My tittle is Systems and Infrastructure Manager and I’m in charge of all things IT for the company.

Answer:
 > What are my choices, if any, to avoid being paid hourly?

Absent a contract saying otherwise, you have no choices, aside from choosing to no longer work there.


Title: Brother bullied at school Broke his neck

Question:
Earlier today my younger brother (9) who has been getting bullied at school was intentionally pushed down a stair well and fractured his neck and upper
Back. School staff was alerted and he was sent in an ambulance to the children hospital and is in urgent care. Doctors are optimistic but my question is what now we are lost and under a lot of stress whats our next step.

Aurora(CO)

Answer:
 A lawyer is your next step. A lawyer will be able to help you figure out whether you can recover from the school or the bully's family. For an injury like your brother's you can count on a lot of attorneys being willing to give a free consultation. 9 year-old kids don't break their necks and backs often. Shop around until you find a lawyer you trust and who you think is competent. Answer #2: I would contact the police immediately.  Answer #3: Was this an ongoing scenario where the school was already aware of the bullying behavior? If so, a suit can be made against the school or school board for neglecting their responsibilities of ensuring a safe environment.

Obviously the most important thing at the moment is getting the appropriate medical attention and then contacting the police. I wish you well and hope the best for your brother.Answer #4: Few questions:

*  Was school aware of the bullying before this incident?
*  Does the school have cameras?

You should also save all of your bills and document them, include possible physical therapy needs, and possibly buying special braces and what not.Answer #5: Your first duty is to make sure he is fine and to support him in his recovery.  Secondary would be to lawyer up and call the police to get this documented.  Some schools try to make things like this go away.  After you make sure your brother is fine,  you need to make sure this doesnt just go away.


Title: Semi hit my car - what's my next step?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > will the insurance only pay out for the value of the car? My sister didn't opt for gap when she bought the car new.

Yes, they will not be paying off what she owes if she did not get gap insurance. She is going to owe the difference.

> My sister has a lump on her leg from when it hit the dash during impact, I've taken pictures. Will a lawyer be able to consider that as 'pain and suffering'?

Maybe, but probably unlikely.


Title: Deceased father-in-laws credit card debt? [Tennessee]

Question:
My father in law died about 3 years ago. He owned almost nothing and my wife and I paid out of pocket to have him cremated. My wife drove from here in PA to TN to take care of his apartment and clean up his few personal items.

She just got a rather impolite call from a collection company wanting her to square up on one of his credit cards.

What are my options in dealing with this? We don't have the cash they want since I've got quite a few medical bills and it wasn't our debt so I think they should pound salt.

Answer:
 _sand_  pound sand. we say in this subreddit.

but your instinct is correct. unless someone guaranteed or cosigned his account, the debt dies with the debtor.

the debt collector was probably just fishing.

this is assuming he didn't own a house or have any other estate right?Answer #2: you do not inherit debt (unless your wife had guaranteed that credit card or something).

However, any assets he had will have to be sold to pay for his debts. Google "small estate Tennessee".

Not an attorney.Answer #3: The estate would be responsible.

Since you said you paid out of pocket for cremation I assume there were no real assets in the estate.

She does not inherit her father's debt and she should not agree to pay in any way, shape or form.Answer #4: Just in case they call back and say that you at least owe them what his assets (furniture) sold for, most states allow burial/funeral costs to be paid by the estate, and that is paid first before any other debts.  So, likely, any and all assets he might have had had been used already for funeral expenses.  I'd tell him/them to fuck off.


Title: (UK) Did I assault someone by spraying them with water?

Question:
There are 2 men on dirt bikes that constantly make racket outside my apartment to try and get attention of my neighbour. I came back from the gym today and they were revving their engines, so asked them calmly to please not do that as it's very loud. They responded by saying they'd do 'what the f**k they'd like to' and then launched into a tirade of gross sexual comments about my body (I'm female).

The comments were extremely crude and out of pure shock and anger, I sprayed them in the faces with my water bottle. This was deliberate on my part and I did it 3 times.

One of the men then drove past me on his bike and tried to grab my bag from my shoulder, but missed and ended up whacking me on the hip instead. I then sprayed the remaining man with water once more before he drove off too.

Not sure what to do. Obviously I shouldn't have risen to their comments by spraying them with water, but I have no idea how to handle him trying to steal my bag from me as that's quite serious. I'm in the UK so not sure if I'll be charged with assault for spraying them with water if I report this. Any advice is welcome, thanks.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Good luck on finding an officer trying to arrest you for this is what I would say to them, but a couple of years back a man was arrested in brittain for spraying his neighbor with a hose.

edit you also might want to try r/legaladviceuk IANAl


Title: Father of two going through divorce in Ohio. Ex has had another mans child.

Question:
Little long, bear with me.

I have been in process of divorce since November 200120k, throughout the course of events, I have been removed from my home, forced to pay exorbitant amounts of support and I slept on a good friends couch for more the until he had to move. This resulted in me losing my job and being forced to move home to my mother's house in California.

Not an ideal situation, but passable.  I have two children,  because of the move I am unable to spend nearly as much time with them as I want to and as a father should.

So I studied, advanced myself in my career and my field and found a new position in California that allows me to pay support and begin rebuilding my life and allows me the funds to transport or visit my children more often.

As of yesterday,  a hearing was set up and my ex (still technically my wife) has gotten wind of my better situation and is petitioning the court for almost three times the level of current support.

She has had an extremely involved relationship over the past couple of years. She now has given birth to his child. The court says I have no option on child support and spousal support for the next three years unless I can prove cohabitation. Are there any other legal stipulations or cases that state I can eliminate the spousal support provision (I have no problem paying child support, they're my kids) for a woman that continues relationships and having other mens children.

Or do I need to hire a Private Eye, (which now I'm having trouble finding the funds for) and prove cohabitation and/ or other evidence to prove her a bad mother?

Answer:
 Generally speaking, child support will not end even upon cohabitation with another party. You will only be absolved of your child support upon the minors reaching age of majority, adoption, or otherwise stated in PSA/Decree.

As for termination of spousal support, for absolute termination you will indeed have to show cohabitation. This is done through the formal process of "discovery". Cohabitation can be shown by joint bills, living arrangements, etc. A competent family law attorney knows how to go through this process and get the information that you need.

Keep in mind, spousal support can also be modified based on a change of circumstances for the spouse. Even if you cannot terminate for cohabitation (which you probably could), you could counterclaim for reduced spousal support based on change in circumstances for spouse.

Either way, speak with an Ohio attorney for more information abotu Ohio law related to spousal support modification.Answer #2: >since November 200120k

I don't think this sub has many lawyers familiar with Federation Law.


Title: Is it legal for children to be topless/naked at public beaches? At what age it becomes illegal? (All countries)

Question:
I got into internet argument about child nudity at the beach. Tried to search myself but no avail. I live in Eastern Europe (Ukraine), but interested in any country/local laws of that matter.

So, I know it's considered legal for small children to be topless/nude at the beach. But do any country/local laws have a specific age when it starts to be illegal? Specifically interested in legality of pre-pubescent girls being topless at the public beach. If a 3 yo, 6 yo, 13 yo, 16 yo girls were topless at the beach, who would be beaking the law?

*I'm not a pedo/creep, I'm a woman who was topless at the beach until 6-7 yo, just wondering about legal status in different countries*

Answer: 'all countries' would involve an _elaborate_ law journal article's worth of work. in the US it's governed by an array of laws. nude beaches are mostly by local ordinance. I just looked up one in Massachusetts that specifies 5 years as the age at which nudity prohibition starts.  as such, in the US, this is probably an area where "community standards" are the closest thing to the law. and are in fact made law by being enacted as ordinances in some places. Answer #2: IANAL but it can vary a ton. In alot of places technically women dont NEED to wear shirts its more of just what is accepted socially for the area.


Title: (Massachusetts) I'm planning a minor name change. Are there any repercussions or unintended consequences I should be aware of?

Question:
I started a new job last year and, after knee-jerk correcting a coworker's grammatical fuckup (I couldn't help myself. It was reflex and the fuckup was bad) one of the managers dubbed me "Higgins." I loved it and now the entire office calls me Higgins and I have a few friends I've made since then who have only ever known me by that name. The other day I caught myself starting to sign a professional email as Higgins and that's not the first time that sort of thing has happened.

Point is, I'm now considering legally adding "Higgins" to my name. It would be nice to simply introduce myself as Higgins rather than going through the "My name is ____ but you can call me Higgins" thing, and I'm putting things in motion to open my own business and I'd like to go by Higgins in the course of work there. I don't ever put anything more than my first and last names on financial or legal documents, so I can't imagine that adding a new middle initial will make any sort of difference, but I'd rather be sure before I go through the process. Is there any way this could bite me in the ass down the road?

Answer:
 Massachusetts maintains the common law rule that a man may adopt and use a new name at will, so long as it's not for fraudulent purposes. The problem that people sometimes run into is that the Social Security Administration or other government entity often wants proof of the change beyond what the law requires, which is why they obtain a court order to change their name. The order is not required for a change to be legally effective, but it acts as authoritative proof.

If you intend to use a new name for use a middle name, there will be no risk of confusion and I do not think a court ordered change would be of much use to you. You'll be just fine simply using your new name.


Title: How screwed is my friend

Question:
My friend let’s call him Doug signed a Lease for and very expensive condo for his friend let’s call him Steve. Doug and Steve both sell drugs together in large amounts. Steve is a horrible person in general and my friend doug isn’t very smart. Anyways Doug signed all the papers and what not for Steve and Doug lived there for a few months. Steve couldn’t sign it himself because he is a felon there might be a rule about felons signing leases in Maryland I’m not really sure. Steve was supposed to be paying Doug monthly and then Doug would just take the money and just pay the rent. Steve eventually just ghosted Doug and stopped Paying him so my friend couldn’t pay the rent so  now he owes the apt complex a lot of money upwards of 15k for the lost rent. Anyways long story short collection agencies are now calling Doug. How will this hurt Doug’s credit , etc? How can he fix this with the apt complex it’s been over a year since all this happened.

Sorry my grammar is shit. I can specify any specific information as well.

Answer:
 Doug owes all the money for the rent.

Period.

Doug can sue steve for the money he is out.

Also, it seems weird to me that a "very expensive condo" didn't do any income verification prior to allowing Doug to move in.Answer #2: Why would a person who sells drugs for a living care about their credit score?

The advice for **you** is to stop being friends with this person before you get dragged into something.


Title: We've been homeless for 2 months because our new house hasn't been delivered yet.

Question:
First of all, we live in New York State. I'm gonna keep it vague because of privacy reasons but we are on Long Island.

Back in May, my parents and I decided it was time to buy a house. We had been renting for years and decided to purchase.

As a sidenote, I'm only 18, and am beginning college in 3 weeks. This is all my parents doing the legal stuff.

So we found a condo that was in construction and fast forward 2 weeks, we bought a unit that would be delivered by mid-June.

We put down $20,000 for various upgrades and just as a down-payment. Keep in mind, since we were renting a house before this and had to be moved out by July 1st. So, we thought that this was perfect. It would be delivered two weeks before we had to move, and we could move all our stuff with ease.

Boy were we wrong.

We were told there were delays with construction, and that it would be delivered within July 7th.

Then the date moved to the 15th. Then the 20th. It kept moving.

This wasn't a major issue because we would all be in Italy from July 6th to August 6th.

Our attorney here in NY was taking care of things, in her own way. Basically, she did a really shitty job. We asked her to call and be more forceful with the deadlines and she wouldn't call, she'd just say that she trusted the builders.

Well, now we're all back from Italy and without a home. Turns out, the construction workers lied to us. On July 24th, they said the house was completed and they were just waiting for the permits to live in it from the town. My dad went to the Town office and that wasn't true, the request for the permits was made days after the house was supposedly completed.

Now, we have all the permits and are waiting for the last piece of paperwork from the bank. We have no idea what we can do, or what's going to happen. We're lost.

AND we have no idea what our mortgage is gonna be. Apparently, we don't find out until we close and sign the contract.

TLDR: Bought a house in May, gave them $20,000 and various delays and lies from the company has delayed the house 2 months. We also don't know how much we're gonna pay and when we can move in. Currently homeless.

Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer:
 >We also don't know how much we're gonna pay and when we can move in.

what? Your parents bought a condo and they have a move in date but no price? They will not be able to move in until they actually purchase the condo, which will presumably require a mortgage to pay the builder. I don't understand why they thought they would be able to just move in the day they got back from their vacation.

It sounds like your parents may have been confusing completion date with move in date. Answer #2: >AND we have no idea what our mortgage is gonna be. Apparently, we don't find out until we close and sign the contract.

Sounds like there are some federal laws being broken here.  Someone, as part of this process, has had to have seen a settlement statement or good faith estimate.  Why would one even agree to mortgage terms without knowing the terms?Answer #3: you are missing a ton of info. you get pre-approved for a mortgage BEFORE you purchase anything. you also know the purchase price because you have to make an offer and have it accepted.

your parents are either keeping info from you, or you dont understand what is actualy going on.

none of this makes enough sense to even give advice


Title: Do i have to delete her nudes

Question:
israel
a girl i was with sent me nudes, lots of them (with her own will), not taken by me, but by her, she recently got annoying and so i broke up with her and blocked her every where, at first she kept sending messages from different accounts that she will suicide.
i dont believe her, she probably just wants attention,
and now she sends a message from a different number that if i dont unblock her and tell her that i deleted all her nudes and previous messages, she will call the cops on me(?? wwtf)
(she said that i can reblock her after i give her a statement that i deleted everything)
do i have to do that?
and if she killed herself, am i to be blamed?

Answer:
 She's asking you to delete them,and you don't seem to like her anymore ,so what's the issue? Not to mention if you get another girlfriend, she probably won't like you having those kinds of photos of an ex.

Out of decency,you should just delete the images of her.Answer #2: Delete them. You are not interested in her, she is not interested in you, then what's the deal with keeping her images anyway. And reassuring her would only keep you away from further tensions if she raises any issue about it as you would have already deleted them, it will only waste time. Reassure & block her and if she still threatens you about her attempting suicide, you can take the legal steps against her.


Title: What makes something child porn?

Question:
I keep seeing posts where on the legal advice subreddit that concern child porn, and I have seen multiple times that nudes don't count unless the genitals are shown. For example a topless photo/selfie does not count unless the genitals are shown or there is a sexual act depicted. Is this true?

&#x200B;

Answer:
 The courts use the [Dost Test](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dost_test) to help them decide whether something is child porn or not.

That test consists of six criteria.  Not all need to be present, and other factors outside those six can be used.  They are:

* Whether the focal point of the visual depiction is on the child's genitalia or pubic area.
* Whether the setting of the visual depiction is sexually suggestive, i.e., in a place or pose generally associated with sexual activity.
* Whether the child is depicted in an unnatural pose, or in inappropriate attire, considering the age of the child.
* Whether the child is fully or partially clothed, or nude.
* Whether the visual depiction suggests sexual coyness or a willingness to engage in sexual activity.
* Whether the visual depiction is intended or designed to elicit a sexual response in the viewer.


Title: If I buy a pupilometer online, can give free PD measurements to strangers or is this "medical advice"? [CO]

Question:
What if I stood on a public sidewalk outside an optometrists office?

What if it was just for people I know in the privacy of our homes?

Answer: Look dude, I like Zenni as much as the next guy but there are better ways to go about this.


Title: Alcoholic father keeps trying to change his will. Can I stop him somehow?

Question:
First thread on Reddit. Forgive me if I make any basic formatting errors.
I (22y/o male from Louisiana, USA) have been promised my father's inheritance my entire life. I have made many major life decisions based on that over the years, and it would really be horrible if I discovered that I no longer received this inheritance. In the past three years or so, my father relapsed and now suffers from really bad alcoholism. The liquor and xanax mean that he can't remember the last 10 minutes from a conversation most of the time, much less decisions he has made in the past few months.
My aunt, who has never taken an interest in my life or his, has taken a keen interest in friendship with him since his relapse and my moving out. I am quite confident this is not to take care of him. I think she is trying to take advantage of him to convince him, in his fragile mental condition, to give the inheritance to her. In a drunken stupor, he already called one of his old girlfriends and tried to tell her he wanted to give her the business in his will. I assume because he wanted to get laid, relieve some guilt, or feel like Santa. Since then, he told me that was just him being a drunk idiot and that he would never do something like that. She told me that had already happened several times and she didn't take him seriously.
In short, I want what has been described to me as my birthright my entire life. Before his alcoholism got bad, he intentionally showed me his will, and it basically all went to me. Is there any way I can declare him unfit to change his will, or conversely, get him to sign a document (maybe notarized? Idk.) saying he won't change his will? Or, perhaps I can contest any changes he makes to his will after he passes on the grounds of his being unfit to change it?
It would seem like there would have to be some legal mechanism to, say, stop some 80 year old dementia patient from giving up his fortune to some attractive 30 year old gold-digger on a whim to get laid.

Answer:
 If your father is competent to make his own decisions, then he is free to change his will whenever he wants, and to give it all away to some random person on the street if the mood strikes him

If he is not competent then any will he makes can be challenged, but you could also seek to get guardianship over him. Consult a local lawyer for that.

Keep in mind YOU don't get to decide if he is competent or not.Answer #2: NEVER bank on inheritance. Ever.


Title: Is the false advertising

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 "Scheduled maintenance" is not on that list, and it's their schedule anyway; not the manufacturer's. Coolant system flush, more detailed inspections ("is it right side up and not on fire" is technically a multi-point inspection), brake service, maybe some other stuff I dunno I'm not a car guy.

>"scheduled maintenance" to remain in the program.

This does seem to be at odds with the "all at no charge to you" part, but the full Ts and Cs are probably spelled out in the contract. Doing your own maintenance could invalidate the contract as well.


Title: [NJ] My employer is cutting my salary, am I required to comply?

Question:
Hello! Long story short, my company has chosen to normalize the salaries of everyone on my team, which results in a bump for some, but a ~33% decrease in my salary. I never signed anything, never consented to the change, was only given a brief Powerpoint slide describing the changes.

After bringing it up to HR, they said my old salary is 'no longer available' but now they want me to sign a form that pins down my new (lower) salary. Am I legally obligated to take this pay cut?

Thanks so much for any advice.

Answer:
 >Am I legally obligated to take this pay cut?

Unless you have a written agreement guaranteeing your prior salary, you can either (1) agree to the pay cut, or (2) resign.Answer #2: Legally obligated? No. But the alternative is that they let you go.

Step 1: Accept that the alternative to a 33% pay cut is to quit. The ability to walk away is the most powerful tool in a negotiation, so if you really want this to not happen, the only alternative is to leave.

Step 2: You need to talk to your manager and calmly explain that you will not accept a pay cut and that you'd like him to intervene in the situation if he wishes to retain you as an employee. If he's unsympathetic, run it up the chain. You must remain totally calm and collected - if you get riled up, you lose.

Step 3: If you find somebody who cares that you'll quit before taking a pay cut, have them help you NOT get your pay slashed.

Step 3b: If you can't find somebody who cares about you leaving, leave. Actually walking away can make your employer care a great deal, because most people are usually bluffing.


Title: [US, DC] Can speaking in public, for media/PR purposes, hurt my misdemeanor case?

Question:
I was arrested about a week ago, and subsequently charged with a misdemeanor in a case that has gotten some media attention. My case, all things considered, is pretty good, but I do not want to do anything to jeopardize my chances. Some close associates of mine are strongly pressuring me to speak at some sort of press conference, so as to counteract the media narrative and thus win in the court of public opinion. They say that my silence makes me look guilty, especially since the person who traduced me *is* making statements. They (some of whom have worked in the media/PR field) say that we are missing the media cycle.

I'm concerned that this might not be wise. I have spoken with the attorney who will likely represent me, but I did not get a chance to ask him about this. I spoke with another attorney I know, who is thoroughly involved in this sort of thing, basically said that it's up to me, but most lawyers would warn me off of it.

I'm very torn, and feeling a great deal of pressure. By the way, I am meeting in person with the attorney on the second, and my hearing to make sure I have an attorney will occur the following day.

Answer:
 >Some close associates of mine are strongly pressuring me to speak

If these associates hold a JD or LL.M and have passed the bar, you may consider listening to them.  Otherwise you should seek advice from someone who has.

>They say that my silence makes me look guilty

The "court of public opinion" isn't relevant.  The jury will be instructed to disregard what they may have seen in the media, and may be selected to cull people who have seen too much.  They will also likely be explicitly instructed not to consider your silence as an admission of guilt.


Title: Crashed coworkers car don't have the money to pay him for the damages.

Question: My girlfriend recently crashed a coworkers car. She was going to a store to pick up product for her resturant. Her car had a flat tire and her coworker offered his car for her to drive. It was raining and she rear ended another car. She was at fault and she got a ticket. Her coworker got a quote for the damages at 3600-5000$. The car she crashed was a 2005 Chevy impala. He only has PLPD insurance on the vehicle. My girlfriend does not have the money to pay for the repairs; And we aren't sure how the coverage works exactly. (Deductables, insurence increase, coverage because someone else was driving.)Also if she were to not pay him would he have any grounds to sue her? We live in Michigan

Answer:
 She damaged his property.

**Of course** he can sue her.  He will probably win.


Title: Contractor skipped town on my 68yo parents.

Question: My Parents decided to finish the second floor/attic in their vacation home and found a contractor to complete the job. My parents signed a contract with this contractor, gave him a $9200 check, half the estimated cost, on June 6. About 2 weeks later he requested the remainder of the funds with near nothing completed. My parents gave him an additional $4k. Yesterday the electrician that is starting the work stopped by to collect his tools from the unfinished job. The person currently renting the downstairs called my parents to let them know. My parents spoke to this man and he said he hasn't spoken to the contractor in 3 weeks, he has skipped town, there's another job down the street that he didn't finish, etc. Here's the kicker, my parents do not have a copy of the contract signed by the contractor. They found this guy through home adviser. Do they have any legal recourse? Is it worth it?

Answer:
 > my parents do not have a copy of the contract signed by the contractor.

I mean that is really, really bad. But the fact he screwed over multiple people helps. I would reach out to this other job down the street and find out what you can learn. You should both be filing police reports to start. This is very illegal.


Title: The house next door is going to be renovated into a church

Question:
The guy next door is a pastor for a local catholic church and is planning on selling his large but old house to the church to relocate.  Him and his wife will still live there for free but the church will own the house and property.

My parents live on a street with about 25 houses in a rural area with around 2 acre lots.  The proposed church would have parking space for 75 cars which will cause some crazy traffic during busy times.  Most people on the street don't want a church(or any other commercial building) going up on their quiet street.  They are talking to council about it on Monday and i'm just wondering if there is anything specific they should be talking about/doing to try to keep this church from being approved.  Apparently the zoning allows them to build a commercial building there since a few years ago there was a small gym there with like 5 people max.

Any advice is appreciated!

Answer:
 "a pastor for a local catholic church ""
Him and his wife"

Catholic priests usually don't have wives. But since you refused to specify where you live I doubt anyone can help you.


Title: Family Fitness using shady tactics

Question:
I will try to keep this simple. My girlfriend submitted her name to a drawing at a local coffee shop. She got a call from family fitness ( a chain of gyms) saying she won a two night stay to a list of specific hotels. Sweet.

She goes in and they tell her she needs to sign up for a membership to get the prize, but promise that she can cancel after her first month with no hassle if she wishes. After promising a low rate and ease of cancellation she signed a contract and was out the door with information for her prize.

Come a month later and she wants to cancel, but now there's a cancellation fee. Apparently my girlfriend didn't read the contract very well, and failed to notice the contract said a 300 dollar cancellation fee locked in at a 2 year agreement.

I understand that she signed the document and that the contract states she is aware and responsible for what she is signing, but their sales associate was lying through his teeth. After doing some research, this location  has almost 100 complains with the Better Business Bureau, with every customer having a very similar story to mine.
I'm already trying to take it as a lesson learned and just avoid the 50 dollar late fees they will charge, but this all seems unethical.

Appreciate the read and any insight to this situation, as I am completely lost.

Edit: location is United States for the bot.

Answer:
 > Apparently my girlfriend didn't read the contract very well

Yep.

> but their sales associate was lying through his teeth.

Can you prove it?

> as I am completely lost.

There is nothing to be lost about. She is bound by the terms of the contract she signed.


Title: [CA] Can a landlord request I not flush toilet paper down the toilet (and instead dispose of it in the trash)?

Question:
This isn't an issue currently which is why I'm posting in LAOT but it happened to me in the past for about a year.

Mexican landlord (relevant) converted his garage into a living space with a small kitchen (no stove) and a small bathroom area.  The cramped bathroom contained a sink, a toilet, and a stand-up shower stall whose door couldn't fully open because of the location of the toilet.  But it was $600/month in California and close to my school, it was a decent sized living area and came with free cable so I took it.

I was informed by the landlord that I couldn't flush toilet paper down the toilet because the pipes weren't large enough to support it.  He didn't think this was an issue since that's the way it was in Mexico where he came from.  I still did it occasionally and ended up clogging the pipes requiring the landlord to call a plumber (though I wasn't punished for this).  After that, I threw my toilet paper into the trash and disposed of the bag after each and every bowel movement.

Anyways, I'm wondering if this situation was legal or not.  The lease was pretty straight forward and nothing contained in the lease referred to the bathroom situation.

Answer: I live abroad and it's very common NOT to flush paper due to pipes and septic here.  There are signs in most public restrooms, except in resorts.


Title: Trying to get my boyfriend’s license reinstated (Illinois)

Question:
So my boyfriend got a DUI in 2010. He had alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine in his system. He ended up getting a conviction on his record, so his drivers license was revoked. He never had the money to take care of it, so he never did, he’s just lived without his license this whole time. Since that incident, he has not had any problem with the law, however he did have a prior burglary conviction that he ended up doing time in prison for. While on parole, he failed a drug test and they gave him the option of jail time or inpatient rehab. He took the inpatient rehab. Fast forward to now....he completed his DUI Evaluation, and the evaluator placed him at Significant Risk, which is like 30 hours of treatment, however the evaluator said that when he goes to get his license reinstated, he may have trouble getting it back, because he disclosed to the evaluator that he was previously in inpatient rehab. This information would be part of the report, and the DMV Hearings Officer would be privy to this information. For this reason, the evaluator recommended that we get an attorney who specializes in Drivers License Reinstatement’s. He gave us a couple business cards for local attorneys that handle these cases, and I reached out to one, and explained our situation. We just received all the paperwork in the mail to hire him. I explained to him that we could not afford the money up front and he said that he sometimes allows people to make payments, but didn’t elaborate further. The total cost is going to be $2563. I know for a fact that we won’t be able to pay more than maybe $50 a month, maybe $100 max. I don’t want to sign the paperwork because what if he isn’t willing to allow us such small payments.

My boyfriend is also concerned because last year he had a panic attack and when he was there they did a toxicology report and found alcohol, Coke, marijuana, and PCP in his system. If he signs a release, and the attorney sees this information, can it affect him negatively at all? My understanding is that the lawyer may have access to this information but since it is unrelated to the DUI, it really cannot be used against him. And since it was a year ago, they did not have a attorney-client relationship at that time, so it is really irrelevant.

I am new to all this, and I realize that the attorney is working for him and not against him. We just don’t want to take any chances and don’t want to waste any money.

Thanks.
Topic:
DUI

Answer:
 Shop around for attorneys. Don't just go to the ones the evaluator recommended

Your attorney works for you, and anything you tell them, even during the initial free consultation, is confidential. Call to ask about payment plans. Don't panic about that

Additionally, not really a legal issue, but if your budget is so tight that you can't spare $100 per month, is his drug use under control? Him going to AA and NA regularly might be helpful with his case, and life in general. It's a difficult hole to dig out of, I know from going through the reinstatement process


Title: What do I do if I find out my car's title has been scrubbed by the dealership I bought it from?

Question: I bought a car last year from a used car dealer. I asked them for the title and they said they "lost" it and would give it to me the next day, so we bought it the next day. I asked specifically if it was a salvage,  they said no,  and the title they gave me showed it was clean. I got in a fender bender and the insurance company said,  "well, since it's a salvage..." On their database,  they could see that the car had been totaled a few months before we bought it,  AND the people who had salvaged the vehicle were the ones who SOLD it to us. What are my options? What are the consequences for the dealership for doing this? I'm in Alaska, thank you!

Answer: It's a case of fraud. Go back to the dealer and demand they give you your money back/pay off your loan and take the car back. Also consider filing a fraud claim with either the local PD or your district attorney. And with whoever regulates car dealerships in your state.


Title: [Colorado] is it legal to be forced to accept direct deposits under threat of being charged $10 per paycheck?

Answer:
 Colorado employers may not mandate direct deposit and such a fine would be an unlawful payroll deduction. Answer #2: Probably want to give the CO Dept. of Labor a call and see what they think:

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdle/methods-payment

.. if this isn't legit, you might need their help to force the issue.

Keep in mind, though, the law doesn't protect you from getting fired for putting up a fight about this.


Title: Roommate moved out of state three months before end of lease [AZ]

Question:
I apologize if this topic has been covered ad nauseam.

My roommate told me about a month ago that he planned to leave for school in a different state. He told me he had been interviewing candidates for taking his spot. He also said that he had spoken with the landlord. Our landlord is a total flake and generally terrible. Roommate has generally done most of the correspondence with him.

So roommate left yesterday. As of that time he had not found someone to take his place. I also find out that he had not spoken to landlord and was planning to get an illegal subletter behind landlord's back.

I know I fucked up. I should've checked with landlord initially and gotten roommate to sign something tethering him to his share of the rent.

Roommate is still corresponding with me and is still trying to get someone to take his place, he does not realize I know he did not speak with the landlord.

What can I do? I was planning on leaving at the end of the lease but it would be an extreme hardship as of this moment.

Answer: Assuming you're both on the same lease together, you need to pay the rent in full. You can then sue the roommate for his share.


Title: Relatives threatening to call the cops over flowers at the cemetery

Question:
Located in Michigan. My mom has a falling out with her family several years back. Basically one of My relatives sexually abused me as a kid, and when I told my mom she was the only person who believed me. They all cut her off for supporting me and pressing charges against my abuser.

But getting to what’s happening now and the reason for my post. Her dad passed away a few years ago, and she sometimes goes and leaves flowers at his grave. She of course has a lot of conflicting emotions when it comes to him, but for whatever reasons finds doing this to be comforting. Her relatives have noticed the flowers, assume that she must be the one leaving them, and have started sending her nasty notes saying they’ll call the police if she doesn’t stop. I’m just wondering...can they really do that? I realize my mom doesn’t have ownership over the tombstone or anything, but she’s just leaving nice flowers. Wondering what the law/police would actually say if they were called.

Answer: Is he buried in a publicly accessible cemetery or on a private one? Rules for that are different.Answer #2: haha let them call and then the police can chew them out for trying to file a report on something that isn't a crime.


Title: Mom lost her job after 17 years, can she do anything? California.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > I'm not a legal expert but it seems like total bulls hit that they can fire someone without warning them that what they are doing is wrong.

Really? Your mom was basically stealing from the company. This termination is absolutely legal and she should've known better than to do that without permission from the company.

> Does she have any legal options? I told her to sue for her job back.

No, absolutely not.


Title: [ME] Is it legal for a mortician to embalm/cremate a member of their family

Question:
I'm writing a short story and for posterities sake I wanted to make sure it was possible for this to happen. I know it's kind of weird but I'd love to know if anyone has an answer to this!
edit: Bot didn't recognize the location. I'm talking about Maine.
Topic:
Healthcare Law including HIPAA

Answer: Definitely not if the family member is still alive!


Title: Should I be concerned? School bus story.

Question:
Hi everyone, there is a story from my sister who has no reddit account.

This morning I got two cops on my front door. They asked if I drive this grey Honda parked in front of my house - I said yes. Then, they said that I was passing stopped school bus. I politely asked them if they can refresh my memory of when and where that happened (I am a parent myself and do not recall that I passed the fully stopped school bus with armed stop sign at all). One cop showed me his iPhone with iMessage app conversation where was a picture of my parked car and me taking grocery bags from it. I said that this is me and my car in the photo and asked who provided the photo, because I thought that a picture of me and my car parked somewhere cannot be the evidence that I did a traffic violation. He replied that I did it a few times and next time he will arrest me. Then hen just went out. I was scared on the moment of intervention, so after they leave I googled a bit and realized a few things. Please, correct me if I am wrong:

1. Cops did not introduced themselves and did not provide any information/evidence other that iMessage conversation with my photo taken by somebody. As I understand, this cannot be the evidence of a crime (?), since it came from a stranger, not the bus driver. I am not sure if police department should fine somebody because of some photos from people who think they snapped a picture of a reckless driver/murderer/theft, etc.
2. As I understand, there should be first fine (if evidence exists), then second fine and driver license cancellation for 30 days, and third really big fine and driver license cancellation for 12 months.
3. Can police seriously take into investigation and/or fine me because of this goddamn photo (remember, in the picture I stay next to my car on a parking lot in front of some administrative building, from where you should drive around 100 ft of private road to get to the city traffic)?
4. Should I worry/concern and wait for fine/driver license cancellation? Should I get lawyer to make sure I am not going to jail?

Thank you very much.

TLDR: Cops said that my sister car was passing the stopped school bus and then showed iMessage app with picture of her taking bags from her car parked at some place.  She was told that next time it happens - they will arrest her.

Answer:
 Sure, she can be cited for passing a school bus with its red lights activated.

No, a picture of a parked car isn't proof that it passed a school bus.

There's no point to getting a lawyer at this stage, since you're not being cited for anything.


Title: Being bullied into work after calling in sick

Question: [deleted]

Answer: If you are union, your first stop is your union representative.Answer #2: Talk to your union rep


Title: I feel like my son is not safe in his mother's home. [Mississippi]

Question:
I (28 M) have a custody agreement with my ex(32 F) (Never married) for my 4 year old son. We came to an agreement and both signed off on it, as did the judge. Our custody situation was not decided by the courts, merely approved after we agreed on terms through out attorneys. I have my son for a week at a time, and then he goes to his mother's home for a week (we transfer at his daycare on Friday afternoons). Neither party has to pay the other child support, and we share both physical and legal custody. The custody agreement has been in place since mid-June. Since the custody agreement has been enacted, I have had my son the majority of the time. She likes to party a lot, and often drops him at my home on the weekends so she can do this. She also sometimes goes out of town for work, and it always seems to fall on her custody week, so she drops him off with me. There have been several incidents on her side of this thing since we had the custody agreement put into place:

* She failed to pick up an antibiotic for my son that he was prescribed when he was sick, and he got much sicker before she informed me (approx 6 days) after he had returned to me that the medicine was at the pharmacy.

* He came home from her house with a fairly big gash on his hand and told me "mommy's toilet broke, and I cut my hand" (come to find out it was the toilet tank lid)

* He came home with a gash on the bottom of his foot and told me "mommy's floor is broken and cut me" (haven't quite figured this one out)

* He had a Dr appt to have an ear tube removed from his ear, and she refused to take him because "He didn't need to go".

* She has brought several shady guys that she has been dating around my son, and has had men spend the night while he is at her home. (known information, but don't necessarily have "proof")

* Several instances of him being dropped off at school in either dirty clothes, or clothes that don't fit.

* Several instance where I had to pick him up early from school for various reasons (on her week) because the school couldn't reach her.

These are all things I have been keeping a very detailed log/calender about including screen shots of text messages, and any other "evidence" I have built into the document.

Last night, I was on Facetime (iPhone video chat) with my son and he asked me "Daddy, do you want to see this gun?" I said sure, and he walked into her bedroom closet and showed me a rifle sitting on the floor leaning against the wall. The rifle was in plain sight and perfectly accessible to him. I asked him to put his mother on the phone and yelled at her for having the rifle where he can reach it. She said it was her boyfriend's, and laughed that I was so upset and told me "don't worry about it, it's not loaded." I told her to put her boyfriend on the phone and blasted him for having the rifle within my son's reach. He started calling me a piece of trash and telling me I was just creating problems, and also repeated the "it's not loaded" line.

I hung up and immediately dialed 911 and explained the situation to the dispatcher. They said they would send a unit out. I immediately called my attorney and explained the situation to him, and he told me it may be a good idea to meet the officers at her home. I drove down there and called the PD on the way to inform them I was heading to the location. When I arrived I spoke with the officers and they told me that the rifle was on a high shelf and according to my son's mother and boyfriend, had been the entire time. I asked if I could remove my child from the home, and they said I could not. They told me it "was a civil matter, and I would have to handle it in court" the officer also suggested I call DHS (Child services). While I was on the way home I received a call from the boyfriend apologizing and telling me it shouldn't have happened (I recorded the call). I explained to him that the situation was completely unacceptable, and told him that lying to the police about it was also unacceptable. When I arrived home I called DHS and filed a report. I have not yet heard from them as to the status of the report.

When I spoke to my attorney, he suggested it may be a good idea to go pick my son up from school today (Either of us can pick him up any time) and hold on to him until "She gets her shit together". This would obviously be in violation of our custody agreement...

I don't know what to do. I don't know if there will be legal ramifications if I pick him up and keep him from her. I don't have the money to pay an attorney at this moment to go through the courts again...

Legally, what would be my best course of action here? Any advice is unbelievably appreciated.

Answer:
 > I don't know if there will be legal ramifications if I pick him up and keep him from her.

You need to follow the court order until it's changed.  If doing that would violate the court order, don't do it.

Your best bet is to file a motion(perhaps emergency) to change the custody order.Answer #2: Your attorney recommended that you violate the agreement?


Title: [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] My own car was towed from my private property

Question:
Hi All,

&#x200B;

Location: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

So I parked my car in front of my driveway last night and now this morning, it's gone. Checking my cameras, I saw that the Orange County Sheriff's Department had my car towed. So I called the dispatch and they said the citation said it was blocking the driveway so they won't reverse the towing/storage fees. It was weird because I own my house and it was in front of my driveway. Anyways, I talked to my HOA and they said the streets are private and there was no city of Rancho Santa Margarita when the houses in my area stood up. I even talked with the Board of Directors from our HOA and they said every time they called the sheriffs department regarding illegally parked cars, they would say to call the HOA since they can't do anything about it. We are going to call when the sergeant who cited us is back on duty but I'm just afraid he would use the fact the vehicle is i front of a driveway against us.

&#x200B;

\- Nev

Answer:
 You can't park in front of a driveway, period.  It's a fire hazard.Answer #2: It is unlawful in California to park in front of a public or private driveway, and there is no exception for your own driveway.

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=22500.&highlight=true&keyword=driveway


Title: Leaving the US one day after visa expires

Question:
Hello /r/legaladvice.

I'm currently in the US, looking to get a return ticket. My visitor visa expires the 24th of June, but there is a cheap plane leaving JFK the 25th at 00:40. Would it be considered overstating my visa, even though I'd be in the airport, behind security and checked in before midnight?

Thank you!

Answer:
 There was an Australian guy who was arrested last summer, jailed for two weeks before going to trial that cost him over ten thousand dollars, because he overstayed his visa by ninety minutes.

I'm not sure how having already passed through security and being checked in would change things, though I'd point out that planes are delayed all the time (and sometimes cancelled) did a variety of reasons.Answer #2: These days I’d err on the side of cautionAnswer #3: This is a very interesting question.  A quick communication to your respective embassy/consulate in the US can probably help answer very quickly.


Title: [Iran] As a dual US and Iran citizen, will the new travel ban passed by the Supreme Court affect me?

Question:
I have come to Iran over the summer to visit family and friends. I am a dual citizen of both countries, and my mother is currently in the us and is also a dual citizen.

I was wondering if this new van will affect my ability to go back to the US at the end of the summer. Thanks!
Topic:
Immigration

Answer: US citizenship will allow you to enter the US.


Title: Question on the legality of a thing involving transporting illegal immigrants

Question: Long story short, I was offered the opportunity to pick up ~20 people from Texas and bring them back to my state. Now I know that its definitely illegal to bring people across the border without proper documentation. However, I don't see any legal problems bringing people from one state to another state, especially if I technically don't *know* that they're here illegally.

Answer: Knowing or recklessly disregarding the information that they are illegal and transporting them within the US can be a crime. It is a federal crime when it is done "in furtherance of such a violation of law. What exactly that last clause means has been debated by various appellate jurisdictions for more than 30 years. Safe answer, if you have reasonable suspicion that they are illegal, it is probably a crime. The fact that you are further a criminal enterprise of ferrying illegal immigrants probably rises to the level of this being a federal crime.


Title: Prolonged unnecessary divorce

Question:
So my boyfriend has been separated from his wife for 4 or 5 years after he found her in their bed with another man. They've both moved on. She even had another man's baby in August 2018.

He's been going through a lot of medical issues over the last few years and has been unable to work and unable to pay child support which she knew about and has been working with him on. When I came into the picture middle of last year she all of a sudden started going exactly by the book and kept trying to control him having his son around me (meanwhile she's had multiple guys around her son and has partied most of the time) but she did eventually got over it.

September of 2018 I suggested that it was time he finalize the divorce and offered to pay the 3k for it. We went through with it and ever since then she's been stalling. First, it was he needed to sign the birth certificate of the new baby or her lawyer wouldn't file, then it was they needed to look at assets (again, he's not working due to health and has no 401k and they have 0 property together) after explaining he didn't want anything from her and has asked that child support be lowered as he can't pay and his income is no longer what it was. She is now all of a sudden saying that the 28k in back pay is a huge deal(BUT the new babies dad has never had to pay and isn't in the picture) He was just awarded SSI so she won't see any of this money and still wants him to pay this amount. At this point we are 9 months into a divorce that was an open and shut deal. Should we just tell the lawyer to go to court? We are hoping to just request she pay all court costs for wasting everyone's time, but we're not sure if it will just go back to her for child support...

We are in Texas

Answer:
 Your boyfriend should review the matter with his attorney and follow the advice of that attorney.

And your boyfriend should understand that his back child support is going to be a big deal.  To his ex, and likely to the attorney hearing the case.


Title: [CA] Our lost foster dog was found with homeless people refusing to give her back

Question:
Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right subreddit for this, but I need some advice on how to approach this situation legally.

My family took in a foster dog a few months ago. She was transferred to a foster to adopt house at the beginning of December. Within hours of the transfer, she escaped the house and has been missing since.
Her license is still under the name of the rescue organization we fostered her from, the new family had not yet adopted her. She is microchipped and tagged so there is proof she belongs to the rescue.
Last night, someone called to say there was a sighting of the dog with a (presumably) homeless couple. When approached, they hid her and her bright pink identifying collar and told the person it was their dog.
We will be going there today to check if it is our dog. If it is, I was wondering what steps we should take to safely and legally get the dog back.

Answer: I would go to them and inform them its your property. Ask for return if they refuse call police. Have all your docs re dog when they arrive. If couple doesn't back down you may have some problems...


Title: Manufacturing company is bullying me on Amazon.com what should i do?

Question:
I legally acquired some Audioquest wires,  yes I do have my receipts, and have them listed on Amazon.com they sent me the enclosed email telling me. I bought and am selling the wires out of New York.

" You have AudioQuest products listed on the Internet but are not recognized as an Authorized AudioQuest Internet Dealer.

Otherwise, AudioQuest may be forced to take action to protect its legal and intellectual property rights.

We must insist that you remove all AudioQuest products you have listed on the Internet within five (5) calendar days from the date of this email, and confirm this removal by replying to this email."

My understanding is a private person can sell products they he or she bought without any interference from the manufacturing company.

Am I legally obligated to remove the products from amazon? Can you tell me of a law I'm breaking that would prompt me to send this? Is it wise for me to remove them to avoid litigation?

http://imgur.com/pCVLrDM

What should I do Reddit?

Answer:
 You own the product so long as you're not trying to pretend that you're the company selling them and you're just selling them as an individual then they can pound sand.

Same as if I went to an apple store bought an iPhone then sold it outside the apple store they can't do shit.Answer #2: I'm just curious what kind of quantity of AudioQuest products are you selling?


Title: I have a HR workplace dilemma

Question:
I posted this on the r/nursing subreddit but I thought I would post this here to get more feedback:

A little backstory:

I work as a research nurse in a large academic institution with oncology patients.  There are five of us that do the same job and we have a manager that is not a RN, is a terrible manager but has worked here 20+ years.  We have talked to her many times about our challenges with her, talked to upper management etc.  Nothing has been done or corrected.  One example:   In the two years I’ve been there our employee turnover rate is 144%.  All but one person has left directly because of the management style of this person.

Several weeks ago we have a meeting with our managers new manager.  We tell her some concerns.  Later that week managers manager takes her aside.  After that our manager stops speaking to us (we all share one big office with separate cubicle spaces).  That night our managers daughter, who also works at the same institution, posts threatening things to us on social media.  She didn’t name us by name, but then next day one of our coworkers emailed our manager and our manager clarified that It was directed at us.

We took our concerns to HR.  Guess what they have done...nothing.  Not one thing.  Manager is still managing us and as far as we know the daughter  still works there too.

The threatening post was:  Upset my momma and I will burn your shit to the ground.  Check your brake lines bitches I will come for you if It happens again.   She didn’t name us individually however our manager confirmed in writing to our coworker that It was.  We have screenshots of all posts and emails and a screenshot of our manager liking her daughters post.

All HR and our managers manager have said is:  she’s still the manager, both have been investigated and there was a credible reason for their post but it wasn’t intended to threaten you all.  You must continue to act professionally towards her and find a way to move on.

My question for the Advice crowd is:  is that normal? Do we have any other recourse?  This woman sits in our office with us but no longer speaks to us.  We have a communal bowl of candy that has been moved to her workspot and covered up.   She is the one who approves our time, does our evaluations, approves vacation leave, assigns work etc.

As an update:  we came to work one day last week and her desk was moved.   She is not in our office and we aren’t sure where.  No one has talked to us about her moving, said whether It is temporary or permanent.  She hasn’t moved personal effects just work things.   She is still emailing us tasks as she is our supervisor but that’s It.

Answer:
 Were it me I'd be collecting evidence, talking to the police, and providing them evidence of criminal threats.  I'm pretty sure that that would get the attention of upper management.Answer #2: Do you have a union?

Generally your employer is allowed to tell you who your boss is. And your boss is allowed to be an asshat. Answer #3: Personally, I'd go to the police with those threats and screenshots.

Since 'manager' was inexplicably dumb enough to confirm the threats were levelled at you, daughter may well have been acting as her proxy. I would absolutely not let that go.Answer #4: I work in HR.

You said that HR did nothing. How do you know that? She could have been written up, put on a performance improvement plan, any number of things. They wouldn’t tell you about it because it would be super inappropriate to blast disciplinary actions to a manager’s direct reports.

And you mention that her desk moved? That could be a part of some kind of action your employer took.

As far as getting her fired, it’s not HR’s job to fire someone’s boss because they don’t like them. Lots of people hate their boss, it’s not illegal to be a jerk, your only option would be to find a new job. Answer #5: Is your question whether your employer has to do something about your manager "liking" that post? No, they don't.

It's unprofessional and of course just plain stupid, but your employer isn't obligated to discipline anyone because of it. Answer #6: Get a new candy bowl with a key, give everyone a key except her.


Title: Refuse to testify

Question:
I am a psychiatrist doctor and  a former patient whom I saw twice last year is trying to get me to testify against the company we both work for, me as a doctor and her as nurse, I only saw her as a patient twice, she sent me the following email. I refuse to testify against my former employer, I no longer work for them but I still refuse to testify against them, how can I address this.

"Good afternoon Dr.

I hope you had a peaceful holiday season.

This mail is about your assistance at the upcoming trial in my case. You are one of the Psychiatrists who treated me when I had Major Depressive Disorder caused by my former employer -  The case is progressing and trial will soon start. Your testimony will be very helpful in providing the truth related to my condition and treatment. I will update you as things progress. Please  advise if you need to speak with my attorney or need additional information.

Thank you very much in advance.

Answer:
 > I refuse to testify against my former employer

Generally not an option.  You can insist on a subpoena, but if you are subpoenaed then you will need to testify.

The exception would be if you would be required to testify about incriminating evidence of criminal activity.


Title: Need help with a long term stalker, do I have any options?

Question:
Crossposting here at the suggestion of someone on r/needadvice.

Okay, so this will probably be a wall of text, so please bear with me. I'll put a tl;dr at the end.

About five years ago, when I was 19, I sold a car on craigslist. It was kind of a junker, needed repairs, etc so I only asked for 700. It was a pretty specific, older car though, so attracted a lot of people. This one guy seemed very interested and drove out to see it. He really wanted the car and asked if he could make payments as long as the car remained in my name, and I said sure (I was 19 and figured there could be no harm). I'm a total gear head and will talk about cars for ages, so we chit chatted about that, but that's it. No personal stuff, just cars, he says "add me on facebook, I have pictures of my other cars", so I did.

Anyhow, he starts making arrangements to bring me payments and I say he can meet me in the parking lot of my job. He comes the first time, and says he forgot his bank card at home, so couldn't pay me. No big deal, shit happens. Then it keeps happening, with different excuses as to why he can't pay (his dad took his checkbook, his rent money was due, etc) but still keeps coming to meet me. He starts trying to be friendlier and friendlier and it's obvious he likes me, but I turn him down saying I have a boyfriend (mind you, he's in his 30s). Then I started noticing some really creepy posts on his facebook about me. A lot of posts. Ranting, rambling, paragraphs upon paragraphs. I don't remember it all, but one sticks with me, him saying "if I don't get what I want, I'm going to take it". I decide the money isn't worth it, and tell him I'm sorry but I have to sell the car to someone else and stop talking/responding to him. Then I start noticing him following me around, I was seeing his car almost everyday (this was not a coincidence, he lives a state over, about an hour and a half away). He then started following me to school, sitting in the parking lot of my job for hours, driving past my house at night, trying to trick people I know into getting me to see/talk to him (found these people through facebook, which as soon as I realized I deleted him and made it private). He would blow up my phone, threatening to kill himself, or me, or god knows what else.

I went to my campus police and they said they would keep an eye out for his car, which was pretty unique, and offered to call him and tell him to back off but I was afraid that would provoke him since that was ALL they could do. I went to the state/city police and they said there was nothing I could do unless he actually DID something to me. Awesome.

My friend and I discovered through facebook (someone reached out to us) that he tells crazy made up stories about me to everyone he knows, about how I am in love with him, he bought me a car, I wanted to marry him, etc. (Even crazier but if I wrote it all out it'd turn this into a novel!).

This all went on for years.

Well, I end up moving, getting a new car, new phone number, etc. I still saw him driving around my town, but I just continued being cautious and eventually saw him less. I moved out of that town and got a new job and really haven't thought much about him, until today, where I found out he's still been following me. I know this through a friend who met a friend of his, that he knows what I had been driving, and also is still telling people about me and saying stuff like how every time he gets a new car he has to bring it up to show me, I'm still in love with him, etc. I don't know the extent to which he's been following me so I don't know if he knows where I live or where I work or what. But I'm freaking out about this because it's been going on for 5 years, he is not only delusional, but also very determined, and that combination really worries me. I have no idea what to do, I'm freaking out. When I found all this out, I had to leave my house and go to a friends because I was jumping at my own shadow.

Tl;dr: have had a stalker for 5 years who drives from a neighboring state to follow me around. He is obviously delusional. We had no romantic relationship whatsoever.

What should I do? What options do I even have?

Thank you to anyone who took the time to read all that.
Since this is r/legaladvice here's another detail: I live in PA, he lives in OH.

Answer:
 It is absolute bullshit that the police won't do anything unless he physically harms you.   I was fed the same line, but ended up getting my stalker arrested and charged. He also never physically attacked me.

Please, tomorrow morning contact your local victim witness services, they will be able to help you get the police to help. They are an amazing resource.

Here are some pamphlets and a book I got years ago that helped.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8frTyns8paPTGpiYjFiSmZuNzg/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8frTyns8paPZlBtQnkyb040SUE/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8frTyns8paPYlRfZEpRZHQ4NzA/view

I know a couple are for domestic violence, but the information still stands.

Please, though, first thing tomorrow morning contact your local victim services, they are so so good at dealing with the police and making them take it seriously


Title: ran from a misdameaner.

Question: I got a misdameaner in a different state and i have no way of getting to court and they dont care. what is gonna happen?

Answer:
 Of course they don't care. It's not their problem. To answer your question, you most likely have a warrant and will be arrested upon your next interaction with the police. Your local police will contact the department that issued the warrant and decide if they want to extradite you. For a *misdemeanor*, likely not.

You won't be able to run from this forever, your best move is to call the courts and take care of it. Some will let you do it via phone/letter. Ask.


Title: [MI] Employer retroactively declaring meetings non-mandatory to avoid paying staff for them.

Question:
This really isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things, as this is a very part-time side situation, but today we've hit a speed bump.

I've been at this company for two years. The majority of the employees are independent contractors, but I and two others are hourly nonexempt employees. We occasionally have staff meetings that we have clocked in for over the last two years. These staff meetings are mandatory, we are required to tell our employer in advance if we cannot attend them, and if we don't attend them, we are required to listen to an audio recording of the meeting outside of our standard work hours.

This past week, we had another one of those meetings. I clocked in and out for the meeting. Today, while processing payroll, my manager emailed me and said:

> Unfortunately, staff does not get paid for attending the staff meetings.

This is concerning to me for multiple reasons, namely that my understanding of labor law is that nonexempt hourly employees are to be paid for mandatory staff meetings, and that they have consistently paid us for these meetings in the past, which suggests that these meetings *should*, even in their eyes, be paid.

A secondary issue is our paid time off agreements. At the beginning of the year, they offered paid time off to us hourly employees in lieu of a raise. The original PTO agreement states that unused PTO is to be paid to the employee at the end of 2015 or if the employment is terminated in any manner sooner than that. This are signed and dated by both myself and my boss.

Now my boss would like me to sign a revised agreement that states that PTO will not be paid if the agreement is terminated prior to the end of 2015. I haven't signed it and, quite frankly, don't see any reason to; I work this job one day a week as a favor to them and have a comfortable 8-5 in an office during the week, and if they want to fire me because I want to be paid for meetings or won't sign this new agreement, that's fine by me.

My question pertaining to the last situation is: as the original agreement is signed and I am unwilling to sign the revised agreement, does the original agreement still stand? I.E. if they fire me for refusing to sign the revised agreement, are they obligated to pay my PTO as stated in the original signed agreement?

Answer:
 If they say they're not mandatory, I'd stop attending those meetings. If they want you to listen to the audio file, ask them via e-mail if they would prefer that you do it during your regular shift or bill extra time for it.Answer #2: IANAL so this isn't legal advice.

If you truly are working there as a favor I am amazed that you haven't just quit. I seek to jettison people like this from my life ASAP -- they aren't worth the hassle.

In my completely unprofessional opinion, I would be shocked if they had any grounds to unilaterally back out of the original contract. If they did, they wouldn't be asking you to sign a new one.

You are entitled to be paid for the time they require you on site doing work (that includes staff meetings).


Title: If I get married in one state, but live in another, which marriage state laws apply? [GA/WA]

Question:
I am getting married in GA soon but live in WA state. Do GA state laws apply to our marriage or WA laws? Do I need to get married in Washington as well? Thanks in advance!
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 Most of the western world generally applies this rule: if you were married/divorced in a way that was legally valid in some other jurisdiction, it's also valid in this jurisdiction.  If I had to venture a *fundamental* reason why, I'd say "it's too much hassle to try to make people get married all over again all the time".

(May not apply in all countries.  May not apply in some locales if you are not a hetero couple or are otherwise pushing the boundaries of "marriage".)


Title: [NJ] Am I allowed to advocate for the overthrowing of the US government?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Constitution

Answer:
 Shockingly revolution is not legal.  1/10 troll game.Answer #2: >If so then I'm gonna commit a federal crime: It is necessary brothers and sisters, that we overthrow the government of the United States of America through the use of force and violence.

So brave. Be sure to use caution around all that edge!  Answer #3: If by overthrow you mean changes via the mechanisms in the Constitution, including amending the Constitution, then absolutely. Answer #4: As long as your Italian mob boss is OK with it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/4i16ps/ny_i_just_received_a_grand_jury_subpoena_from_the/
Answer #5: You can do it if you are a *sovereign citizen*

lolAnswer #6: What's hilarious about this post is that at some point in time, you may find yourself in a place where you have to have a security clearance. And you'll have to fill out an SF-86.


Title: My wife gets angry

Question:
My wife has an incredible issue with people telling her what to do or what she is doing wrong. I'm trying to be there and be a father and a husband but she still finds a way to get upset with me. She doesn't trust me with out 2 old daughter, she doesn't allow me to go out with her, she doesn't allow me to take her to the park. The only way I can go out with my daughter is after the fact when my wife can do anything about.

My question is: Is she allowed to keep my daughter away from me or prevent me from seeing her? Since we are married and as long as I don't pose a danger/threat to our daughter and never have, can she do anything to get in the way of being with my daughter? Or what can my wife try to do to keep her from me?
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: This sounds more like an issue of an abusive or controlling spouse, than a legal issue. She is not keeping your child away from you by taking her to another state or something. Y’all are not divorced with a court custody order that she’s violating. She is “just” telling you what you can and cannot do. Sadly, abuse is not something the legal system can handle well. If you feel she is physically harming your child or putting her at risk, or if she is emotionally/verbally abusing her, you can and should contact CPS/DCF.


Title: Age of consent stuff in Utah

Question:
aight heres a throw away account because I dont even want to google this crap and have it on my computer, let alone in my reddit history. But long story short my roommate is 23 and has been kik'ing some 16 year old girl from florida. sending pictures, receiving pictures, skyping, and doing everything you can assume in those.

according to him, its legal because the age of consent in utah is 16, even though its 18 in florida, since he lives in utah. is this legal? it sounds shifty as hell to me and he cant be convinced otherwise. my mom got married at 17 to my dad at 19, but i dunno how consent laws apply to texting and pictures and stuff. i guess its none of my business but i don't exactly want to have "living with a pedofile" on my record.

Answer: Naked pictures? Yup, that's child porn. The age cutoff for that is 18, period.


Title: Small claims court tomorrow. Are all my ducks in a row? (OK)

Question:
Hello! Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to read or respond.

Background: I moved to OKC and rented a house with a standard one year lease from my landlord. Very uneventful year - it was a 4 bedroom house and it was just me so the house stayed clean and undamaged. I moved out and we did our walk through, all was fine. I even got it professionally cleaned as per my lease agreement.

About a month after, I started to try and contact her because I had not gotten my security deposit back at my new place. She finally responded to a text message saying she kept the $1350 deposit and used it for new hardwood floors. I was pissed. I sent my written request for her to either send my deposit or the accounting showing an itemized list of how it was spent. She acknowledged that she received my request. In Oklahoma, the landlord has 30 days to send certified mail of either the deposit or the accounting info. She never sent anything so on day 31 I went and filed in small claims for the maximum, which is twice your deposit amount.

So that's where I am now. Court is set for tomorrow morning and I want to make sure I am good to go. I am definitely not a lawyer so hopefully I'm not way off base. I have my proof of written request and her response, I have the statute printed off that says she has 30 days and I have my bank info showing my deposit from last year. Is that all I should bring? I considered bringing stuff to argue the damages but I feel like I shouldn't because that's not the issue at this point. Right? The issue is she failed to send accounting in 30 days so I feel like I should stick to that.

Any and all advice welcome. Thanks!

Answer:
 >I considered bringing stuff to argue the damages but I feel like I shouldn't because that's not the issue at this point.

Your landlord will almost certainly argue that you left the place so damaged that the hardwood floors needed replaced. Bring anything you have showing how you left the place, what condition it was in when you moved in, a copy of your lease, any correspondence with the landlord, bank statements showing your regular on-time payments, correspondence demonstrating you ended the lease properly, a receipt from the cleaning company, etc.Answer #2: Be sure to update after your court appearance!


Title: Very simple question that I can't find an answer to (US)

Question: If this isn't the place for this question please let me know where to go, I have no idea where to ask. I have a pending possession charge that's kind of a weird situation, and it got me wondering why exactly certain drugs are scheduled. I always just went with drugs are bad so they're illegal but I never gave it any thought. Is the intent to prevent people from harming themselves, or is it more involved with trying to prevent associated crime? I've tried searching for this and wasn't able to come up with anything that would give an actual reasoning for the laws. (Texas)

Answer:
 In theory, drugs are categorized based on their danger/potential for abuse vs their known medical uses. In practice, it's not exactly accurate...

But it doesn't matter for your issue. The schedule is what it is.


Title: I am a 17 year-old High school Junior in California and I'm in possible Life-Ruining trouble

Question:
Hello. Let's just say my name is Jarrod. I'm a 17 year old (as of like 1 week ago) and a junior in high school. When I was in the seventh grade i met this guy named Terry. Now Terry is a year above me so he is currently a senior in high school. We instantly clicked and became bestfriends and have been really close ever since. His family constantly tells me that I am their favorite of Terry's friends. He has a younger sister who is currently a Freshman in high school, let's call her Janet. Now, I am in no way or have ever been attracted to Janet, sexually or not sexually. We've cuddeled, us 3, before with her.

Now, last night I was invited to Terry's house as he always does. He is with a friend, we will call him James. I show up at around 11. So we're chilling on his couches downstairs and i start to doze off. I go in and out of sleep a few times around 1:00. At the time I am snapchatting Janet, Brittney, and This other girl Mia. It is really windy around here so service was awful and i would only get all my snapchats every once in a while, together.
Now, Im not sure about the time, but somewhere, sometime, i sent out a snapchat to Janet, Brittney, and MIa saying something along the lines of "cuddling sounds great right now." Keep in mind i don't remember the time. So, around 1:30 i wake up, but not fully. I hear Terry and James upstairs. The next thing i know im standing at the top of the stairs. Then I believe I went into Janet's room, because I had been snapchatting her selfies earlier at some point in time, so i thought she was awake. It's a little more clear but still foggy from here on out. I walk into her room, i believe, and lay down next to her on top of the covers, as I always do when i see her to say Hi. I give her a bear hug from behind, but that was when she started moaning like you do when you're half asleep. I figure, she fell asleep and i dont want to wake her up. so, i get up to leave. Next thing I know, I'm walking into the loft where Terry and his friend are. I open the door and aminstantly hit by light, so i close the door, and close my eyes and i believe i said something to them and then ended up walking in. After that all i remember is grabbing a blanket that's on the floor and laying down on the couch that Terry and his friend weren't on. Throughout my slumber, it is faint but they were acting kind of drunk.

Fast forward to about 3:30 and i am getting kicked in the leg, rather hard and it hurt. I sit up and stand up but I have no idea what is going on. He says to leave so i went to his room. He follows me and tells me to leave again. (This is all blurry but I'm just saying what i remember happening). I then walk into the hallway (still on the second floor) and he says something along the lines of "I can't believe you would do this. My sister calls me telling me that she has to go to the bathroom, but she's scared of you touching her again. She said you touched her boob." And at this point Im still very very confused. I start to walk down stairs but i can't find my shoes so I'm half asleep walking around looking for them, him following me. all the while he's telling me "I thought I could trust you," "Don't even F*cking say that shes like a sister to you," and something about my snapchat about cuddling. although it wasn't only to her.

I start to walk for the door and I am hit with a feeling like I am going to pass out, so i lay down on the cold tile floor next to the front door. He is standing over me. After like a few seconds, I think, I get up and walk out of the door, and right before he closes the door behind me, he says something about how he can't trust me anymore. It is now about 3:50 AM and i go to my car. I show up at my house crying at 4 in the morning, and tell everything to my mom. We call my dad, whom is a police officer, (divorced parents) and tell him everything. My dad was very straightup with me and told me that there was a chance that I was gonna get charged with sexual battery and that If the police come and ask me for my story, to tell them. But if they start reading me my miranda rights to just not say a word cause at that point i'm being arrested. We wake up my sister whom is older than an adult and she says that she knows I sleep walk, and occasionaly she wouldcatch me in the kitchen sleep walking. Just this past thursday night (today is now saturday), I fell asleep at my desk and woke up in my bed.

I am scared. My school life will be ruined after her side of the story gets out. I will most likely have to transfer schools no matter what. I am in the middle of training hard and having a break through in sports. Worst case scenario is that I have to transfer schools, spend some time in Juvy, and am found guilty of sexual battery. My whole situation is messed up and Im scared.

Answer:
 So, for starters you've either got a serious sleep disorder or major parts of your tale are total bullshit.

>My dad was very straightup with me and told me that there was a chance that I was gonna get charged with sexual battery and that If the police come and ask me for my story, to tell them.

Your dad is also a moron.  Why, if he suspected that you committed sexual assault, would he advise you to tell the police everything? Miranda rights don't mean you're going to be arrested and if it gets to the point that you've admitted everything, you're done.

Go to a doctor for help with the sleep disorder, if you have one, and don't try to prove your innocence \ admit anything \ talk about this.Answer #2: >My dad and i both know that the system is very biased towards women.

Give me a break with this.

At best, your defense is that you were sleepwalking, not that you never touched her.  It's not like she's making it up that you crawled into bed with her, and you may very well have touched her breasts.Answer #3: To be clear- your position here is that you used NO alcohol or other drugs during this time, and you were just "tired" during this event?


Title: Minor in need a serious help!! Can anyone tell me exactly how to go about getting a judicial bypass for an abortion? Experience and any sort of knowledge is greatly appreciated!

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Easiest would be to drive to a state where you don't need parental consent.  Next easiest would be to call planned parenthood and ask them the process. Florida apparently only requires [parental notification](https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-east-north-florida/for-patients/teens-seeking-abortion-services), not consent.


Title: Can someone explain how to legally setup a porn company

Question: Something simple like MHBHJ by Mark Rockwell where you just upload videos to pornhub. How do you legally set this up? Do you just need an llc and model release forums?

Answer:
 it's fairly complicated. you definitely need a lawyer who specializes in it.Answer #2: This is waaaay outside the scope of this sub.

Go talk to an experienced adult entertainment attorney.


Title: Parents separated after 20 year marriage - dividing assets

Question:
So I am looking for some information for my mother, because she is very stressed about her finances - and I feel like my father should be providing her with more.

My parents are in their 60s, and have been married for 22 years. When they got married, my mother stopped working to care for myself and my sister. We are both over 18 now. My dad encouraged her to stop working full time, and she took on all household duties. Cooked, cleaned, cared for myself and my sister. She never had access to finances. Dad earned everything and gave her money when required - there were no shared bank accounts.

Two years ago my dad moved out of our home, and is currently renting in another state. He went to see a lawyer (I am assuming to document a separation) but never spoke to my mother about it. Since moving out, he pays my mother a small sum of money and he will pay for the odd bill here and there.

So the first question I have is: do the assets or money earned AFTER separating come into play in a divorce? Or are those earnings off-limits?

Second question is: if my mother is living off the money my father pays her monthly, and it's a very minuscule amount - is she entitled to more legally? And being that she never worked full time or had a career since her kids were born, will my father have to continue paying her until she dies?

According to what little my mother knows, my father earns around $450,000 per year before tax, and he only pays her around $20,000 a year. My mother's car is still owned by my father, and the house is still a shared asset. My father has purchased a Porsche, a Harley Davidson, a cheap second car and has had two luxurious European holidays but my mother has had nothing, and is struggling to survive. Not to mention that myself and my sister still live with her. She has asked multiple times for more money but he refuses, all while spending copious amounts on himself.

I know the laws will differ country to country, but any basic information would help greatly. Thanks.

Answer: Your mother needs to retain the services of a divorce attorney and file. It sounds like your father is trying to avoid actual divorce which will likely result in significant alimony and equal division of all of his significant assets.