Title: Is there a way to legally prevent police from entering your property (VA)

Question:
First, this is a hypothetical ...

Obviously police cannot enter a home without a warrant or consent. But what about a fenced in yard? If I have no-trespassing signs, is it legal for them to simply enter? Or do they need to have some sort of suspicion (like they have to have to stop for a terry stop), or perhaps even probable cause? Would some sort of sign that said, "no police w/o warrant" or the like carry any weight? Or is this more of a "it's technically illegal but unenforceable" sort of thing?

What's really got me thinking about this is the recent [shooting of a four year old girl](http://www.timesunion.com/news/us/article/Family-Girl-4-shot-by-officer-firing-at-dog-is-6358370.php) by a police officer who was aiming for a dog. You hear every so often about a police officer shooting a dog, occasionally a family dog in its own yard where the police had no reason to be (I recall one incident where the police were at the wrong house!). Just curious what a homeowner's options are beyond a "beware of dog" sign.

Also, as an aside, those signs, where you see "trespassers shot on sight" are they legal - as in, is it legal to actually shoot someone on sight, as long as you've posted it adequately?

Answer:
 >Also, as an aside, those signs, where you see "trespassers shot on sight" are they legal - as in, is it legal to actually shoot someone on sight, as long as you've posted it adequately?

Absolutely not. In fact, if you did so after posting that sign, you're more likely to be charged with murder, because you demonstrated the premeditation to develop the thought that you were going to kill someone without them giving you just cause. Even in a state with a castle Doctorine and stand your ground laws, you must still have a reasonable fear of death or serious physical injury based on the subjects actions. Answer #2: >Obviously police cannot enter a home without a warrant or consent.

They can enter due to hot pursuit and exigent circumstances, also.  Answer #3: A simple No Trespassing sign should do. But if a neighbor reports a crime then they may have the right to come on your property to find people or conduct interviews, which is usually how they end up shooting someone's dog.


Title: What do you do with a stubborn room mate?

Question: I live in a 2 bedroom apartment in Northern California. So a week back I learned I might have to float my room mate his half of the rent. I've accepted this and told him he needs to find work or he can't live here. He's stubbornly told me he will probably be back to work next month, this isn't consistent enough for me since I'm already breaking my savings to do this for him. What should I do if the end of the month comes and he's refusing to put in his 30 days?

Answer: If you are both on the lease, you are jointly liable for paying rent, which means if he doesn't pay, you must cover it all. Absent any substantive breach for cause, your landlord has no reason to make him leave, and you are not entitled to do so either. That means he stays, you pay all the rent, and sue him for what he owes.


Title: [Maryland] Car dealer lied to my Mom about car features, she didn't realize until she got home, now they won't allow her to return it.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 The sales contract is the place to start.  Does the car your Mom has conform to the sale contract?  If it says "advance", then that was the agreement.  If it says "technology" then that's the agreement.

This is a shitty thing about car sales.  The sales document will include a clause that voids any prior promises or agreements between the parties.  That means that the sales agreement is the "offer", and your signature is the acceptance.

If the dealership's sales people draw up a contract that is different from what the salesperson said, the contract voids all promises the salesperson made.

Someone signing a contract is presumed to be familiar with its contents -- that means reading the essential terms (model, VIN, features, price, percentage rate if dealer-financed, etc.)  If any of them are different, you refuse to sign and tell them to fix it.  If you sign, it is taken to indicate that what is printed on that document is what you are agreeing to.

Some states may allow buyers to fight this, so contacting all of the people, including an attorney, is your best move.Answer #2: You're gonna get a survey from Acura corporate. That's the best leverage you have at this point.

Tell the sales guy point blank that they need to get you into an Advance package if he wants all 10s on the survey. If the dealer doesn't fix this in a few days, you need to give them a really terrible survey score. It will hurt the dealer metrics and will hurt the salesman's pay for months to come. They DONT want this to happen.

Do not ignore the survey. Use it to your advantage.

Also, /r/askcarsales


Title: [San Diego, CA] I believe I was evicted wrongfully. Do I have "renter rights"?

Question:
Like the title says, I believe I was evicted wrongfully. A husband and wife were renting a trailer on their property to my wife and I. It was always supposed to be a short term option for us while we got back on our feet, but we did have a signed month to month lease.

Last month they told us we had to leave. Originally they gave us one week to move out but we couldn't find a place that quick. So they gave us a second week. We were able to find another place and moved out quick. Looking back, not sure if that was the right thing to do. But it's tough making decisions under that pressure and timeline I suppose.

I have asked her for a pro rated portion of that last month's rent and she won't give it to us. Based on my research it seems they wrongfully evicted us and should have given us a 30 day written notice (they only ever gave us a verbal notice). What are our options now? Can we pursue the rent order? More than 1 month for any violation? Is that through small claims court if they don't agree?

Any help would be awesome. Thanks!

Answer:
 This may be a mixed bag here. On one hand, yes, you should have been given proper notice for more time. You almost certainly could have pushed for that at the time. But it sounds like they didn't do anything like lock you out or any other kind of "self-help" eviction. You ultimately left voluntarily, it seems. If you paid rent beyond your time there, you'd be entitled to that back, but I think that's about it.

I'm an internet lawyer only. That means not a real one.Answer #2: It doesn't sound like you were evicted at all. They asked you to leave and you left.


Title: (TX) Our Landlord posted in FB community exclusively for homes within our subdivision that “they were looking for legal advice on evicting a tenant..” Some commented back that they should “JUST WALK IN STRAPPED.”

Question: [removed]

Answer: Yes, talking on a public Facebook group is legal.


Title: Accused of scratching a car -someone please help me figure out what to say :(

Question:
Ive been crying and investing so much energy into this situation . I'm just at a loss what to say to this woman if she contacts me again tomorrow . I bought a bed from Craigslist for my daughter . I arranged for pick up today no problem , lady was nice , a little weird that she needed me exactly at a certain time (but hey I get it and was there on time /early ) she told me she needed an extra 15 minutes I waited and drove around  . I text her when I arrived she told me to wait 5 minutes and meet her at the screen door . We parked at the very end of the driveway  as I couldn't get  out of the car otherwise / very old neighborhood in Bergen county NJ . We have a back up camera , she parked in the middle of her driveway for some reason and we were at very end almost in street . Comes out bringing pieces of bed - brings last by our car . I give her the money and she even goes in her trunk to get a canopy piece that goes with it . She's still outside unloading her car because evidently she's moving in and we leave . I send her a text thanking her for everything - I'm so happy I finally got my daughter this bed I've dreamt of before she was even a thought . This was at 12:15 pm we met so I'd say we left 12:25 the latest .fast forward to 7:15 this evening I get a text saying she has dings and scratches on her car that we must have hit it ... that we parked too close . I text her back and tell her that's impossible we hVe a back up camera , there's no scratches on my cAr , and we parked at the very end so I could physically get out . Text me again and says ok I believe you . A few minutes later she says it must have been the bed -that we must have hit it when we put in the bed . I know for certain we did not hit it . She was even out there with us as we loaded most of the pieces and again at the end when we left . The whole conversation is very strange how the story changed . Also before I came she asked three times "you have cash right ? "
I feel like I'm trying to be blackmailed and scammed and I don't know what to do . There's a car wash a few feet across I don't know if I should call them and ask them if they saw anything . I feel a lot can happen in 7 hours after I left , I know we did not do it , and the one pic I feel it looks like it's under dirt but it's hard to tell . I'm sorry if I'm rambling it's 4 am and this is just eating at me . I'm not looking forward to getting more harassing text messages tomorrow about something we didn't do - please help :(

Answer:
 Ignore her. She's trying to get money from you.

If she actually believes you scratched her car she can deal with it through her insurance.Answer #2: Block and ignore her. If she actually files an insurance claim (highly unlikely) let the insurance deal with it. Answer #3: It sounds like you haven't run across this particular species of individual before...they're relatively common on CL.  (by relatively common I mean ~1/20 times you buy and sell, you'll run into someone like this)

This sort of person just likes to prey on the niceness of others...I'm sorry for your experience.

Don't worry, and most importantly don't doubt yourself...someone's sad story about their dented car is all well and good, when you know you didn't do it, it's not your problem.  In order to make anything stick, they'll need to prove it WAS you, so no matter how much they screech and rant, just ignore, or at most refer them to their own car insurance.  That will shut them down instantly in 99.9% of cases:  "YOU DAMAGED MY CAR GIVE ME $$$!"  "Oh, it's unfortunate you feel that way.  Contact your insurance and have them call my agent."  " <inarticulate rambling>"


Title: [FL] Girlfriend sold tobacco to a minor in a ATF sting, what's the best thing she can do at this point?

Question: Girlfriend sold tobacco to a minor in an ATF sting at a gas station, she checked the ID and it was a few days off from being 18. She is currently in nursing school full time and has this job on the weekends for minor income.  Paying the fine and accepting this on her permanent record would just destroy her chances of being a nurse, what's her best option at this point and what are the chances of it being dismissed?

Answer:
 I don't think it would *destroy* her chances of being a nurse.  Plenty of nurses have minor things in their pasts- this is not a dealbreaker.

But she should still get an attorney- probation with a plea to a lesser charge or sealed record is better than a plea to the original charge any day of the week.Answer #2: > Paying the fine and accepting this on her permanent record would just destroy her chances of being a nurse

Naw. That's not true. My wife is a RN. She hasn't been charged with anything herself but plenty of her colleagues have done worse things than selling cigs to a minor.


Title: MN. 2 years ago contractor agreed to use deeper exterior walls and upgraded insulation. We have learned that is not what we have. Contractor offering price difference only.

Question:
We are in very northern Minnesota where we experience very low temps. We opted for deeper exterior wall framing and upgraded insulation for our build.

We learned now (two years after the house was done) that the contractor failed to complete those ugprades and instead used standard framing and "basic" insulation. We contacted the contractor to confirm and he initially insisted that it was done according to our contract, but we had him come out and take a look and he admitted they made a mistake.

Initially he tried to claim that we don't seem to be experiencing adverse affects from it so it should be fine, but less amount of less effective insulation will mean higher energy costs long-term. After a lot of attempting to negotiate, he eventually offered us the cost between the standard and the upgrade - basically at the time of our build we requested a line-by-line of costs, and he is offering only the difference for the line items of exterior framing and insulation.

That is better than nothing but when we built our house we anticipated lower energy costs throughout the life of our house that his offer doesn't begin to touch.  If he had told us from the start that he couldn't offer what we're looking for, we would have gone through another contractor.

We are not exactly sure what our projected difference in energy costs are yet.  The energy auditor is reviewing and crunching some numbers and will get back to us.

If we pursue this legally I am wondering (a) what type of lawyer is appropriate and (b) if anyone has any thoughts on what I should reasonably be asking for.

Answer:
 This one would be worth talking to a lawyer about. Correct me if I'm wrong, actual lawyers, but just getting the difference in the cost of the materials would not be enough to cover the cost of renovating/possible temp storage and relocation/moving fees for getting furniture in and out, what have you.

Regardless of how much it affects the cost of heating and cooling your home, you're entitled to the terms of the contract being met.


Title: Family member got reported to a police officer for running a red light.

Question:
Family member was staying at my house, they returned home and half hour later a police officer was knocking on our door. He told her a guy flagged him down and said he saw her run a red light and had it on his dash cam. Apparently he followed her to see where she went, my house.

When she pressed the officer about the legality of this he admitted to being new. She said he seemed unsure but he did issue a ticket. I know there is a lot they have to go through when issuing those red light camera tickets such as providing pictures from multiple angles, so this situation seemed a little suspect to me. She called the precinct a few hours later to try and figure out if this officer did the right thing. They didn't tell her much but they did inform her that the guy apparently followed her to my house, then called the precinct to make sure they gave her a ticket. I don't know the legality of that but it is creepy.

Is this even legal? Do they have to provided her with the video?

Answer:
 > Is this even legal?

To ticket her with a crime?  Yes, it happens all the time.  No, the officer doesn't have to see it personally.  Answer #2: Did she admit to driving / running the light?

Yes, it's legal to issue a ticket. If she wants to contest the ticket she can do so in court.


Title: Do I have to go through all the procedures to create an investment firm ?

Question:
Hi,

I'd like to create some sort of investment firm. I know there's quite a lot of procedures to go through to create a firm. But are they legally necessary ? Can't I just create my business and hope clients will simply trust me without being referenced by special organisations ? At least, if the worst has to happen and my business doesn't work I won't have waisted 10s of thousands of dollars...

Thanks.

Answer:
 > I know there's quite a lot of procedures to go through to create a firm. But are they legally necessary ?

Nah dude, they are just friendly recommendations.

/s

Seriously? Of course they are legally necessary.


Title: Need help enforcing an HOA rule on my upstairs neighbor

Question:
Hi everyone!

I have a friend who is having issues with his upstairs neighbor. He has a townhouse and the HOA enforced a rule where if you are to install hardwood floors you must install soundproofing. Well his upstairs neighbor installed his floor before the rule was implemented and the board members of the HOA indicated that because his floors were done before the rules were in place that he doesn’t have to sound proof it. Well this neighbor has a dog who runs around all hours of the day and wakes up my friends children and wife and they are having difficulty living there. Can he enforce that rule on his neighbor? It doesn’t seem fair that he has to abide by the rule but his neighbor doesn’t just because his neighbor installed it before the rule was implemented... any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Answer: May not seem fair but that is the beauty of being grandfathered in.  You can check your bylaws to see if there is anything about grandfathering.


Title: My 80 year old grandfather struck a pedestrian and fled.

Question: [removed]

Answer: Get him a defense attorney, and tell him to stop talking to the police without one.  If he is in jail, bail him out and take him home.  IANALAnswer #2: I'm going to second "get him a defense attorney" and add "take his keys away." Even at night, he should be able to tell the difference between a dog and a human being. A dog (walks on all fours) and a human (walks upright) would not appear even remotely similar to someone whose vision and headlights were both working properly. Since your grandpa can't see well enough to distinguish between the two, he needs to stop driving. Answer #3: Is the pedestrian dead?


Title: Hypothetical

Question:
 How long would it take for someone to separate their finances from someone they were not married too, but had combined finances with?
Question:Let's just say Ursula dated Prince Eric for a really long time, Prince Eric realized she was a fat sea witch and ended things. But prior to this they lived together, had combined finances, cars, phone, etc.

Now she's an awful sea witch who probably doesn't want to let go. How long would/could it take to have all of that separated?

Just trying to get an idea here!

TYIA

Answer:
 Commingled assets are always greener
In somebody else's bank
If you think you can split them later
You're going to get legally spanked
Just think of the "he-said she said"
But both names are on the lease
You both get your credit wasted
And at least one of you gets fleeced

Insolvency
Insolvency
Darling it's better
Not being debtors
Take it from me...


Title: Is having owning a human uterus part in a science lab legal?

Question:
Science teacher brought human uterus in a microscope today. Was wondering if that is even legal. In FL btw
Topic:
Megathread

Answer:
 Do you have a reason to think it isn't?Answer #2: Do you mean a slide?    Prepared tissue slides are common and legal.

Was it a HeLa slide?  That would be pretty cool, and they are super common.


Title: What can I do if the daycare I work at won't discipline/fire a teacher who verbally (and arguably physically) abuses the kids?

Question:
I work at a large (as in, nationwide company; the building I personally work in isn't huge) pre-K daycare as a teacher, and have for a couple of years now. About a month ago my boss hired a teacher who, to put it bluntly, SHOULD NOT work in childcare in any capacity. They run the two-year-old classroom, and have an explosive temper and absolutely zero patience. Whenever any of the kids are "disobedient" (which is often, given that they're TWO YEARS OLD) my coworker screams bloody murder at them until they cry. I'm totally aware that some kids are the type that won't respond to anything but yelling, but my coworker is going so far as to name-call and even shame even the most sweethearted kids for absolutely innocent transgressions like putting toys on the wrong shelf when cleaning up, or standing too close to the door to the room. Again, these children are *two years old*. The teacher also doesn't limit themselves to their own group; whenever classrooms are combined (for activities and whatnot) they'll stand waiting and watching for another teacher's kid to do something even slightly out of line, scream at them until they cry, and then make a shitty remark to the other teacher about how they don't discipline their kids well enough. If that weren't bad enough, they commonly drag kids by the arm (which we are explicitly NOT supposed to do), lift them up very roughly, or otherwise manhandle them for incredibly small slights against their authority (which, I know I keep saying it but I'm so angry right now, THEY EXPECT TO BE FULLY UNDERSTOOD AND RESPECTED ***BY GODDAMN TODDLERS***). In at least one instance, they have dragged a child by the arm hard enough to make them cry, because they accidentally bumped into a gate separating two areas of the room.

&#x200B;

I'm not the only one who has a problem with the situation. Multiple teachers have spoken to this person, who flat-out ignores them and criticizes their teaching style. These teachers, as well as multiple parents, have spoken to our supervisor complaining about the person's unacceptable conduct. I haven't yet spoken to my supervisor about the issue personally, but from all reports, he won't do shit-all. Upwards of half a dozen people have spoken to him about this coworker over the past month, and so far he has "reminded" (in his own words) the person, exactly once, to stop treating a group of two-year-olds like garbage. Beyond that, he's listened quietly to the host of complaints, before ignoring them entirely. One of my other coworkers quit because they couldn't stand to work in a place where such outrageous behavior went unpunished. Nobody knows why he won't take action; my best guess is that it'd just be too much of a hassle for him to do anything actually effective. In any case, I've been almost out of my mind with anger for the past few weeks. I love these children like brothers and sisters, and the thought of them being screamed at, belittled, and emotionally and physically harmed, with nobody doing anything to stop it, absolutely breaks my heart.

&#x200B;

So here's my question: what can I do?? Is there a licensing agency I could call (or at least threaten to call) if nobody will do anything about this? I'd probably need a record of the incidents, or some other type of evidence, for any change to occur, right? What would be the best way to do that? (Just writing them down seems flimsy, although the other teachers would definitely be able to vouch for the existence of the incidents.) It would be NOT a good idea to go around telling parents about what's happening, right? Because, even if I were to quit the company could still sue me into living hell, right? I just don't know how to make things okay.

Answer:
 If you work at a daycare facility you are - by law - a Mandatory Reporter. That means you are obligated to report any abuse you witness or suspect to the authorities. It also means you cannot suffer any negative consequences for a report given in good faith. You cannot be fired, written up, demoted, suspended, sued, fined, etc for making a report in good faith. You can call CPS in your county and file a report. Do not go to the parents directly.Answer #2: Call CPS and report her anonymously.Answer #3: I'm a social worker and you and I are both mandated reporters of Child abuse. You don't have to prove the case, that's on DCF. You just need a suspicion of child abuse and you can call them. The local number is here:

https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/reportabuse

You don't have to tell anyone, not even your boss, that you've made the call. You don't have to answer to anyone about calling. Enough people know about this situation that no one is going to be able to pin it on you, unless you walk around with a giant sign.

Please do it now.


Title: My friend is getting married, but doesn't know if her civil union is voided from same sex being passed in our state. We live in IL

Question: My friend had a civil union before same sex marriage law was passed in Illinois. She is no longer with that person and is getting married this summer. She was told her civil union was voided by the state passing the bill, but she isn't sure. Can she file for a marriage license, or does she need to file any paperwork to break the civil union first?

Answer:
 > My friend had a civil union before same sex marriage law was passed in Illinois.

[This web page](http://civilunions.aclu-il.org/?page_id=45) suggests that your friend must first dissolve the civil union before she can marry.

> She was told her civil union was voided by the state passing the bill,

Please use active voice when possible. *Who* told her that?

I find that advice questionable. That would be a case of the state voiding a contract.


Title: New TN car laws make my stock angel-eyes on my car illegal

Question:
I just bought a 2015 Challenger a few months ago. It came stock with green LEDs around the headlights. There's no way to turn them off. Now, starting Jan 1, 2018, a new law will go into effect:
"Vehicles may display ONLY steady-burning white or amber lights to the front of the vehicle, except white or amber factory installed emergency flashers. No other steady-burning or flashing colored lights are allowed to be displayed to the front of the vehicle."

Other people have asked local police if this policy will still apply to those cars that come stock with LED halos with no way to turn them off. The police replied that the law doesn't allow colored headlight rings, whether stock or aftermarket.

My question: how can something that has passed legal tests and been released to the public be considered illegal if there's no way to turn them off without rewiring? Can I fight the imminent tickets in court?

Answer:
 Those ARE NOT STOCK. You can swap out the whole headlight or find the wire for lights and clip them. Answer #2: > There's no way to turn them off.

If you open the hood, I think you'll find that that's not true. You can always un-wire them, or get a mechanic to disconnect them for you.

> how can something that has passed legal tests and been released to the public be considered illegal if there's no way to turn them off without rewiring?

Your legislative body has the power to pass new laws, and there's no requirement that they permit existing nonconforming items under a new law. It's nice when they do, but if they haven't made an exception for existing vehicles, it's on you to get into compliance.

If you're unhappy about this, you should talk to your state representative about it.

> Can I fight the imminent tickets in court?

If you're ticketed under that statute, you can try. I can't see any obvious reason you would prevail, but if you do want to give it a shot, speak to an attorney.Answer #3: >My question: how can something that has passed legal tests and been released to the public be considered illegal if there's no way to turn them off without rewiring?

Because the legislature made a policy decision that they are undesirable, for whatever reason.

>Can I fight the imminent tickets in court?

Sure, but you have little chance of winning, especially more than once.


Title: Is it illegal/fraud to cash a check that was replaced by another check if the company owes me money & refuses to pay?

Question:
I have a customer who has gone crazy on me and owes me money...

I have 2 older checks that did not arrive on time (thru Wells Fargo check writing services they use) that were replaced by 2 other checks delivered to me in person since the others took too long to arrive.... I don't think they put a stop payment on the first 2 checks that took too long to get here, just so happens I still have them and they owe me the same amount and refuse to pay. They are no longer a customer/client, they ended a 12 month contract 7 months early, did not give us the 60 days the contract specifies we have to remedy the issues after notifying us in writing of such issues/intent, they also used our services/had us do extra work for the month of July, never paid July (payments due on the first of the month for that month) and then sent a letter cancelling on July 20th. They were under the impression they could cancel whenever, I made sure they understood the contract terms.... We had a person in meeting (July 20th, meeting was suppose to go over our steps moving forward but the owner sent out the letter cancelling the agreement that morning, demanding passwords etc. in exchange for July's payment), owner of the business denied us the 60 days to remedy the problems they still had even after we provided in writing a guaranteed solution...which they are now able to go implement themselves.

I'm looking to get at least July (1 month out of them), or July and the 60 days worth of service they denied us our right to fix what was going on.

Is it illegal if I cash them? Is it/would it be considered fraud?

I'm not looking to cash more than the amount they owe. Thank you in advance.

Location is Arizona.

Answer:
 > I'm not looking to cash more than the amount they owe.

The amount *you believe* they owe you. I suspect their version would be different. If you have an unresolved payment dispute you settle it in court, not by cashing checks that were replaced by others. That is unless you fancy facing fraud charges.


Title: Child support and visitation.

Question: My fiancé has a 4 year old daughter. Her daughters biological father has denied that she is his in the past and has never met, or supported her and his name is not on the birth certificate. My fiancé has never received any payment from him, If she were to go to court to receive payments from him is there any way that she could get the payments but also keep it to where his name is left off the birth certificate and he has no visitation rights? We are in Mississippi.

Answer:
 "Dear reddit, how can I use the law to have my cake and eat it, too?"Answer #2: > is there any way that she could get the payments but also keep it to where his name is left off the birth certificate and he has no visitation rights?

No.  In order to get him to pay child support, he must be established as the father.

Once he's established as the father, he has the absolute right to *be* a father.  The court would determine the proper custody schedule, but it's very unlikely that he'd be barred from seeing the child at all.


Title: High school bully is now a cop, should I report him? (NH)

Question:
Found out from family that the kid who spent 7th-12th grade making my life a living hell was just hired by our local & extremely small district as an officer. Less than 10 cops, including deputies, don't know if any of them are full time. I wasn't his only victim, out of the less than 100 people in my graduating class he singled out most of the women and any guys who weren't on a sports team for name calling, theft, and physical violence. Some of his more memorable stunts are:

\- Did a book report on Mine Kamf every year from 8th grade through 11th.

\- Nazi graffiti in every bathroom stall he used (busted MULTIPLE times)

\- Seig heiling at a few sports games against "inner city" schools

\- Shouting German at people in hallways just to fuck with them

\- E-mail harassment of teachers

\- Wore a hand drawn t-shirt featuring a snowman and the phrase "White Powder" trying to act like it's his "snowboard brand." (He didn't snowboard.)

\- Would stick his hand in the back pockets of younger girls then yell at them when they objected.

\- Only picked fights with the queer looking kids. He got his ass beat when he shouted the n-word at a recent transfer from Boston.

\- Made some video game map based on our school (This got him suspended for a week, some local newspapers covered it but they're all closed now.)

\- Argued with teachers about how slavery and the holo cost weren't that bad.

\- When a touring ballet visited the school, during a q&a with the performers, he asked the dude "how much jizz he ate to get so buff."

\- Called EVERYTHING "f\*g." I remember him tripping over a bike and throwing it into the street while calling it the f-bomb.

Since graduating, I've heard he spent most of his time hanging out in a town park drinking with his buddies. My brother sent me some pictures from his facebook page and it's all anti-transgender memes and the name"Dindu Nuffin" which google says is some kind of racist slang?

He owns a lot of guns. That's not a bad thing, I own a gun I hunt with, but AFAIK he's never had a steady job so how the hell can he afford so many guns?

My family doesn't want me to do or say anything because they're afraid they'll be targeted, but there's no way in heck he's actually qualified to be an officer. I've been reaching out to some other people he bullied, trying to get as much evidence as I can, but what else should I do? Our police department probably didn't have the manpower to search this dude's history, is there a state-level agency I should report him to? Frankly I'm really surprised no one working there had heard of him already, since his reputation is as bad as it is. He's got a really common name for the area, I'm not going to give it away but everyone who knew him in school just referred to him as "Shitty Jeff." (Obviously he's not really Jeff but he is pretty shitty.)

I just keep imagening what would happen if the kid I knew pulled over a woman or a black person at night and, he's absolutely the kind of man who shouldn't be trusted with any amount of power. I'm sick of the bad reputation cops have in this country but this dude is just going to make things worse the minute he tries fucking with someone above him on the food chain. I don't think a dude like that is liable to change just because he's wearing a uniform. What can I do?

Answer:
 (nal) Most states have a long pipeline to becoming a cop. There are LEO degrees, then hiring, then certification. You'll want to see if there is an inspector General for police or perhaps someone at the New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council to report it to anonymously.
Some of your examples are nothing they would care about, especially since they were as a minor. But stuff like "dindu nuffin", now, as an adult and employed as a. Cop? Game over.
Police depts don't want a liability like him on there, he is a liability that will make them payout in lawsuits. Answer #2: One cannot just waltz in and be a cop. They do an in depth background /character investigation and they are pretty good about it.

Not saying it's impossible for a dbag to slip through the cracks.

We cannot make a decision for you to express your concern to his superiors. That's up to you.


Title: Divorcing husband who is hiding assets in companies and abroad (UK)

Question:
I'm going to try and summarize this as succinctly as possible:

* Husband cheats on his wife with his female business partner for over 2 decades
* Husband financially abusive and controlling over wife
* Husband eventually caught and leaves wife, wife has no money or job
* Husband continues paying mortgage but nothing else
* Wife gets low paying job, chooses a solicitor, files for divorce
* Wife checks mortgage for family house, it is mortgaged as much as possible, with payments just for interest
* Grounds for divorce agreed, both parties submit a document detailing their assets
* Husband claims: a minimal salary from his company; minimal assets; bank accounts totalling less than £10; bank statements showing nothing but mortgage payments, giving money to one of his children, and unfeasibly modest living; and many debts, including a large debt to his business partner/mistress
* Claims businesses are making huge losses
* Husband's asssets minus liabilities is in the negative hundreds of thousands (£)

This seems completely untrue, and there is evidence to the contrary, but unsure how to find out the truth or whether the evidence is enough to prove anything.

* Husband has claimed publicly to be a multimillionaire with multiple properties abroad
* Husband owner and joint owner of several businesses, including a property and rentals business based in the US
* Document showing one of the companies made 500k one year, a few years ago
* Claimed to have a good income on document applying for mortgage years ago
* Document describing plan to float a company for millions a few years ago
* Husband has made out to be earning very little before, sometimes for tax purposes, other times for getting a discount on school fees
* Husband never gave wife information about business dealings, upon looking through documents and talking to people who worked with him it seems he is up to fraudulent stuff
* Many of his businesses seem to involve encouraging people to invest large sums of money and the investors never getting their money back
* Document showing him transfering thousands from children's saving accounts with an obviously forged signature

What are the wife's options at this point?

Proceeding without taking it to court, she will end up with nothing, or worse, debts. She is coming to the end of her working life and has nowhere to live once the house is sold for the settlement.

Taking it to court is expensive, and there is no obvious evidence of current assets. If it turns out he was doing illegal things, she may also end up with nothing. Does she even have a claim on anything that is owned by the businesses or his business partner?

Answer:
 Way too complicated for online advice.  Get a good lawyer.Answer #2: Disclaimer: I'm not your lawyer and not her lawyer.

There are options. Family courts can draw inferences from a party's unwillingness to disclose assets. It may also be possible to find that some company assets are held on trust by the company for the husband and are thus available for distribution. One case she may wish to read for an idea of how these disputes can go is the UKSC's decision in *Prest v Prest*, which should be googleable.

She should definitely consult a lawyer/discuss these issues with her current lawyer.Answer #3: You need a good divorce lawyer with experience dealing with spouses hiding assets. Nothing else is going to help here. This is so incredibly fact-specific that any advice people give you here will be completely useless to your specific situation.


Title: VC 5201.1(c) Remove Reflective Coating from Plate, What Can I do to prevent paying $1105 Fine (California, LA County)

Question:
Hello,
This incident happen roughly 2 weeks ago, I got pulled over and given a ticket "5201.1(c) remove reflective coating from plate" , also the cop wrote down non correctable violation and circled Infraction on the ticket. Anyways, I went into the DMV the next day and turned in my old license plate and got a new license plate.
The next following week, I got a notification from the court that says I must pay a bail amount of $1105. So I am given three options court by trial, trial by declaration, or simply pay off the amount (I still haven't mail in the letter). I tried contacting a traffic attorney and she said that by going to DMV to replace the license plate I already admitted guilt, also , to hire a attorney would cost the same amount as the ticket.
I am at lost here and not sure what to do. I want to avoid going to trial since I get nervous at speaking and not really good at communicating. But that doesn't seems like that's an option for me . So what can I do to better prepare myself ?

The information I found online regarding this traffic code is :
VC 5201.1(c): "A person shall not erase the reflective coating of, paint over the reflective coating of, or alter a license plate to avoid visual or electronic capture of the license plate or its characters by state or local law enforcement.”

Answer:
 IANAL, but google "license plate delamination". Some of the plates produced in the past decade in CA are defective and delaminating. My own vehicle, my dad's, and one of my friends all have peeling plates. I'm sure you'll see some when driving around if you actually start looking out specifically for delaminated plates. I believe the California DMV is intentionally ignoring the issue to avoid having to cover replacements as some other state DMVs are doing. [This is the most recent case in CA I'm aware of.](http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/transportation/back-seat-driver/article28724602.html)Answer #2: This might help you understand your options for "bench trial", and "trial by declaration".

http://www.courts.ca.gov/8450.htm

For traffic infractions of this type, there is no option for a jury trial.   Your case will either be heard by a traffic magistrate in person, or in writing.

You have to pay the "bail" if you choose to have a magistrate trial or trial by declaration.    If you win, you get the money back.   If you lose, that money pays the fine.

Because if your stated nervousness in speaking in person, I would recommend that you use the trial by declaration, so you can attempt to express yourself in writing.

You didn't technically "admit guilt" by turning in the plate, but you sure did "show consciousness of guilt", and you lost the only physical evidence that would counter the officer's statement that you did modify the plate.

Paying the fine and doing trial by declaration both cost about the same.   If you think you've got a good argument about why you don't deserve the infraction, ask for trial by declaration.   If not, save everybody's time and trouble and just pay the fine.


Title: Quick question about EI and Child support payments in Canada

Question:
I know there's most likely nothing I can do about these two things but I just thought I'd double check!

My EI question is: The father of my child has been collecting EI for 8 months and working 4 months for the past 6 years and often brags about how he doesn't have to work and won't apply to places that will hire him. Is there anything at all I can do to make him work?

My child support question is: Just wondering if support payments are based solely on income or if it matters at all if the person has no rent or phone bill or groceries to pay. The only bill he has is for a $700 car payment on a 2016 sports car where he only pays $160 for his child. I live paycheck to paycheck and he doesn't understand money issues and doesn't want to help us at all.

Answer:
 Yes they are based on income. If the other parent doesn't work then it is either based on what they could earn or minimum wage.

Certainly make sure the judge knows all the facts.


Title: (CO) Son assaulted on school bus

Question:
Last night my son came home from school with a significant scratch on his forehead. Another student held him down and scratched his forehead with his fingernail, in roughly the shape of an "L". We reported to the school district transportation office and have spoken with the prinicipal at the school. The school seems to be taking it serious, but is refusing to share information on who the other student is or what they're going to do about it, citing "confidentiality". The district office is supporting the school.

We took photos of the injury last night and we know the district transportation office is reviewing the camera footage from the bus. We are also going to file a police report.

Does the school have the right to withhold information about a student who attacked our son? Is there anything else we should be thinking about in terms of actions to take?

Thank you.

Answer:
 > Does the school have the right to withhold information about a student who attacked our son?

Generally, yes. In fact, [FERPA](https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html) prohibits the release of most information about a student, absent parental consent.


Title: Defamatory post made about my friend on Twitter, revelaing personal info. Is this legal?

Question:
A friend of mine lost her ID while we were bar-hopping a few weeks ago. Last night, a local bar tweeted a photo of her ID cut in half with a caption that reads "Gave your ID to your underage friend? Oops!"

She contacted the bar and spoke to the manager who said they do that to "show people that we take that stuff seriously."

They won't remove the post, even though the ID was stolen. Her name and address have been covered but her photo, license number, & DOB are all visible. We live in Oklahoma. Is this legal?

Update:

After numerous calls to the bar and then actually getting ahold of the bar owner, along with some pressure on Twitter, the post was finally removed. Thanks to everyone for your input

Answer:
 Strictly speaking, the information on a driver's license is public record.  Even publishing your friend's name and address would have been legal.  So I don't see anything illegal about that.

As for defamation, I'm going to add a "me too" to what /u/Lynn_L has already said, along with adding that I have difficulty seeing any actual damages that your friend would have from this even if you could prove that the bar manager knew the ID was stolen at the time of the tweet.

Unfortunately for your friend, I don't see anything illegal about what the bar did.


Title: Statutory rape

Question: My dumbass friend cheated on his gf with a 16 year old. They were going through rough times so he decided to stay with the 16 year old. The 16 year old caught major feelings and her parents are paying him to stay with them and take care of him because they think he's a nice guy. They sleep in the same room and everything. He's trying to get away but he's worried about the parents pressing charges. The girl has posted pics of them together all over social media, he lives in Florida and is 19.

Answer:
 In Florida minors who are aged 16 and 17 may also consent to intercourse with anyone up to age 24, and the adult will not be subject to penalty unless the minor is disabled.

Simple Google search. Still creepy though.


Title: I'm back, my patent willfully violated by a wealthy business owner.. Update. and it's not good.

Question:
So after speaking to a few legal firms about my case they are more than willing to take it on contingency.. we have a real case after the examination of the evidence, and the fucker signed an NDA before he sold the idea to a company overseas to have it made there and he became the sole distributor for the US.

Downside, gonna cost me over 50k in legal fees even under contingency (which will be a year long or more battle) Money I don't have.

On the other side of it, I was suddenly made aware that this is so prevalent that the megawealthy can just "do this " there is an entire business in buying businesses and patents by wealthy investors for pennies on the dollar.

No, I shit you not. Patent theft and IP theft is so bad now by corporations and the wealthy, and it costs so much to try and get money from those who do it. That there is an actual business model where wealthy investors/lawfirms will buy your whole patent or business for 10-20k , then turn and go after the infringing company for a big payday orresell the patent to another company. ( this patent is worth about .. oh 20 - 30 mil over the next 10 years)

You might ask, why not sell the patent yourself to another company?  WELL. that would be nice, but if you cannot successfully defend the patent on your own, companies will not buy it. They are not in the business of spending half a mill on legal fees without an absolute assurance they can win.. even if it is obvious to anyone this is the same product.

So any legal geniuses out there?  not much can be done unless I throw up a kickstarter or an Igg.  we have a great case, more than one offer by legal council.. Just cannot afford the filing fees and trips the lawyers will need to make to get this going.

Should I just sell.. should I just give up?

Answer:
 > Patent theft and IP theft is so bad now by corporations and the wealthy, and it costs so much to try and get money from those who do it. That there is an actual business model where wealthy investors/lawfirms will buy your whole patent or business for 10-20k , then turn and go after the infringing company for a big payday orresell the patent to another company. ( this patent is worth about .. oh 20 - 30 mil over the next 10 years)

I don't see what's substantially different from, say, finding oil on your property and selling the interest to an oil company because you don't have the resources to set up your own oil company. You have an asset, its value is contingent on its exploitation, and you don't presently have the funds to exploit it.

That said, I think this is a pretty straightforward cost-benefit business decision: if the patent is actually worth what you say it is in the long run, selling it now doesn't make economic sense. The limitations period for bringing a patent infringement suit is 6 years (AFAIK). You have that long (minus what's already expired and the risk of an earlier discovery point being imputed) to raise the necessary funds.

ETA: That said, look around enough and you might find someone willing to advance the lawsuit funding on terms other than full transfer of the patent.Answer #2: Sounds like you need a partner with deeper pockets.


Title: I'm getting paid $8.50 for training can someone help me out?

Question: I need to know if this is illegal. I've been getting "trained" since December now. Every time this lady wants me to learn how to do something she tells me it's on me to learn how to do it. She hasn't given me the proper training either. If someone can help me out some how. I need to know if I can do something about being paid 8.50 an hour.

Answer: Does your training include following directions? Because if so you need more training. You were told specifically to provide your location.Answer #2: It could be legal but since you failed to post your location I can't tell you for sure.


Title: Sued by debt collector for debt I’m 98% sure my mother opened (Michigan)

Question:
Hello legaladvice!

My parents were, to put nicely, not the greatest people sometimes. I know for a fact they have opened bills in my name before (I have fought those).  I just received a summons for a debt collection suit for a credit card debt in my name. The address listed was my parents house at the time. The big kicker is that she passed away back in 2015 so I’m not sure what I can do in this situation or if I am just kind of screwed.

According to the information in the mail the account was opened in 2013 with my name and social security number. The address is the address for my parent’s old house. I have proof I did not live at that address at that time (old bills, drivers license, etc.). The debt was sold twice before (not sure if that’s relevant). I may be able to prove the previous fraud if I can find documentation but I’m not sure if that is something that’s admissible. I did live nearby (roughly 20 miles away) so I don’t know if transaction records could be pinned on me or anything.

The precious fraud did not go to court. It was disputed through the company the debt was owed to and it was terminated by the company.

Absolutely any advice or help is greatly appreciated.  I’m basically on my own as far as life advice goes and this is the first time I’ve dealt with the legal system in any way.

Sorry for any bad editing. I’m on mobile.

Answer: File a police report.  This debt is not yours and your identity was stolen.


Title: A tenant abandoned his stuff at my house and rent a center wants to come pick it up but he owes me 1.5 months rent. Do i have to let them in my house to get it? If I say no, am I legally in trouble? I would think once they try and fail they would just take him to court. What should I do?

Question: Update: I'm located in NY.

Answer: If they can prove it is theirs you should probably release it. You need to formally evict tenant and seek a writ of possession to remove the rest of his stuff.


Title: [Florida] Rental Scam / "Landlord" has my $3000

Question:
I started looking for a new place to live this past April and was running out time with no luck mid-May.  I have drug felonies with adjudication withheld from when I was arrested ~5 years ago, making it very difficult to rent anywhere, period.  I responded to a Craigslist posting that had plenty of images of a duplex near where I was still living at the time (my lease was up at the end of May) and began conversing with the poster via text and phone call.  I met the individual and looked at the duplex (1br/1ba), he convinced me to take a 6-month lease deal paid in full up front for $3000.00, which I was extremely hesitant about at first, because it was the ENTIRETY of my savings, but the cheap $500/mo rate and his insistence that he had two other people ahead of me in-line for the same offer convinced me to go for it.

 The application fee was a $25 money order.  He also has a photocopy of my driver's license and potentially my SSN... I can't remember, but I did fill out a rental application and I'm almost sure SSN was on there.  I withdrew the money from my bank account on 5/28 or 5/29 and gave it to him as (3) $1000.00 money orders the next day.  We met at "his house" and signed a lease that was set to begin on Monday 6/8, at which point he said I would receive my key and would be able to move in.  On Sunday 6/7 he informed me of a vague roof problem brought on by recent rains.  I had NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE of this whatsoever and do not recall seeing any leaks in the ceiling when "touring" the duplex, but he sent me pictures of a damaged roof (may be from another building).  Over the past two weeks he has insisted that the repairs were ongoing and delayed.

As soon as I insisted he give me the money back he has stopped responding to my calls and texts entirely.  He is continuing to run craigslist ads for the exact same unit.  I went there to look for evidence of a roof problem and his father-in-law was there and offered me a rental application for the unit, unprovoked I might add.  I would go confront him at his house, but I have past offenses, and am I white guy with dreadlocks so police aren't my biggest fans.  I am also so angry I am afraid of doing or saying something stupid if I confront him in person.

I desperately want my $3000 back.  I worked way too hard to save that amount of money (over a year).  If it weren't for my parents' help I'd be royally fucked right now.  I am livid - I am trying to get an attorney to talk to me right now but the ones I have called have yet to get back to me.  I am going to call again and send out some emails tomorrow.  I just discovered this subreddit - if anyone has any advice on what to do, file a police report, anything, please share it.  I am desperate to feel like I have a chance against this bastard. Thank you for reading!

**EDIT**:  Thanks for everyone who has taken the time to read and offer advice so far, I appreciate it.  I am trying to contact a local attorney today and hopefully it won't be much longer before that happens or I go ahead with filing the police report.

**UPDATE**:  Okay so after talking to this recommended local attorney, he basically tried to discourage me from asking him to do anything/employing him.  I got the feeling that I wasn't worth his time.  He said it would be $300-$400 to send the guy a strongly worded letter and that he thought it was a civil matter and that a police report probably wouldn't even prompt an investigation but that I could try it anyways.  He said my best bet is to sue the guy myself in small-claims court.  I'm fairly depressed about this bullshit.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 This scam shouldn't even exist, because it's so easy for them to get nailed.

1. Victim gets scammed, scammer continues postings on craigslist.
2. Victim calls police, police setup sting operation pretending to be new scam victim.
3. Police get scammed, and take down the scammers. Get search warrants for their house, bank accounts, and put them away for fraud.

So my question is, what happens if you were to call the police, tell them what's happening? Will they setup a sting operation to bust him committing fraud (renting the same unit to multiple people and then cutting off contact with them)?

Please update us on what happens when you do call the police and report an easy case of real estate fraud.

Answer #2: Why are you even posting here? Just go to the police. If you have documentation of everything your criminal past won't even matter. Answer #3: Go to the police and file a report.  This scam is pretty easy to fight because you know where he lives and where the property is.


Title: Iowa Child Support and divorce question

Question:
I think my situation is a bit odd and would like some perspective and advice.  I appreciate any help you can give.

My ex husband and I divorced when my daughter was a baby.  Our divorce agreement says 50/50, with no child support (which we agreed upon).  I was foolish.  Once she started school he and I agreed that I'd have primary custody and he'd have her every other weekend.  We agreed to no child support if we did this on our own without the court involved.

My daughter is now older and is more expensive.  I'd like him to pay more expenses towards her.  My concern is that if I take him to court for child support, the judge will enforce our decree and will make us go back to 50/50, though my ex no longer lives in town.  He lives about an hour and a half away.  What are the odds of this happening?

Is my best option to try and get him to agree to a monthly amount without the court?

Have I totally fucked myself with how I've handled all of this so far?

Again, any input and advice is super appreciated.

This is a throwaway because he Reddits and I don't want him to know what I'm thinking just quite yet.

Answer: Don't do this outside of court. Apply for child support through the court. No judge is going to split a child 50/50 over that distance when they are in school. He'll probably try for as much time as he can get to lower the amount, so weekends and some weeks in the Summer. Get a family lawyer and you'll be fine.


Title: My father is getting sued, or getting inheritance, or I'm getting inheritance?

Question:
Hello everyone,

This is a weird post and I'm not sure where to start... This is going to be a long one, so buckle in.

I live in ON, Canada and I live with my mom. My parents are divorced and I haven't spoken to my father in a year or two, and I haven't spoken to his family in like 5-10, maybe 15 years. His mother, my grandmother on his side, passed away in 2017 and 5 days after her funeral, my dad's sister (I am mutual friends with her son on FB even though I don't really speak to him ever) contacted me on FB and said she needs to speak to me (regarding my grandmother), then sent me a picture of a document that says "prepared by" an attorney. Normally I would think, maybe this is inheritance or something, but, I am not sure if that is the case. My father was left out of the obituary and my father and his sister are NOT friends on FB, indicating perhaps some kind of disconnect there. Last week, an attorney sent me a message on FB stating they hope I am the "First Last" person they are looking for and they are attempting to write regarding an estate matter. They said I can call them, or even if I want to just tell them my fathers name and grandmothers name, that would be most helpful and then we could communicate further if I am the right "First Last".

To make things even more strange, I googled this person and my fathers name, and  apparently in his city a couple months ago (so a few months after my grandmother passed away) on their website they posted an ad with a notice to my father essentially saying that they know his past location but not his present location and to contact them regarding estate.

I think they are trying to trick me, to try and get my fathers current location out of me, to proceed with a lawsuit? But I do not genuinely know where he is, and I have no intentions of getting my father sued despite him not really being around a whole lot for me - part of that is on me, part of that is on him.

What should I do? Should I message my dad on FB and ask for his phone number to talk? Am I in "danger" in any way by doing so, am I potentially opening myself up to any kind of litigation by doing so? Should I just keep ignoring this (something I ended up doing by accident until just last night then I stayed up till 3AM thinking about what to do about it)?

Please give me advice on what I should do about this very strange situation.

Answer:
 This isn't anywhere near as strange as you make it out to be.

This is, in fact, ordinary conduct when the representative of the estate of the deceased can't contact someone who might have an interest in the estate. Your father has an interest in his mother's estate (even if he were to be disinherited), and must be notified; if the representative didn't have any contact information, then posting notice sometimes substitutes, but they would much prefer to find your father.

They're looking for _you_ for one of two reasons:

1. They hope you have information about your father that you'll be willing to share.

2. They need to contact you, not just your father, and want to make sure they have the right person before sending someone to deliver the paperwork to you.

There's no trick, as such: if you don't wish to get involved, don't. If there's something left to you, you might not find out, but that's the worst of it. Conversely, you could well speed things along by cooperating willingly as far as telling them how to get in touch with your father. There's no additional litigation you could be subject to, for either choice, as long as you don't do something deliberate to interfere, like lying to someone trying to serve process.

If you're skeptical, and want to be sure your ass is covered, have an attorney handle this on your behalf, and direct all correspondence through them. The estate's lawyers will abide by that.


Title: [Help] How can I go about having a judge declare my son's mother to incompetent, and to grant me full custody?

Question:
-throwaway-

I do not take it lightly when I say this, but my son's mother is (in my eyes) too dense (I'm being nice) to make choices for our child. It's taken a very long time for me to come to this conclusion, and I still question my conviction, however there is no other way to explain her selfishness.

---
--Pertinent information--

Married: no we were/are not

Custody: I have had custodial custody since he turned 3

Visitation: she gets him every other weekend

Age: he's almost 7

Court certified agreement: yes.

Court ordered restriction: Our son is banned from being at the house his mother lives at because her mother (his grandmother on his mothers side is prohibited from being around him), his uncle (also lives at that house) is prohibited from being around him, his grandmother's boyfriend (a convicted child molester, and lives at the house) is also prohibited. His mother is allowed to serve her weekend visitations at other residences (her sisters for example).

What did her mother do to get on the restricted list?
- her mother continuously calls me a nigger, and talks badly about me around my son, I was only made aware of this after my son came home and said "nigger" at the age of 3. When I called her to ask where he learned the word, she told me it was because of her mother talking about me... She was deposed by my attorney, and signed a statement admitting this.

What did her uncle do to get on the restricted list?
- (before her mother was on the list) I was told by her that her uncle keeps calling my son pet names (he was 2 at the time), rubbing his head and saying things like "aww you little nappy headed nigger". She admitted to this, and signed a statement for this.

----

Why do I think she's unfit?
- After carefully reviewing her actions/reactions over time,  she's shown a clear pattern of putting her needs or convenience above our son's needs. For example, the court order prohibits my son from being at her house, yet she finds it hard to understand why that is (read pertinent information to understand why). She consistently blames me for being unreasonable and ignorant for not letting her have our son spend weekend a at her house because her sister won't let her do it at her place (when that comes up every now and then). Recently (since it had been 2-3 years) she asked that I allow him to spend time at her place, with he grandmother, I told her that this would be a slow process, but her mother would have to start it off by calling and apologizing to me... Instead, she sent me a text with the word "sorry" and a long winded message about how she used the word to describe me as ignorant.... Yeah, I took that as more of a backhanded apology, and that she hasn't to changed at all.

There is far more to this story that I'll have to update later from a device other than my phone.

Please help, I know she isn't good enough for our son, I'm not happy here, and I would very much like to leave the state, how can I make this happen?

---

**EDIT**: Some of our dialogue.

[His mom 1](https://postimg.org/image/vs16ru4bx)

[His mom 2](https://postimg.org/image/xxvhmc7sd/)

[His mother's mother](https://postimg.org/image/6bsq1nofh/)

Answer: Is your goal here to get rid of all visitation so that the mother has no access? That is incredibly unlikely.


Title: [FL] Divorce: indigent wife vs husband with an attorney?

Question:
The title pretty much says it all.

I know a woman who wants a divorce from her emotionally/psychologically abusive husband, but he refuses to let the marriage go, or to act decently.

They don’t have much to fight over. They own a not so nice ~1,100sqft house together, and they each have a vehicle, and that’s about it. Their children are 18 and 20 years old. But the husband has retained an attorney (even though he only makes like $14/hr).

She does not have a job, and hasn’t in a while, and was approved by a judge for indigent status. She is worried about trying to go to court pro se against an attorney and being left with absolutely nothing.

Is it possible for an indigent person to get an attorney?

Answer: Yes. Keep in mind half of that house belongs to her.


Title: I'm being forced to go to a religious camp.

Question: Hi. I am a seventeen year old who lives in California and I am being forced to go to a religious camp in a few weeks. My parents didn't tell me anything about it until after registering me to go. Is there any way for me, as a minor, to get myself out of this camp?

Answer: Take some time to preach the joys of Pastafarian and the Flying Spaghetti Monster and get kicked out within a day or two.


Title: (IA) Husband recorded a phone call where his ex states she hasn't eaten for 2 days waiting for food stamps--won't give him custody--do we call someone?

Question:
Location: IA.

We just emailed our lawyer.

Stepson came to our house this weekend. His mom hasn't been keeping the court order meeting us halfway to exchange him, so we've been driving the full distance when we can. (She lives 3 hours away, so that's 12 hours of driving for us over a weekend).

His mom told us that he had been having a lot of accidents lately. He will be 5 next month. While at our house, he pooped his pants and wiped himself with his underwear and told no one. Later he said he didn't want to go back to his mom's house and his mom sleeps on the floor.

Obviously concerned, I called his mom on Friday. I recorded the phone call. In the conversation, we agree that him not seeing his dad as much due to her not following the court order is obviously having a negative effect on him. (We are supposed to get him every other weekend and she is supposed to meet us halfway) She agrees to start following the court order. In the same conversation, she acknowledges that she is struggling. (Husband pays her child support). I talk to her about the possibility of my husband taking him full time. She says she's open to it, but thinks her mom would freak out, so she's hesitant.

In the same conversation, she tells me (in the recorded call) that she didn't eat for two days because she was waiting on her food stamps. She is a diabetic. She also tells me that she couldn't get her diabetes medication and had to beg her doctor for free samples because she couldn't afford her prescription.

**TL;DR:** My husband and I are concerned. Mother of stepson has full custody, not following court order, is telling us she didn't eat for two days because she was waiting on food stamps, couldn't afford her medication, and my stepson is almost 5 and having potty accidents and regressing bathroom habits like he's 2. Also he's telling us that mommy sleeps on the floor. We emailed our lawyer. Do we have a case to go for full custody? Should we call CPS? Or is this something they wouldn't care about since she's saying it was only her that didn't eat for two days?

Answer:
 >We just emailed our lawyer.

If you are already in contact with a lawyer, I would suggest you wait for their response. it would be improper for anyone to give you advice while you already have counsel. Heed the advice of your attorney - He will know your case better than any of us.

>Should we call DHS

The department of homeland security?
Answer #2: I think a collaborative approach seems possible here.  You both want what's best for the kid.  Right now,  livingliving with someone who can barely feed herself,  and could be incapacitated by low blood sugar isn't best.  At a guess,  the stress is telling on him, and that's why he's having accidents.

Mom is worried her mom will freak out.  Maybe you can work with her and a mediator to figure out what is a reasonable arrangement.  Perhaps you can take temporary custody while she gets herself in order.  From there,  inertia may take over,  but if you frame it as a temporary move,  it's less confrontational,  and then you can figure out the long term best move once things are more settled. Answer #3: You should try to come up with a mutual agreement with her to take on the kid fulltime. And try to make her understand that her mom freaking out shouldn't even be an issue. She should do what's best for her kid, not what's "best" for her mother (which appears to be having easy access to her grandkid).

If she's struggling to feed herself and paying for **life-supporting medicine**, she should make sure her kid is at least taken care of, even at the expense of her mother's feelings.


Title: Nurse here, took a voluntary drug test at work and tested (+) for marijuana. Employer is giving me two weeks to report myself to the board of nursing.

Question:
I do have Malpractice insurance with license protection that covers an attorney, but it isn't activated until the board receives a complaint. I was just wondering if self-reporting will just speed up the process, or will it be detrimental to my case and I should just wait for my previous employer to report me. No patients were harmed in my case.

I am located in Boston, Massachusetts as well

Thank you guys!

Answer: Referring yourself may prevent a formal complaint from being filed. This self referral system is designed to help you keep your license. Allowing them to report you may end up the same as a self referral, however it could end up worse. A self report may also help you keep your job or allow you to resign. You do not want to be fired for drug use as you will have to report that on every job application and may also be required to self report that to state licensing agencies.


Title: I have been forwarded a subpoena from twitter about my twitter account. I pretended to be someone else and asked for money.

Question:
So when the news story happened two weeks ago about a guy urinating in the kelloggs production line, I figured this might be an opportunity to scam someone! I'm an idiot/evil/terrible person, I know.

Anyway, I made this reddit account, signed up for a throwaway email address at mail.com and used that to sign up for a twitter account, @workerkellogg. I then proceeded to lie in both this reddit account and twitter, saying I know who this guy is and I could be persuaded to give away the info for 20 bitcoins. On reddit, a few people called me out on my shit (as can be expected) and on twitter, nothing happened. A few days later that twitter account was suspended.

I am not the phantom wee-er and I don't even live in the USA. I live in Bucharest, Romania.

I logged into my throwaway email address early this morning to see an email from twitter legal.Twitter sent me an email to inform me they have been err... subpoened? given a subpoena. in relation to my twitter account @workerkellogg. A real one from a US court!

So given that I didn't use a proxy or a tor while making my email and twitter accounts, Am i fucked? whats' the USA-Romania legal process? did I break a US law?

I can provide screenshots of the PDF and email for proof if you would like this as proof, but have a look in my reddit history and you can see 2 weeks ago my comment in the reddit thread.

I would like to get inb4 "You play with fire and you cant' complain when you get burned".

I know I did a bad thing and am prepared to accept the consequences if I must. but you know, I would prefer if i didnt.

Just to reiterate: Fake email, fake twitter account, no immediately identifying info on these. But, I didn't use tor to connect. What's my best course of action? will the US govt track me from my IP? I run a tor relay node on my computer, could I just claim that the access came from elsewhere?

Thank you for your help. I would like to also say I know I am the guilty party, and I hope that deosn't preclude me from getting legal advice.

Edit: Dorobanti, Sector 1, Bucharest, Romania. How specific do i need to be?

Answer:
 Can you redact personal information and post the subpoena? I'm sure everyone would be interested to read it.

I wouldn't worry too much at this point.  There's not much anyone in America can do to you in Romania.


Title: Need legal advice ASAP!

Question:
Instead of writing everything again. I'll refer you to this page http://www.reddit.com/r/SuicideWatch/comments/1um3vj/ive_been_stalking_a_girl_on_facebook_and_now_i/
read the initial posting and then read the long text i just posted that shows what I've gotten myself into now...

PS: I live in Canada

Answer:
 >can the police trace my IP address through Facebook?

If they choose to

>is what i've been doing illegal?

Stalking? Yes. That is illegal.

>can i be charged with something

It is possible.

>all i want to do is change my life for the better

Get some help. Meet people in person and have in person, not FB relationships.


Title: [CO] Neighbor threatening to sue over a Window A/C

Question:
I live in Colorado Springs, CO. I own my town home, and 2 years ago I decided to purchase and use Window Air Conditioners after several other alternatives were tried and failed, and we found out it's too expensive to have central air installed.

So, Window A/C is against our HOA rules without a medical note. The HOA recently sent me a note stating to take them out, and I replied via the requested method. I'm still waiting to hear back about that.

In the mean time, one of my neighbors (who is on the HOA board) decided to attack me verbally in an email chain to other HOA board members (I'm on the board as well, but never had any real interactions with this guy, positive or negative). The email chain had nothing to do with my town home, but in it he turned his attention to me personally and threatened to sue me. He then proceeded to send me a letter stating that if he puts his house on the market and we have window air conditioners in our unit then he will sue me for his loss in property value.

Is this a thing? Can he sue me for this? Is there something I should do to protect myself legally? (He's made it clear that he's sending this threat as an individual and not as a representative of the HOA)

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Answer:
 A window unit on a neighbors house has zero effect on property value. He cannot sue you privately for this and win.
Just ignore this clown.

Save all records of his harassment.  I would call him out in the HOA meeting on any threats the next time he is up for reelection.
If he does harass you more then look into a restraining order.

As for the unit, follow the HOA rules.

I have this portable unit.  You just put the exhaust small hose in the window so nothing sticks out.
It also does not require any draining of the water as the water evaporates out of the hose.   it cools my 10ft x 10ft room to 64F in Texas.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/LG-Electronics-12-000-BTU-Portable-Air-Conditioner-and-Dehumidifier-Function-with-Remote-Control-in-Gray-67-2-Pint-Day-LP1214GXR/204684042
I recommend this, if it gets around the HOA rules.

The doctors note should be easy to get.  I would think any doctor would laugh at such a request and then just sign a note for you without any fuss.


Title: (DE) Tenant has invited his sister, her boyfriend, and their five children to live with him

Question:
A tenant renting a 2-bedroom home from my family has invited his sister, her boyfriend, and their five children to live with him.

Is there any grounds for having the "guests" removed from the home? Is there any grounds for an eviction of the tenant, if he fails to get rid of his "guests", or are we stuck with a flophouse situation?

Answer:
 If the tenant has a month-to-month lease, the easiest thing to do would be to tell the tenant, in writing, that their lease will be terminated. The landlord must give 60 days' written notice (which means if you gave notice tomorrow, the earliest they could be out would be the last day of November, assuming they pay rent on the 1st of each month) for a non-cause termination, but there's nothing the tenant can do to contest it.

If they have a term lease, then, unless they're breaching a clause in the lease, you're stuck with them until the end of the current term. Tenants in Delaware [have a right to sublet unless they explicitly agree not to](http://attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/documents/llt_summary_for_tenants_022514.pdf). As with month-to-month tenancies, the landlord can give them notice that the lease will not be renewed at least 60 days prior to its end.

If they're breaching the lease, then they can be given shorter notice, immediately, and they can be evicted through the courts if they do not remedy the situation.Answer #2: Some cities have limits on the number of occupants per house.  3 adults and 5 children in a 2 bedroom house may exceed the limit.

Other than that, your only recourse is the lease. See what it says about approval for guests.


Title: 4 year old shooting a gun

Question: What is the law regarding how old a child can shoot a gun? My brother is allowing my niece to shoot and I feel that 4 is too young. Especially, when they have guns laying around without being locked up safely and knowing that she struggles to listen to rules and adults anyways. I will say that I am in no way against guns, I own a few but I want to know if there is possible legal repercussions or if I should just mind my own business.

Answer: A child with access to guns is not mind your own business territory. Call CPS. Answer #2: As far as I'm aware, there is no federal age at which you attain the ability to shoot and you didn't add your state so there's no way to comment upon your case specifically. As far as them having weapons that are accessable to the child, you need to contact your states division of child services asap. Answer #3: Not technically legal advise, but teaching proper gun safety and the consequences of using a gun can be greatly beneficial especially in a home with a lot of guns. Teach them as young as you can. Now on the other hand, if your brother is just handing her a gun and telling her to go play this would be straight up negligence. As Wells as leaving a loaded gun laying around without even as much as a trigger lock would also be severe negligence. He doesn't necessarily need a gun safe, but he does need a way to put them up and proper trigger locks on all of them and no ammunition in reach of children. Answer #4: Call cps Answer #5: What did your brother say when you said something to him about it?


Title: Still enjoying curbside trash pick up 3 months after canceling the service. Can they bill me when they discover the error?

Question:
TLDR at the end.

I’m in western NY. I found out in July that my local municipality has its own garbage and recycling drop off location I can use as a resident for about $60/year. This is WAY cheaper than the $45/month I’ve been paying for weekly curbside garbage pickup. The downside of the municipal option is that you have to load up your car and bring it yourself only on 2 designated days and times each week. I don’t think that’s going to be fun over the winter, but we’ve got an SUV and I estimate we probably only need to make one trip per month (we compost and try to keep waste low).

I went ahead and signed up with the town and called my trash pickup company and cancelled in August. It went fine, they told me to put the old trash toters out by the curb and they would be picked up by a separate/special truck they send out for that, not by the regular garbage truck. I put the toters out there… and they were never picked up. After about 14 days of them sitting there (sorry folks, have work and a toddler and they weren’t in my way or anything leaving them out by the curb, luckily they didn’t fall over or get vandalized etc) I called back. Trash pickup company said basically “Oops sorry; we show your account is cancelled and your toters should have been picked up. We’ll send the special truck out again.” I paid my final bill in September for a partial month of pick up… and the toters were still there.

One morning in mid-September I randomly noticed that the regular garbage truck picked up my toters with the big arm and dumped nothing into the truck (since they were empty, waiting for that special pick up). But the garbage truck picked them up, dumped them, and put them back as if they were full of trash. That got me thinking, and I’m sure you know where I’m going with this. The next week I put trash and recyclables in the old toters, and the regular garbage truck picked it up, just like it used to when I paid for the service. I have been leaving the toters out by the curb 24/7 for 3+ months now, waiting for that special pick up. I haven’t put them in my garage or hidden them or anything. I just started putting trash in them on trash days, and it’s getting picked up on the regular trash pickup day. We’re in a small town rural setting so the neighbors don’t care/complain. I have been enjoying free weekly trash pickup for about 3 months. I haven’t been billed since August; no new bills in my online account when I checked at the beginning of October. No letters no nothing. I know it’s ethically wrong, but if and when they discover their mistakes can they bill me? The first few weeks of using free pick up my wife said I should just call again and tell them the bins still haven’t been picked up, but now she just uses them for trash just like we used to. I know winter is coming. Could they back bill me?

TLDR – Upstate NY. Cancelled garbage pickup 3 months ago. Company never came and picked up its bins from in front of my house. I have been enjoying free trash pickup. What happens if/when they figure out their error?

Answer:
 >The next week I put trash and recyclables in the old toters, and the regular garbage truck picked it up, just like it used to when I paid for the service. I have been leaving the toters out by the curb 24/7 for 3+ months now

Up to that point, you were good to go.

Once you started using them again, you owe them money for the service they provided.

>I know it’s ethically wrong, but if and when they discover their mistakes can they bill me?

Yes, starting with the time they actually collected your trash after the initial break.

At this time, you are intentionally trying to defraud the garbage collection company into free trash removal.

>What happens if/when they figure out their error?

You will likely be billed as if you never cancelled and will likely have to pay the retroactive bill.

Had you stopped using their services you would have had an easy win - once you started using them again, you are on the hook.Answer #2: You could be found guilty of Theft of Service, which I am sure would likely include restitution for the services given.

This is akin to stealing your neighbor's cable.


Title: Is it illegal for police officers to take items without paying?

Question:
I know this probably sounds very petty, but I'm older (think Serpico era) and I thought it was illegal for police to take goods from a merchant w/o paying.

I was in a chain convenience store yesterday morning.  It was an hour before the local 4th of July parade.   This is a very small community.  An officer walked in and got a coffee.   As he was walking out he turned to the clerk who was filling coffee urns and said "Have a great day", and walked out the side door.   Not the first time I've seen this in this particular store.  There's been a complete turnover of clerks recently, and this one seemed taken aback.

I thought that this was illegal...the thinking being that it could become an exponential problem; coffee today, a sandwich tomorrow, a carton of smokes next week, but "I'll make more patrols over this way" kind of thing and the next thing you know it's a protection racket with business owners getting a money shakedown.

No, I've never seen this officer before and I didn't catch his name tag or badge number.

Answer:
 You have exactly zero knowledge of any agreement between that officer and that store.

Can police steal? NoAnswer #2: Many convenience stores actually encourage police to stop in for free coffee or pop. Having a constant police presence makes it safer for the employees. As long as the department is okay with it there isn't anything wrong with it unless it is being used as some sort of bribeAnswer #3: If indeed they were taking it without paying then yes that is theft which is a crime.

You don’t know the store owner doesn’t give cops free coffee, though. It may be a violation of state ethical standards or sept policy though.Answer #4: I used to work graveyard at a corner store. The store owner would let cops grab anything they wanted free of charge. It kept a police presence around the store and deterred any would be thieves.

Answer #5: It's not at all uncommon for a convenience store to offer free coffee to cops.   You might have seen a cop who was accustomed to the policy and a clerk who wasn't.

Or, you might have seen a cop bullying a store or flat-out stealing.

On the whole, I tend to think Choice A is more likely, especially with extra patrols and overtime for the 4th of July.Answer #6: You are right, it is very petty. Mind your own business.

This is quite normal. The cop didn't steal. The business and the police have an agreement. Cop is out working hard possibly 12 hour shifts protecting the city and the convenience store offers coffee on the house. Nothing wrong with that. Hell it's their store, they can do whatever they want.

Don't be that guy.


Title: Serious legal advice required + What type of lawyer do I seek? [Budget: $300 CAD]

Question:
I have $300 CAD bucks to spend, I want to start a religion but I don't know what type of lawyer to ask or how to explain it properly. Here is why I want to start the religion.

I don't want to pay property tax and I plan to use half of the property as a personal office/kitchen (so zoning laws will have to be respected) and I know religions get tax benefits. I also plan to live in the other half of the unit because I will employ myself as the overnight guard. If this property has a parking spot I would like to park a small size van there and may occasional use it for shelter from the elements. its also where my delivery van would be for the prepackaged meals.

I feel I can adequately defend the earnestly and even quantify the good will generated because the purpose of the kitchen would be to make prepackaged foods that is not only safe to eat but balanced in nutritious metrics. I would fund myself with donations; self or otherwise, but my religion status would shield my property from taxes other than utilities? but whatever discounts

So do I go to a tax lawyer for this and who gives me religious status, cityhall or...? I Live in BC, Canada.

TLDR: MIDLIFE CRISIS AND ENJOYS BOBS BURGER AND CHARITY. ALSO ELE TYPE HUMOR

Answer:
 "Religion" isn't an arbitrary legal designation. You can't get your business declared as a religion as a tax dodge. If it were that easy to avoid taxes, everyone would be doing it.Answer #2: You can perhaps start up a religion but I think your hurdle will be qualifying for the tax and other exemptions because I think you will need to meet the requirements for a charity.

Your plan fails there as there is no public benefit to what you propose.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/charities-giving/charities/policies-guidance/guidance-017-general-requirements-charitable-registration.html


Title: If I am being sued in civil court for money, does the lawyer I hire have the responsibility to have me pay the least amount of money, or just not pay the people suing me?

Question:
Just saw another story about a class action law suit where everything won went to the lawyers.

My story is that I and thousands of other businesses go scammed.  Was sued in another state, a lawyer practicing in that state contacted me.  I had been paying so sent him proof that I owed $12000, but got sued for $18000, the full amount before the payments I made.

Things go back and forth for a couple of years, don't hear from him for months at a time.

Eventually the statute of limitations passes.  He tells me I won, sends me another bill so my fees add up to close to what I owed.
Had I known my legal fees would have cost me almost as much as I owed, I would have just paid that and not had the hassle for two years  AND I got offers to settle for a percentage of what I owed.

He sues me for the balance of money owed. I tell the judge I only owed 12,000, they offered to settle for less than that.  Lawyer's response was we never got to discovery, judge accepts that.

If I pay a lawyer five figures, should I not assume he knows how much I owe?  It was certainly in the file.

If someone is suing me for money. am I not hiring a lawyer to keep me from having to pay that money?  Does a lawyer have the responsibility to have me pay the least amount of money, or just not pay the person suing me? Had the case gone back to trial, I would have owed him more.   Could I have owed my lawyer more than I owed originally?

I don't understand how it is just fine with the court that I end up paying the lawyer more than I could have settled for.

Answer:
 > I don't understand how it is just fine with the court that I end up paying the lawyer more than I could have settled for.

It's fine with them because that's what you agreed to.

Litigation costs money.  Lawyers cost money.  It's not up to the court to determine how you spend your money.  If you sue for $12,000, but end up racking up $30,000 in lawyer fees, that's on you, not on them.

Your agreement with your attorney should spell out compensation and payment - specifically, what services he promises you for what pay scale - flat fee, hourly, whatever.


Title: Can someone sue me for having the same Instagram username as their company?

Question:
I got a message today through Facebook from a person who has the same company name as my user name (which I have had since June 25, 2015 and had no knowledge of the existence of their company). They are asking me to delete my account or they will press legal charges against me because they hold a trademark on the name.

Can they press charges against me for this? I skimmed some articles online and one said that they can't press charges if the other person is not interfering with the company or selling under that name (which I'm not, it's a personal account) and if they are not in the same area (state).

Instagram username: limitless.endeavours

Link to photos:
http://imgur.com/a/ncQQO

Edit: I am located in Florida and their company is located in Texas.

FINAL EDIT/UPDATE: They backed down! Thank you everyone who commented! You guys are the best!

Answer:
 No, they just want your username without paying for it. Unless you are claiming to be their company or trying to sell stuff with it, personal use should be fine.Answer #2: You can't give (or sell) it to them even if you want to. That's expressly against the agreement you made with Instagram:

>You are responsible for any activity that occurs through your account and you agree you will not sell, transfer, license or assign your account, followers, username, or any account rights.

Contrariwise, Instagram can yoink your account and give it away if they please, and there's not a darned thing you could do about that.Answer #3: I would have been so bold as to ask them politely to change their company name instead.


Title: TN - About to start a custody fight...

Question:
... and I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

I'm not going to bog you down with the little details. We were never married, and we broke up before he was born. Yes, I pay child support. No, there's no court ordered parenting plan. Stupid, I know.

I am going through a divorce. My soon-to-be ex-wife told my child's mother that I have substance abuse issues. No, there's no concrete evidence that suggests that I have one. No, I have never failed a urinalysis (and I'm tested regularly and randomly). I have no arrest record. My record will only show two speeding tickets. As a result, my child's mother demanded information from me, and I admitted to relapsing in May of last year. She is now demanding that I provide proof of substance abuse counseling or therapy so that I may resume normal visitation with my child. I was denied my request for proof from my therapist, stating that it's illegal. I'm unsure if my therapist was correct on the legality, but I'm positive that providing that kind of information is damning and sensitive, and shouldn't be done outside of legal constraints

What I want is unsupervised visitation with my child, but I'm being stonewalled. We've done our parenting plan without a court order for the past decade. Obviously the next step is to file that, so a). considering the sensitivity of what's being thrown around here, should I consult with a lawyer? b). what should I expect from this process? And whatever legal information can be provided.

Answer:
 > should I consult with a lawyer?

Yes.


Title: Just got a hospital bill for over $50,000. Not sure what to do.

Question:
Note: I first posted this in r/personalfinance but was told it would be better here.

&#x200B;

I spent about 11 years working abroad in a place with universal healthcare.

I just came back to the US last month to start a family and accept a new job. The night before the job (when I was still technically uninsured), while stopped at a stoplight (I was a passenger, not driver), a car slammed into us from behind. Long story short, I was messed up pretty bad and had to miss work.

Now almost a month has passed and I've finally gotten used to my new life in this new place with my new job, and a bill for over $50,000 comes in. Lots of little charges of several hundred dollars, and a few big ones that just say "partial trauma" and "body imaging".

I sincerely have no idea how to proceed. My parents' know jack about insurance because they have great insurance from jobs they've had for like, their whole adult lives but they did put me in touch with an accident lawyer. The lawyer isn't great at maintaining contact and I worry about whether he is taking my problem seriously. My wife is from the country I came back from, so obviously she is lost as well. My sister laughs it off and said she had to file for bankruptcy in the past over medical charges, and that really scared me.

I was barely able to wrap my head around how health insurance works in the states (most of my adult life I worked abroad) - and now I have this bill that will crush everything I ever worked for.

Sorry if I'm all over the place. It's possible that I'm still in shock over this, as I just got the bill a little while ago. Any advice would be appreciated.
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer: You need to file a claim against the guy who hit the car. Against their car insurance


Title: I live in Texas and I have had my identity stolen, I have received retirement checks from the person who has stolen my identity. What's my best legal course of action and do I have any right to these checks?

Question:
I recently got an IRA statement regarding the man that has stolen my identity.  He has used the hispanic version of my first name, and stolen my SSN, and even uses my home address.  My credit has been negatively affected as well.

What kind of legal courses of action do I have available to me, and what other steps should I take to protect my identity?

Answer:
 You do *not* retaliate by stealing his identity by cashing his checks.  That's a no-no.

You go to the policía....