Title: Previous tenant's snow removal services continues to come

Question:
We are currently renting a house and was surprised to find the snow cleared the morning after the first large snowfall.  We had assumed our landlord had hired a service but when we asked him about it, he said that snow removal was our responsibility and he had not hired anyone.  At this point it had happened three times.

A couple weeks later, we got what I assume was a bill in the mail addressed to the previous tenant.  We did not open it, but the sender's address showed a lawncare/snow removal service (Edit: to clarify, I have been returning all the previous tenant's letters and it did not even occur to me try and remember the name of the company until I spoke with my landlord and realized he was not doing the snow removal).  We returned it to sender and wrote on the envelope that the person no longer lived there.

Since informing our landlord and returning the letter, the snow removal service has come two more times.  Even after we shovel the driveway and sidewalk ourselves, we have come back home to find there was additional snow removed in the front and backyard. We have not received any more letters from them in the mail.  They come sometime in the middle of the night while we are asleep and remove the snow, so we have not been able to tell any of the workers.

What is our responsibility for informing the snow removal service?  I looked online and there are over 20 companies and I do not want to call them all.  I am worried that they will continue to come and we will be responsible for a large bill at the end of winter.  Thanks in advance for the advice!

Answer:
 Post a sign in the driveway that the previous renter has moved and that snow removal service is no longer contracted.Answer #2: Have you tried something crazy and called? You had their name on the bill sent to you. Not sure why you haven't called them and told them not to come. Answer #3: Yes, _you need to contact the business and tell them to stop service_.  Returning an item in the mail isn't sufficient notification, and by allowing it to continue you may be on the hook for the expense.  Same as if you were still getting your power and water on the previous tenant's dime because you neglected to call either utility and get it transferred to your name.Answer #4: I don't know what you are liable for legally, but I do know that this is a common and nefarious practice in lawncare and snow removal.

I once worked for a company that rolled contracts over year-over-year with or without homeowners consent. Often people would call, post notices, write letters, etc. and I would still be sent to perform services on their properties. It's a major factor in why I left that company at the time.


Title: [Colorado] My roommate is threatening to sue me for throwing away his illegal narcotics - should I be worried? Can I evict him for this?

Question:
I own a house in Colorado and rent out a room to someone. The other day a fire alarm was going off in his room and he wasn't home, so I entered it without warning in order to shut it off. It turns out the alarm was just malfunctioning.

While in his room, there were illegal drugs (marijuana) and paraphernalia in plain sight. I threw it away, because it is not worth risking my career over some kid's poor choices. I would like to evict him for this - am I allowed to? A year ago he signed a 24 month lease and, since then, housing prices in this area have skyrocketed, so I'd really like to go for an eviction rather than a stern talking to.

He is threatening to sue me for throwing away his illegal drugs - can he do this? Do I need to go get a lawyer? Thanks

Answer:
 Isn't pot legal in your state?  This becomes a problem if he sues you for theft in a state or local court.

I'd consider appologizing and returning his pot or reimbursing for it's value.  Going forward.  Don't take things from your tenants room.... ever.  There are process in place for you to deal with these things, but administering your own justice rarely goes well.  If you suspect illegal activity, call the police.  All you've done is set yourself up for him to call the police on you.Answer #2: What does your lease say about evictions for illegal activity?

>Marijuana violates federal law.

True, so it's a good thing he'd be suing you in state court. Answer #3: Even if your lease said pot was grounds for eviction you still can't steal his property. Why aren't you reimbursing him for what you stole? Answer #4: LMAO what a douche.Answer #5: Marijuana is legal under State law in Colorado so he can sue you and win in small claims court.


Title: Brothers wife is refusing to move out of my Home. Options?

Question:
My Brother was kicked out of our Home when he was 15. He tried coming back, but my Mother would not allow him too until his grades came up. He couchsurfed at a friends House and we saw each other at School.

He stopped speaking to me after an argument where I defended my Mother. A week after the argument he suddenly dropped and moved away. We couldn't contact him, and didn't know where he was. It was this way until I discovered him on Facebook years later.

My Mother confronted him using my account when he didn't invite us to the wedding. The Wife has never liked us. She has always controlled him and prevented him from contacting us. She's been nothing but a witch to my Mother and I and has caused us emotional strain and distress.

We started talking a little by little, but he removed and blocked me after a huge fight because I gave my Mother his phone-number. He has always settled for low to medium wage jobs and has never worked up the ladder. He has always been just a worker and not a leader. He said I kept putting him down because I encouraged him to get a better job, better girlfriend, etc.

So years later,
My Mother setup an alternate Facebook account and discovered a public memorial page for him. He was struck by a drunk driver on his way Home from a late shift, and died in the Hospital.

When he wrote his will, he requested that nothing, not even a cent go to my Mother or I and that it all go to his wife.

We discussed it as a family, and my Mother and I believe he was upset when he created his will decided to contest it based on his young age when he wrote the will, and also based on evidence of psychiatric and behavioral issues which we presented from his School files and outpatient files (My Brother had severe anxiety, PTSD and depression), we also proved that he was attending outpatient for these issues during the time of his Death.

We hired a lawyer, and contested the will in which we were victorious after a long battle. She exhausted her funds and was unable to continue fighting us on the will.

My Mother split $42,000. I acquired a 94' Ford Ranger pickup truck, a small two bedroom Home, beds, a Gaming Computer with accessories, a cabinet, a rifle, and fishing poles.

My Mother wants me to give the pickup truck to my Aunt, and I plan to sell the two bedroom Home.

Here's where the problems began.

--------------

I've issued an eviction notice to his Wife and child, they've notified me that they are 'searching for an affordable Home', and my Lawyer agrees that it is just an excuse. There is section 8 Housing available, and she has refused to apply.

She will be reaching the deadline of her eviction notice and she has only boxes her things, she has not moved them out of the Home.

I've notified Child Protective Services about the living situation of the Mother and they have been investigating the matter.

1. Is it possible for the Wife to contest this eviction? Is it possible for her to eventually financially up herself and try to fight us?

2. If she doesn't have her boxed moved by the deadline, can we legally acquire the boxed assets as payment of debt for failing to move? (like rent?)

3. If she does fight us again in the future, it's void because the Home is sold, right?

4. When the deadline occurs, there is nothing she can do right? I can charge her with criminal trespass if she refuses to exit the Home?

5. If she does get charged, and she goes to Jail, I then legally own her assets, right?

6. She has floated the idea of moving back in with her Mother. I can legally sue the Wife for all damages to the home, right? Like spills on the carpet, crayon on walls, leaky roof, etc?

7. I'm just curious on this question. Her Mother owns only a one Bedroom Home. If her and the child move into the one bedroom Home, CPS can legally take the child into state custody due to living conditions, right? Because she must have atleast a bedroom for the child? Can we present this to CPS if she chooses this option due to fear of safety and wellbeing for the child?

Thanks,

Parker.

Sorry. I forgot to mention the Home is in Connecticut. I live out-of-state.

Answer:
 1. If you've given proper notice per the laws in your state to end a month to month tenancy then she would be unlikely to have any grounds to fight it in court.

2. No you can't take her stuff. Did she even agree to pay rent?

3. Fight you for what? If she is removed by the Sheriff after an eviction you certainly don't have to let her back in.

4. No. The Sheriff would remove her from the property.

5. No of course not.

So if I understand this correctly you took her inheritance from her and now you are trying to make her homeless?


Title: Paid $250 at Gov't surplus sale, woman who took money was fired for fraud, never got item. [CT]

Question:
My father works for a branch of the US Government in Connecticut. While at work he heard that there was some farm equipment that was going to be sold through a surplus sale. He spoke with a coworker that handles such sales and she told him that there was a tractor that would be sold for $250, which she said was the scrap value for it. The tractor was supposedly 25+ years old, and was not in working order. My dad likes to purchase broken tractors / mowers / snowblowers and the like to repair them as a weekend hobby, so he paid the $250 for the tractor and got a reciept. He could have immediately taken it off the premises, but he wanted to ensure that $250 was really the proper price (even unworking, he thought this was low, and would have paid more for it. He didn't want to get in trouble with work if it was too low of a price). In the interim while he was waiting to hear back (he actually called Logistics in Washington DC to confirm this was the proper price), my father heard that the woman who took his money was fired for fraud. As you could probably assume, she was caught selling a lot of high ticket items for low prices, and was caught.

Apparently there was an investigation into the woman's actions, but it sounds like it was wrapping up by the time my father heard about it. Thus, nobody seems to really be interested in him and his missing $250. My father spoke to the woman's supervisor, who directed him to speak to the police. According to the officer, they're not going after the woman legally, nor are they going to take the items back from anyone who actually took them off premises for too-low prices. The police officer implied my father wasn't so bright for not just taking the tractor when he could have, and that he would never be seeing his money again.

My father plans on retiring from his job in December, so if he were to attempt any legal matters, he would probably want to wait until then so it did not effect his employment. Is there anything that he could really do at this point to try and get that money back? He's not privy to the complete investigation, so he's not sure if the woman fired was actually pocketing the money (whereas he might sue her), or the government was actually getting the money, just not the true value they should have been getting.

Is there anything that my father could really do at this point, or is his money pretty much gone? Thanks for any advice!

Answer:
 First, he would have to check the government agency to see if they have record of his purchase.    If so he would need to request a refund.

If not, he would have to sue the woman.

He will need to decide if $250 is really worth the headache.


Title: What would happen if I drove across the U.S. Border and forgot my Canadian passport? (Canada/USA) (MS Paint diagram intra.)

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 Update:

After following the legal advice in this thread, I crossed into the US with no passport, 42kg* of cocaine, and one ~~prostitute~~ call girl. I am currently redditing on my phone in handcuffs.

Do I need a lawyer or can I just ask if I'm being detained to get out of this? The flag has gold fringes on it if that helps.

*NB: ~~42.5kg~~ 42.454kg if you count the cocaine being transported in the ~~hooker~~ call girl listed supra*.Answer #2: > Once you're at US Customs, you've already entered the USA. Would they escort you back across the border?

Presuming there are no other issues, they'd just turn you around and send you back the way you came.Answer #3: Question: D-
MS Paint Diagram: A+


Title: Neighbor suing for damages

Question:
http://i.imgur.com/3vz93Bj.jpg

A few months ago, I received a court summons informing me that I am being sued by my neighbor for damages to her door. I live in a duplex and she is my neighbor directly adjacent. I bought the house brand new in 2009. She is a middle aged woman from Ecuador with a family and I am a 30 year old white male. We have maintained an adversarial relationship for the past few years. She will call the police over the most trivial things. Music being too loud, vacuuming the house, parking on the public street, smoking cigarettes on my porch, you name it. She is currently attempting to sue me for around 3k for supposed damage to her front door. I have attached the court document. I honestly believe this woman has a mental illness, she is unwilling to compromise and listen to reason. I never touched her door or damaged her property in any way. There have been multiple incidents in the past, police being called for minor disturbances, etc. Does she have any legal recourse? Her door was never replaced, there is no way she has any receipts, there is no visible damage. I have to go to court in July and I am wondering what to expect. I honestly have no idea what she is talking about, and I think that she is using the legal system to harass me/force me to move. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

http://i.imgur.com/3vz93Bj.jpg

Answer:
 Try asking the cops for the police reports, maybe you can show a pattern of her calling them for nothing. Answer #2: She will have to prove in court that the damages occurred, either through photographs of the damaged door or through receipts for the repairs.

You have to show up in court, so just go in and tell the truth. If you can remember where you were at the time that she claims that it happened, that'll help your case.

I'm hesitant to tell you to photograph her door as proof that nothing occurred, because I don't want to advise you to do something that I'm not 100% positive is legal.

Edit: lawyer up if possibleAnswer #3: That is one expensive door...


Title: (MN) Investing large sums for foreign parents

Question:
Hi everyone, recently my foreign parents have been interested in investing large sums of money into US stocks and funds and asked me to help them out with it since I am a US citizen with an American address. I would like to help them out but I am not sure about the Tax implications and possible problems with ownership of the money. Should I try to open an account on my name and invest their money directly (possible issues with gift taxes) or is their an option to manage account on their behalf?
Any advice is appreciated!

Answer:
 > Should I try to open an account on my name and invest their money directly ...

I wouldn't.  Have them open their own accounts.

> ... is their[sic] an option to manage account on their behalf?

Once their accounts are open, they can call the brokerage and allow you to manage their accounts.

Not necessarily legal advice, but mixing family and money often results in tension and feelings being hurt.


Title: (Illinois) Brother was arrested for possessing LSD, cop held a gun to his head and told him he wants to end his life.

Question: My first question is "what the fuck?" and my next one is if this information will help my brother's case. The arresting officer is apparently a master sergeant who arrested him several years ago (brother was a minor) for possessing marijuana. I'd expect better treatment from someone so high up the ladder but apparently that's not the case. Any help would be nice.

Answer:
 He can file a complaint against the officer, or talk to a lawyer about suing the officer or the department.

But it will have no effect at all on the criminal case against him.


Title: What happens to recurring subscriptions/bill payments while in prison

Question:
So naturally, since I can't sleep I think of outlandish questions about the world and I came up with this:

What happens to someone who has reoccurring payments set up and then gets arrested for something. Does it just keep charging their bank account? Does it drain their credit rating if the card expires? Can they dispute the withdrawls (if it's worth it) when they get out?

Answer: On a related note: Suppose I live alone with a cat. What happens to my cat if I'm arrested? Does it just starve to death?


Title: Got arrested for simple assault, but never was read my rights.. how should I go about it?

Question:
So for a little context... I was at a party with me and my brother and both got too drunk. We ended up having a fight at our house that led to a pretty bad cut on my brothers head (a lot of blood) and the police being called. Upon arrival, and after questioning the two of us, they deemed that I had committed assault and arrested me and had me spend the night in jail.

However, when I was arrested I was never read my rights. My brother isn’t going to press charges, so this will all be expunged from my record regardless. But should I do something about the fact I didn’t get my rights read to me?

Answer:
 They didn't need to read you your rights, your brother doesn't decide if charges are pressed, that wouldn't expunge the arrest anyways, and you need a criminal defense attorney. Answer #2: Being read your rights doesn't mean you get off scot free it means if you were interrogated without being read your rights then it could be thrown out. If you made a full confession on the scene, which it sounds like you did, they don't need to read them to you. You need a criminal defense attorney.

> My brother isn’t going to press charges,

Your brother doesn't press charges, the prosecutor does.

> so this will all be expunged from my record regardless

Deal with your charges first, then worry about expungement. Answer #3: | My brother isn’t going to press charges, so this will all be expunged from my record regardless.

That's not how that works.  It's likely that the DAs office won't prosecute with an uncooperative victim, but nothing gets expunged.  You'll need to have a judge specifically order the records be expunged.

| But should I do something about the fact I didn’t get my rights read to me?

There's nothing to do.  Despite what you see in movies, there's no magic get-out-of-jail-free card if the police don't read you your rights.  They just can't use anything you say against you in court until after they do.  In this case, they likely have more than enough evidence with the initial police call, your brother's statements, and their observations to not to need any of your statements.


Title: NJ: Do I have leverage to break a lease with my sh***y landlord?

Question: So I share an apartment with my brother, his gf and their daughter (3 years old). The landlord seemed agreeable at first, but after taking our deposit he completely flipped the script.  He delayed our move in date by two weeks because he couldn't get the old tenants out, took well over a month to fix the frame on the front door around the deadbolt lock and only did it because we got robbed and the frame was broken (where it was already damaged beforehand). His "maintenance workers" are drug addicts (can't prove it) that had the keys to all the apartments and may have been the robbers. I'm not sure what qualifications they may need to do the job but I'm sure they don't have any. When we asked for their names to give police as suspects, the landlord verbally attacked my brother, calling him a piece of crap for ever questioning his ethics and told my brother that we wouldn't be getting anything fixed until my brother apologized to him (threat/withholding services?). The maintenance guy who was there at the time saw the damage done to the door frame and said to us "oh, it's because X never fixed this," left, and when the landlord came back while the police were checking the apartment and taking an incident report, repeatedly tried to blame my brother for not locking the door "properly," and still brings it up. He still hasn't properly fixed the showerhead which drips a steady stream of scalding hot water that could hurt my niece. He told my brother in what was otherwise a casual conversation that he didn't like him and that we should start looking for another place (threat?) when we're only a few months into our lease (ends next July). We've paid him on time every month. Today my brother called me in a rage, telling me that when he stepped outside to smoke a cigarette, the landlord was there talking to someone else. When that person left, he tried to strike up a conversation with my brother, who told him he was in no mood to talk (politely, but due to many things, not just the landlord). The landlord proceeded to call him a jerk and an a**hole, and told him that he isn't on the lease (he is) and that he's "coming for" my brother now (a clear threat). I've advised my brother to download a quick recording app and a call recording app on his phone so he can catch anything else that happens moving forward just like I have(NJ is a single consent state). Do I have any leverage here or am I screwed? If he's talking about us finding another place, I'd be hard pressed to find something right away but I wouldn't be against it if he nullifies the lease.

Answer: Nothing about this gives you the ability to get out of the lease unless your landlord agrees to let you out.  The only thing that *might* have been actionable was the broken front door, but even that is questionable, and now that it's been repaired it's too late to take action.


Title: My brother broke his leg earlier this summer, was told he could walk on it.

Question: Back in July my brother broke his fibula in a "trampoline game park" called Airtime.  He claimed the injury didn't even hurt much at first, describing it as a bad muscle cramp before we knew it was a break.  He went to the hospital the next day where the doctor determined that his fibula was broken, and gave him a temporary cast.  My brother went back a few days later for a follow-up appointment where the temporary cast was removed and the doctor told him he could even walk on the broken leg, since "the fibula is not as much a weight bearing bone as the tibia." However, in following the doctor's advice, my brother has hurt himself several times just by walking around.  This afternoon he was walking across the street when he felt an excruciating pain in his leg and fell over, almost getting hit by oncoming traffic.  He's currently in too much pain to walk, which is a problem considering he has to walk to his college classes.  He thinks it's possible that he may need surgery, but he's been in a lot of pain already.  I'm just curious to see if he can get any compensation for the shortsightedness (we live in Michigan).

Answer:
 He needs to go back to the doctor first. These types of things are incredibly fact dependent and it's far too early to think about starting any legal proceding. Answer #2: Not a lawyer, but lots of experience with orthopedic surgery on the receiving end (40+ procedures performed on me and counting- 2 in the queue). So take this the grain....

1) Your brother needs a orthopedic specialist. Get copies of the x-rays, doctors notes, records.... All of it. The specialist will need to see the progression of the injury. And where the bone was at different stages.

2) Don't be looking for compensation...*yet*. The first priority should be getting your brother to health. Trust me, orthopedic surgery is a one-way street and make sure you get the best brains looking at your brother (I have my ortho all done at the Mayo Clinic). Looking for an "angle" will not endear you to the medical folks.

As for getting around campus, there are these wonderful little knee scooters that allow one to take the weight off the injury and not be impeded by crutches. I've seen (and done) some speedy maneuvers with them. Fortunately, campuses are ADA-access so he should be able to get around on them.http://imgur.com/4QfDp1l

Edit: an apology: I know this is a forum for legal advice. I worry about a kiddo my son's age.


Title: Work place switching hourly employees to salary. What are my options?

Question:
My position comes with an "on call" phone. In case of emergency we are required to be available at any hour. I usually end up working a minimum of 10 hours over time (1.5x pay rate) each week. My company now wants to switch all employees to salary. I will be taking a significant hit to my income. What are my options? Are they required to increase my salary? Can they force me to work off hours without paying me for it?
I live in California.

Answer:
 >What are my options?

Continue working there, or work somewhere else.

> Are they required to increase my salary?

You're currently hourly, you don't have a salary. Your salary has to meet the state's minimum requirements.

>Can they force me to work off hours without paying me for it?

You're going to be paid a weekly salary.


Title: Copyright/Intellectual Property legality for making a game

Question:
My husband and I want to make a mobile game based off of Harry Potter wizard's chess. We plan to have ads and optional micro transactions in the game to make money.

Ideally we'd be using the likeness of characters, chess piece design from the movies and lore from the books. What are the legal issues we could face from JK Rowling & Co.? How could we get around these issues?

Answer:
 The sky will darken with the briefs of Warner Bro's lawyers and you will not be able to hide in the shade

You will get sued to high heaven and even if you aren't in a jurisdiction where they can get criminal damages, they can still get your app taken down and have all the profit redirected to them


Title: Question about fictional (negative) portrayals of U.S. public officials (president specifically)

Question:
I've written a short story which is fictional and is satire. It is largely centered around ridiculing the U.S. President, but is obviously fictional and for comedic purpose.

I imagine this is protected in a number of ways including the use of his name and possibly likeness, but can anyone clarify the actual law on this matter?

Location: USA (DE)

Answer:
 * Any Saturday night for the past several weeks and the foreseeable future.

* 11:30 PM local time.

* NBC-TV.

Any further questions?


Title: My Mother in Law was Misdiagnosed and Died From Pancreatic Cancer

Question:
The story is that my MIL was diagnosed with Stage IV Pancreatic cancer that had spread from her pancreas to her spleen, liver, and stomach lining.

She was in intense pain leading up to the diagnosis in May. The pain originally started in November right when she had a CT scan (for said pain). That CT scan was cleared as normal at an ER Clinic.

We later recovered those records and the oncologist who diagnosed her reviewed the scans and said her Pancreatic cancer was clearly evident on the November scans. The oncologist even received second and third opinions that backed her belief. The cancer had already spread to spleen but had not yet spread to her liver or stomach lining.

My MIL died one day short of a month after diagnosis. She was too weak at that point to undergo more than two rounds of chemo.

My thought is that, given a diagnosis six months earlier, she could have potentially had a shot at fighting for many more months, if not years, and it could have spared her incredible suffering.

My question is simply - is this malpractice and should the family pursue a lawsuit? What are our options?

Answer: Speak to a malpractice attorney. It is impossible for anyone to know if this was malpractice from just your story above. I can tell you that pancreatic cancer is one of the cancers that by the time you start to have symptoms (abdominal pain or painless jaundice or several others), the cancer is often well advanced. I'm sorry for your loss. Grieve now. Then if you still feel strongly consult with an attorney. Depending on where you live, you typically have 2-3 years to initiate a case.


Title: Another "I accidentally looked at sketchy porn (CP)" post... with a twist

Question:
I'll be honest. I'm freaking out a little.

This is embarrassing, but on pornhub last night (I use only pornhub for my... uh... personal activities) I was searching for 70s porn scenes and came across a video from a very well-known movie series called "Emmanuelle." Long story short, one of the scenes in this video features a young-looking topless girl in a sexual situation. Being the paranoid type, I looked up the actors in this movie and was able to deduce that this girl would have been 17 at time of filming (1974); she is also a well-known actress (French) with many credits to her name since.

**So, my concern is**, despite the fact that this is a legitimate film with legitimate actors, did I view child porn? And if so, should I be worried?

I'm freaking out that it constitutes CP because it's on pornhub. For what it's worth, I went back to the video (perhaps stupidly) to flag it as underage content with pornhub. I also cleared my cache. The video had a few thousand views, btw.

ADDENDUM

I'll be honest about something else: this is not the first time I've had a freakout about encountering possible illegal content on pornhub or porny subreddits. I stopped looking at the latter for that reason, and now I'm going to stop looking at PH for the same. It seems that with user-submitted content, you just never fucking know. The internet disgusts me sometimes, and now I'm really worried. Someone please talk some sense into me.

Thanks in advance, r/legaladvice.

**TL; DR** Will the FBI bust down my door over a pornhub video featuring possible CP from a popular 70s softporn flick?

Answer:
 > So, my concern is, despite the fact that this is a legitimate film with legitimate actors, did I view child porn?

Maybe.

> And if so, should I be worried?

No.


Title: My neighbors dog was off leash and on our sidewalk, bit my dog now I have a vet bill. [San Diego]

Question: Getting back from our walk I see our neighbor standing around nearish her dog, which as soon as it saw us ran up from probably 30 feet and bit my dogs neck. I started pulling on my dogs leash to back up and gtfo when I saw the dog approaching in its lowered pointed stance but she had no leash and no control of her dog. I did, but I had to kick the thing to get it to let go. I tried to not hurt it with the first one but it didnt let go. The second kick sent it to the ground at which point the owner had caught up to it so I instinctually just ran. As were running the dog gets up and somehow bites the end of my dogs tail into ribbons as were getting away. Haven't spoken to them yet, this happened yesterday morning. We got our dog back last night. My parents whom I don't live with are the dogs owners and want to sue them but I kind of just want my neighbir to get the vet bill and lock their dog in the house. Its a chow mix, mines a pitbull, and her dog has attacked my roommate on a separate occasion when they were remodelling their front yard and it escaped. We didn't report anything that time as it was an understandable accident. But I get the feeling this dog is dangerous and its owners unable to safely keep it, should I try to get this dog taken away? I hate the idea but she maimed my dog, unprovoked and not under any sort of control.

Answer:
 In San Diego, a dog that is brought into a public or private area where dogs are permitted must be restrained by a handheld leash no longer than eight feet in length (San Diego County Code Sec. 63.0102(b)(2)). Further, even if your dog is leashed, you must have the ability to control your dog at all times. The fine for violating the leash law can range from $250 for first time offenders to $430 and even $810 for second and third time offenders.

An owner who violates the leash law and whose unleashed dog subsequently attacks a leashed dog is likely to face civil liability for the amount of harm done to the dog, and possibly even misdemeanor criminal liability for violating the leash law and public protection from dogs law (SDCC 62.669)Answer #2: Report the attack to animal control. This is not the first time this dog has attacked someone. If you'd been a parent walking with their child it could have been the child maimed.

Tell her she needs to pay your vet bills or you'll be suing her in small claims for both the vet bills and the filing fees for court.

paging /u/sorthum


Title: Litigating damages from malicious Youtube take-downs or demonetization

Question:
As I understand it, when a copyright holder demands that Youtube take-down or monetize a video due to a copyright violation they do not invoke the DMCA and so the user cannot sue the copyright holder for damages under the DMCA.

Would it, instead, be possible to litigate the copyright holder for tortious interference with the contractual relationship between the user and Youtube? (Assuming the user has some provable financial damages)

I'm confident that if the user had initially monetized the video, they had some sort of contract with Youtube that could be interfered with. But would the same hold true if the video is being hosted without being monetized?

Does agreement to a ToS constitute a contract in this sense?

Answer: This is something I’m interested in knowing as well. With universal music copyright striking videos that only discuss a song or artist without even playing a clip of music, or videos merely doing commentary on another video that discusses a song or artist (with both videos following fair use rules) it’s insane to me that no one has stepped in. Answer #2: Have you read the Google/YT TOS to see if the contractual relationship, such as it is, doesn't already account for this eventuality?


Title: Is it legal for my gym to email me offering a complimentary gym session in order to sell training without the ability to opt out? [Los Angeles, CA)

Question:
When I joined my gym I never consented them to email me for the purpose of selling or offering me personal training. These emails are different from the normal corporate emails which have the option to unsubscribe which I have no issue with.

The emails I am referring to come from the personal trainers email address themselves (a g-mail address) and provide no option to opt out other than calling the gym. They send them once a year offering a complimentary session on your birthday in order to try to sell you personal training.

I actually had to call the gym last year via phone and asked to be taken off the list but apparently someone "made a mistake and forgot to press save" when trying to take me off the list and I received another such email this year.

Is this legal? I know we have a pre-existing relationship but I never consented to being emailed by personal trainers and there was nothing in my contract indicating this. Also, it seems to me that sending an email from a personal email address without the ability to opt out would be illegal somehow.  Also, keep in mind that it is a new trainer emailing each year with this offer from a new e-mail so no way to block permanently.

I think what happens is that each month they print out a list of the birthdays of the members and pass their info around to trainers and e-mail them as a sales technique; kind of like here's two names for you etc. Very unprofessional imo.

They send these emails once a year but it doesn't sit right with me. I never consented to my e-mail address being passed around like this. Is my gym violating any laws and if so which one?
Topic:
Consumer Law

Answer:
 Yes, it's legal, as you have an existing relationship with them and if each trainer is only sending 1-2 a month it's hardly going to fall under spam.

Seriously, it's one email a year. Just move on. If it bothers you that much, cancel your gym membership and tell them this is why.


Title: Can a company come after me for posting a bad review?

Question:
I posted recently about a dog trainer injuring my dog. The training company is refunding us our money but sent an email saying “since we’re giving a refund, we would appreciate you not posting slander or bad reviews of our company”. I never said I wouldn’t say anything, because frankly I’m pissed and just because they refunded me my money doesn’t make the situation right or fix the 5+ hours I spent at the vet, my dogs pain etc. I also want to make people aware of what happened so they can be better informed (unlike myself) when finding a trainer.
If I post a negative review (after getting my refund) can they take any type of action against me? I feel they are trying to just buy my silence because it was 100% negligent on their end for why my dog got injured.

Answer:
 They can always try, but as long as you are truthful they will not win. Answer #2: As long as you're telling only the truth, you'll be fine.

&#x200B;

On a personal note - I'd include in that review that they suggested you not post a bad review b/c they gave you a refund.Answer #3: Truth is a complete defense to libel.  It's not illegal to write about what happened as long as you aren't intentionally lying.Answer #4: Giving a refund isn't buying your silence.  Unless you signed something like a NDA when you got the money back go ahead and post, people have a right to be informed about happenings.  Answer #5: 1. As long as you are telling the truth, the lawsuit will go no where.

2. Why don't you sue them for the vet and any other bills related to this. If those 5+ hours caused you to miss out on wages, sue them for that also.Answer #6: Slander is a false accounting of events. If your review is factual then you've got nothing to worry about, they'll surely pester you after, but you've got every right to post what happened.


Title: Is it Legal for Nude Photos That Have Been Uploaded to the Internet but Then Deleted to be Distributed Without Consent

Question:
So I previously posted nude photos of myself online, but later deleted them. Earlier today I got a notification that someone who claims that they know me has my nudes and is going to post them along with my identity online, along with distributing them to people that I know. I explicitly told him that he does not have my consent to do this, but he says that he is in the process of doing this. Do revenge porn laws still protect me from this even though I had uploaded the pics myself online before deleting them? Is there anything I can do about this? Thanks

Edit: I’m in Virginia

Answer:
 In what state do you live? In my jurisdiction posting the photos would not fall under the revenge porn law because the poster could argue that, under the circumstances in which the photos were originally posted, you did not have  reasonable expectation that the photos would be kept private.

Even if the revenge porn laws do not cover this, other laws might. You can indicate to the person who threatened to post that you will be consulting with police and/or a lawyer in order to pursue legal action if the photos are posted. Even if this is a bluff, it may keep the photos from being posted.Answer #2: Another approach you might take is the DMCA. If you took the photos yourself, you own the copyright and can file a DMCA claim to prevent them being distributed without your consent.

Also if they get posted to Reddit, send a message to r/reddit.com, the admins are quick to take down revenge porn. Twitter is good about it as well, I've heard Answer #3: Your exact location will affect this. In my state, I think it would. Unfortunately, other than letting him know that such laws exist, I don't think you can do anything without knowing exactly who it is.


Title: Mandatory state sexual harassment training [NY]

Question:
I have some reservations about being forced to take sexual harassment training. I'm not a state employee and recent state law seems to force my employer to require all employees take it. This doesn't seem right and I don't understand how this can be legal.

I'm all for having the resources out there and available for employees, but they should be able to opt out the training if they want. What can I do that doesn't involve quitting my job and moving out of state?

Answer: New York requires employers to give mandatory sexual harassment training as of October.Answer #2: You could simply choose to quit the job and move out of state. It's a free country.Answer #3: If your employer requires training as part of the job you must complete it. It doesn’t matter why they’re making it a requirement.


Title: Easements, Property Lines and Snow Removal, or rather just throwing it in my driveway. MS PAINT INCLUDED. Philadelphia, PA

Question:
[follow up post here](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/445gky/update_snowremoval_easement_nonsense_now_with_the/)

mini-update:
The employees who were arriving arn't here to clear the snow wall.  They are moving refrigerators.  Obviously, they are blocking the alley while they do it.  Currently the alley entry on the front side of the car is completely blocked by the snow pile at that end, so anyone who lives past that truck is stuck until they decide they are done.

The other album didn't get linked to my account for some reason, [so here's a photo of that](https://imgur.com/gallery/FWfrbH9)

[Original Album](http://imgur.com/a/M74Ky)

update:
Talked to the 75 year old neighbor who went to management when it first happened and got some bonus details.

Apparently this was done at 2 in the morning, so they woke up half the people on the street while doing it.  It wasn't a private plow company.  It was "the guys" who work for the complex.

Neighbor who talked to management the next day got told "It is what it is."  When she pushed the issue further they "promised to have the guys clean it up tomorrow."  That was on Monday.  Tuesday all "the guys" were given the day off from work, so nothing happened.  They're starting to arrive for work now, so we'll see what happens today.

One of my other neighbors dug out most of the remaining trapped neighbors this morning.  I cleared out a space for the neighbors who were blocked out and parked in the street.

Going to check on the status of my online 311 complaint now and then call them shortly.

-----

My house is located in a line of row homes.  Behind the row is an apartment complex.  Between the complex and the homes is driveways for the homes leading up to our garages, a private alley, and the back door to the apartment.

When I first bought the house, all the neighbors talked about what a great neighbor the apartment complex was.  Polite staff, and they plowed the alley when it snowed, which was pretty great because these private alleys are not plowed by the city, so some of the blocks that don't have to band together to pay for private snow removal.

For the first few years they were great.  Last year or two not so much.  I think they may have had a change in management but I'm not sure.  Their staff have been parking more and more cars back there to the point that even when they all appear to be parked "legally" it can be impossible to navigate, blasting their horns all day, and routinely just parking right in the center of the alley blocking traffic.  When you ask them to move so you can get in/out, if they even acknowledge you they just tell you to drive around to the other side.  On more than one occasion they've done this while another employee was blocking the other side with another car.

This time however, they've achieved a centerpiece of asshattery. Over the weekend, we had Snowzilla or whatever they are calling it.  I was actually in florida for a wedding, and got trapped there for a few extra days by flight cancellations.  When we arrived home, we noticed that snow plows had blocked the private alley across the street with a giant wall of snow, but our alley looked clear.

Then we pull around behind our house and discover the apartment complex had cleared their parking spots and a narrow path for their cars to get through.  And where did they put the snow?  2 places.  The entrance to the alley across the street, and in all the private driveways of our home and the homes of our neighbors.  The driveways belong to the homes.  Just pushed all their snow right over the property line and per my neighbor, built a 10 foot tall glacier in a row of private driveways.

I'm not entirely clear on who owns the alley, but the houses with their garages predate the apartments by several decades, and the driveways are owned by the houses, so I assume that if the apartment complex owns the alley there is an easement in place.  I'm not an easement expert, so I don't know what their responsibility would be for clearing a path for us, but I'm damn certain that clearing their own parking spots by building a wall of ice on ~10 different private driveways and the access to the alley across the street is a no-no.

[Attached please find an album.](http://imgur.com/a/M74Ky)  It includes a crappy ms paint diagram and 2 photos of the aftermath taken from my driveway before I dug a path for my car.  These photos were taken after 2-3 days of intense 40-50 degree melting.  Its no longer a glacier, but it is still impassable by car.  I imagine my neighbors might have photos from when it first happened, which I'll add later if I get them.

My elderly neighbor on one side tells me it was much worse initially.  She also tells me the elderly neighbor on the other side went over to the management office and read management the riot act, but it obviously wasn't enough to get them to do anything about it.

The melting was more intense in my driveway.  Its near the center of the row so it got more direct sunlight.  To the left and right, there are several cars trapped, engulfed in snow.  Other driveways are empty.  These neighbors weren't home when plowtastrophe happened, and are currently parked out on the street or area private lots.

I'm lucky in that I'm young and healthy enough to dig out.  At least half of my neighbors arn't though, with several having lived on the block since the 60s or 70s.  One woman in her 80s or 90s has even lived here since she was a child.

My initial response was to start digging myself out and piling the snow in front of the apartment's door, but my better half + a confused looking tenant trying to get in made me realize that was a terrible idea, so I cleared the snow from their door.  We then spent the next half hour excavating a narrow path into our own driveway so we could park our car.

It's too cold and icy right now, but tomorrow i'm going to try to dig out my elderly neighbors.

Their previous bad behavior seems like it might be un-actionable, or at lease a massive pita to pursue on their own, but this isover the top.  All kinds of trespass.  Creating hazards.  Trapping the elderly.  Blocking roadways.

Any ideas what all us neighbors could to get this mess cleaned up and/or make sure it doesn't happen again?

TLDR:  Apartment complex next door plowed all their snow into the private driveways for 10 houses and trapped all the cars.

Answer: Well, time to trespass anyone not a house resident from the private alley. Maybe buy a sign saying private property for the alley entrance. I'd get a tow truck number. Have your neighbours make/share a list of plate #'s and tell guests to put a sheet of paper in the window with the house # so people can confirm. Hire a snow removal service and send the apartment the invoice. Shoveling causes heart attacks and falls, not worth it, take them to small claims for a refund.Answer #2: If your city deals with snow like mine does, snow removal is a code enforcement issue. If you already called 311 that was probably the best thing to do. Does the apartment complex contract out their snow plowing? If so, contact the snow removal company, assuming their name is on the side of their trucks.


Title: (GA)Every time a new possible employer call to Verify my employment/ length of employment, My current employer tells them "I'm still employed but I fell asleep and the wheel and did $40,000 in damages to a truck". Is that legal!

Question:
I drive a 18 wheeler for a living and I'm currently looking for another job. Every time a new possible employer call to Verify my employment/ length of employment, My current employer tells them "I'm still employed but I fell asleep and the wheel and did $40,000 in damages to a truck". Is that legal?
I did run off the road and I've stated from day one it was a mechanical issues which leave it at my word against theirs. All my driving records are clean.

Answer: Is what they state true? Did you fall asleep and cause $40K of damage?


Title: [Texas] Paramedic threatened with jail time while trying to explain a refusal of ambulance service to a patients guardian

Question: Today I was on a 911 call where the patient was a minor and the guardian refused ambulance service (completely within their rights). While expaining what the refusal of service entails to the guardian an officer repeatedly interrupted me and when I asked the officer to stop interrupting me he asked me if I had ever "been to jail" and that I was "impeding" his "duties". I went to find some paperwork at some point and my ambulance partner overheard the same officer speaking with another officer saying "if he ever comes to one of my scenes again he's going to jail". I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I was not impeding on his duties and I was acting well within the law. My question is whether or not it is legal for a police officer to threaten to arrest or jail someone without reasonable cause.

Answer:
 Yep. Police officers can lie. If he ever followed with those threats, he would be completely reamed. Answer #2: You really need to put in a complaint about the officer.Answer #3: > "if he ever comes to one of my scenes again he's going to jail"

the answer to that is "i look forward to seeing you in court", and give a heads up to your boss that some policeman is interfering with your duties


Title: Not insured and cop took me to the hospital for an extremely minor injury even though I told him I didn't want to go

Question: So a few weeks back I was intoxicated downtown and detained by a local cop. He told me we were going to the hospital due to a scratch on my face and I told him repeatedly I didn't want to go since I'm not insured. He took me anyway and I was told several times I wouldn't be charged for the visit and today I just got two bills in the mail. One for $1400 and the other for $180. Is there anything I can do to fight this since I told them I didn't want to be treated and was also told I wouldn't be charged for the visit?

Answer: Being insured after the date of service will only result in claims being denied since you are not insured, being insured in the future will change nothing. I would discuss charges with the hospitalAnswer #2: Yeah, this is really going to depend on how intoxicated the cop says you were. Not sure for police, but for paramedics its tantamount to kidnapping if you are coherent enough to revoke consent.


Title: Can an attorney/therapist/doctor/etc. share an anonymous story (i.e. a story with no name attached) about a client/patient and not break HIPAA or attorney-client privilege?

Answer: Yes, as long as it’s sufficiently anonymized. Case studies make up a big chunk of the published literature in all these areas.


Title: I know the people who sexually assaulted me. Could I get sued if I exclaim it on social media?

Question:
I am in Texas.

I was drugged and sexually assaulted by one group in 2011 and another group in 2014. I found out about both times last year (they drugged me with scopolamine (I believe) so that I would not remember). Both groups made videos and posted them online.

If I tell what happened to me and who did it on social media can I get sued?

I already went to the police department on the first group and the detective said I didn't have enough evidence (and the evidence I had collected for the second time I was sexually assaulted was of the same sort).

I would like justice to be served but I don't know how.

Please help,

Thanks in advance

Answer:
 I also wouldn't do it on social media. They can sue you for libel which is written defamation of their character. But I would try to get as much as you evidence wise and go to the police.

I would also think about seeing a rape counselor. Please go to: https://www.rainn.org


Title: Can a company charge in 15 minutes periods?

Question:
I called a repair company to fix my oven and they sent a technician.

I was charged for ''truck fees'' + ''travel fees'' and the time he stayed at my house. After i checked the bill, I noticed that the end time of the service was 10 minutes later than the time the technician left. He left at 1:05 pm, on the bill it is written 1:15 pm

I called, with proof, and they explained the difference by saying that they charge by 15 minutes periods.

Is this legal? Considering the travel and truck fees?

Answer:
 That's very common in most of the mechanical trades, You wouldn't want a $155/hr plumber rounding up would you? 1/4 hour increments is usually in the customer's best interest. Nobody is getting rich off your truck+travel fees, there's barely any money in appliance repair.

Pay the bill.


Title: [CA] Parent is being sued, too ill to attend court

Question:
This is in Superior court for a debt.  There's no scenario where her health would allow her to be in court for a day without ending up back in the hospital.

She's on medi-cal/low income stuff, cannot afford an attorney.  I called several legal aid offices, but they either wanted money to refer us to an attorney, didn't return my message, or don't deal with this particular issue evidently.

This can't be a unique, or probably even rare, situation.  So my question is what do I need to do to be able to appear for her?  Thanks!

Answer:
 You cannot appear for her, unless you are an attorney.

She can petition for a delay in the hearing, but it sounds as if her condition is chronic.  She can talk to the court about allowing her to appear by telephone or some other technology.  Otherwise, she hires an attorney.


Title: Baptism without permission of both parents - Indiana

Question:
My husband's daughter was taken to get baptized by her mother. She did so with no permission and no notice to my husband. They have joint legal custody and he has her 52/48 but she has physical custody.

The church she got her baptized at , one of the staff, is her boyfriend's aunt. When my husband called to request a copy of the baptism record, he was told to call back the next day and talk to [boyfriend's aunt]. Before he could call back the next day the mom texted him and asked why he wanted a copy if he was an atheist and saying she wasn't going to give him a copy. He called the church and spoke to [boyfriend's aunt] who said "We don't have a copy. Duhn duhn duhn(yes she really said this). You'll have to ask [mom] for it."

Of course mom is refusing to give a copy and insists she did nothing wrong to get her baptized even though most churches need both parent's permission.

I know another staff member and are asking her assistance. We are just wondering if there's anything legally he can do? I know Indiana has statutes regarding the parent's right to school and health records but not sure about baptism records.  He is looking to get a copy of the record and also looking to pursue getting mother/boyfriend's aunt in trouble for their underhanded behavior.

Answer:
 I can't think of a baptism having any legal significance. So who cares?  A little bit of water got splashed on the child's head, big deal.

When dealing with ex's and co-parenting you have to know when to pick your battles. This ain't one of 'em.


Title: [Orlando, Fl] Roommate horror story - Evicted GF is back

Question:
Me and two other guys rent a house in Orlando, Fl. We are all 21 and in college. All three of our names are on the lease and the lease specifically states no one is to live in the house off-lease. My one roommate brought an 18 year old girl home from the bar who never left. We managed to get her to start paying rent (cash, no paperwork) however things began to deteriorate quickly. Both of them became alcoholics and the cycle of "Make food, eat it, drink beer, leave the mess out for three days" kept repeating to the point where we had a perpetual disgusting mess and even started getting cockroaches. Last week I had enough and notified our landlord about her being at the house. He came that very afternoon for a surprise visit that we arranged and told her she had 24 hours to leave (shout out to my landlord). They moved all of her stuff out and disappeared for two days. Today I come home and they are back. I sternly spoke with them about how me and the other roommate do not welcome her presence and I repeated what our landlord told us - if she didn't move out he would call the police and press trespassing charges. This time my roommate claims she is "just visiting" and they are legally allowed to have her to visit 4 times a month. I don't want to deal with the inevitable drama and mess that will unfold from her being here, so I wanted to know if there is anything I can do. I know my roommate is trying to play games here and this is just a slippery slope to her coming back into the house. Can I call the police and press trespassing charges against her? I don't want to bug my landlord again because he might evict the three of us. Also technically she has been here for like 14 days this month if you count her presence before we got her kicked out, so would this count against their magical "4 days" law?

Thanks everyone for reading, I really hope someone has answers because it is literally nonstop drama with those two and it keeps me up at night.

Answer:
 How are the payments being handled if she has only been there for 14 days total? Were the payments explicitly for rent? If they were, you engaged in a month-to-month sublease that could be in violation of your original lease. The landlord would likely have cause to evict you. Although I think I am confused as to how you accepted cash payments yet she was only there for 14 days.

According to Florida law, a guest turns into an occupant after 30 days. She can visit as often as she wants within that period - every day if she wants - unless it violates something in your lease or you don't want her there. That doesn't apply if you accepted rent. She is a subtenant in that case.

If you accepted cash for a month-to-month tenancy, you have the option now of going through the eviction process to get her kicked out. Since it is month-to-month, that means giving her 15 days' notice before the end of the monthly cycle. If you accepted that first payment less than 15 days ago, tell her in writing that you are terminating the lease and she has to be gone by the end of the monthly cycle. That would be the safest way to go about this. If she doesn't leave, you can evict.

Of course, your landlord now has grounds to evict you for subletting if that is in violation of your lease. He can give you a 3-day notice. So, it depends on how your lease is written.


Title: (NV) People using private wall as a shortcut, what deterrents can I legally use and what about my dog?

Question: My house is located behind a shopping center. There is a drainage alley between my house and my neighbor's that the HOA installed a tall, spiked fence between, so people (usually older kids and teenagers) frequently scale our private block walls to take a shortcut rather than walk all the way down and around the long street I live on, which is the only other way to get to the shopping center from here. This makes it impossible to feel like there is any privacy in the kitchen or family room since there are windows and a glass door that anyone sitting on the wall can easily look into. The HOA is supposed to install blunted spikes along our walls in both directions, but I don't know how effective they will be as a deterrent or if people will simply use them as hand-holds and make it even easier for them to go over. What can I legally do to aid in "discouraging" people from using my walls? Would it be illegal to install a motion-activated sprinkler that would blast them with water? What about foliage with thorns, spikes, or sharp leaves?  To make things more complicated I also own a very large guardian breed dog that actively tries to attack people who climb on the wall, especially now that some of these people have started intentionally antagonizing him as they sit on the wall, and he's come close a couple times to grabbing someone (yet they continue!). What if one of these idiots falls into my yard and gets attacked? Or straddles the wall to climb over it and gets bitten?

Answer:
 Call the police if people are sticking around and antagonizing your dog.  You could put up a sign not to climb the wall and a camera (even a fake one) to deter people further.

Besides that, keep pestering your HOA to build the deterrent spikes on the wall.  If their design is ineffective, propose some other solution.

Without seeing the actual wall, it'd be hard to advise further.  Perhaps contacting a fencing specialist in your area and seeing what they suggest is a good option.Answer #2: Might be a good idea to put up some signs for anti-climb paint on the wall and then put some on the top of it. The stuff is like oily Tar are near impossible to remove from clothing and skin. People will very quickly stop using it as a shortcut after that.


Title: Swimming pool problems - Contractor did a bad job

Question:
I need some advice concerning if the contractor who installed our in-ground liner pool is liable for the poor work we suspect they did.  Our pool was installed in 2014.  Took about 5 months for them to do it.  It was a real struggle with these guys and I was glad when they finally finished.  Overall, pretty poor job of customer support.

Anyway, I went to open the pool this summer and found the water level to be 3 feet low.  After quick inspection, I found the liner was separated at the bottom of the stairs.  It appears that the contractor tried to cover up a poor job with caulk.  Evidently, it has had a slow leak since installation.  I've had two other pool installation companies come and tell me that there is no reason to use caulk.

Additionally, there are some other areas that could turn into issues, but I'm not sure the proper terminology to describe them.

I tried contacting original contractor and got the run around since March 14th.  Never got to speak directly to the owner, only the front desk girl.  I've been lied to many times regarding call backs, promised visits for review, etc.  I never claimed to him that it was his fault, I just wanted clarification of what needs to be done to fix it....including getting an estimation for repair.  Nothing. I've gotten nowhere with this guy and I am just angry about it.

I understand the liner warranty is only for the seams of it.  So, this is not a seam area.  My understanding is that the area in question is a hand modified area to fit the stairs into.  Therefore, my thinking is that they did a poor job (Cut too much) and tried to cover it up.  I also found that the same year that another customer belonging to them had a very similar claim, and made it public to the BBB.  However, they also just gave up and used another company.

Any ideas of if I can sue this guy or something?  My guess is no, but someone here may additional information that may be helpful.  Thanks.

Answer: You can get the pool repaired and sue the initial installer for the cost of the repairs.Answer #2: Home owners insurance, let you know your insurance company worry about going after the contractor


Title: I just received a ticket in the mail written by a police officer I've never spoken to and he also got the color of my car wrong

Question:
The ticket is for "Careless Driving." I got into a car accident that day. To my knowledge and according to the police report, I was the only one injured. The name of the officer signed his/her name on the ticket and the initials were AF. I remember talking to a police officer at the scene of the accident who had introduced himself as "John." "John" does not start with "A" so I assume that wasn't him. I also remember telling another uniformed man about the accident. He was in a white uniform so I'm not sure if he was a police officer, as I believe police officers in that town wear dark-colored uniforms. I don't remember speaking to any officer by the initials of AF.

On the ticket it says I was driving a green car. I don't drive a green car.

Would it be better to explain myself through an email to the police department or wait until the court date and explain myself to the judge/prosecutor? In my area you have a pretty bad chance of getting out of a traffic ticket.

Answer: Does the ticket accurately describe you and your situation otherwise? And is your car anything like green? If it's obviously a different incident, it's probably worth fighting. If it's just "green" when your car is "teal" then it's dumb to fight based on semantics.


Title: Ex took "our" dogs and won't let me see them [California]

Question: This happened back in late March 2016, when my ex and I split. He took our dogs when I was out of town, and won't allow me to see them. I've missed them so much and if anything, I would at least want visiting rights to my dogs. How do I even begin the process of paperworks and addressing the issue?

Answer: Sorry, pet visiting rights aren't a thing. I know they're important to you but it would be best to just move on and cut this guy off. All you're able to do is sue for the value of the dogs, if it was joint. It depends on who they're registered to and what evidence you have.


Title: [NC] Wrongful Incarceration - Sexual Assault

Question:
This happened 7 years ago.

I plead guilty to a simple assault charge (low level misdemeanor), and was sentenced 1 year probation. I had no criminal history.

I violated my probation by failing a drug test for pot (11 months into the probation). I was offered extended probation or to just serve my suspended sentence, which was 45 days in jail.

My lawyer cut a deal with the probation officer for me to serve 30 days in the county jail and then it's all over with and I could get on with my life.

The only piece of evidence I have in this case is my judgement, which clearly says '30 days in COUNTY JAIL', so I agreed to it. I still have this piece of paper.

---------------------------------------------

I wasn't in jail for more than 3 hours when they transferred me to Department of Corrections (full blown prison).

My family was in an uproar, I come from a good background; educated,  like I said had no criminal history. My mother tried to contact DOC and the County to sort it out and explain my judgement was for county jail, and had I known they'd send me to prison I would never have accepted the sentence, but I essentially got lost in the system.

**I was sexually assaulted numerous times in prison, the guards knew, they didn't do anything to stop it. I complained about it, the paperwork disappeared.**

 I never told my family (they were worried enough). I never told anyone. This is the first time I've ever said these things out loud.

I haven't been able to face it for almost a decade. I'm embarrassed, and now I'm angry at myself because I'm truly afraid nothing can be done about it since I waited so long and have little to no evidence. I don't remember guards names or anything.

I haven't been arrested or even had a speeding ticket since I got out of prison, that was 7yrs ago. I was 23 at the time, and I just turned 30.

-----------------------------------------

The few things I see here that may make a case are:

1. I was sent to prison when my judgement was for county jail.
2. I would never have been raped had they not done that.
3. I now have a 'DOC prison record' which has kept me from getting employment in the past. In NC, County Jail time does NOT show up on a background check (it just shows the charge/result). Prison time DOES.

I ONLY accepted the deal because I thought I'd sit in county.

I do remember, while I was in prison... EVERYONE, inmates, my case worker.. everyone...was shocked that I was sent there for a 30 day misdemeanor. My case worker literally asked me 'why did they send you here?'.

I don't know where to start.

Edit: I'm not even going to begin to fathom why someone would downvote such a sensitive subject. Maybe I shoulda posted this to r/twoxchromosomes ? People aren't even replying, just downvoting. Yeah, really glad I brought this here.

Answer:
 Prisons and jails have some duty to protect inmates from assault or other hazards. A failure to do so can be an Eighth Amendment violation actionable under 42 U.S.C. 1983 (civil rights statute). Whether or not you have such a claim would depend on a lot of specific facts that go well beyond the scope of this forum.

Be aware that you may have a problem due to the statute of limitations in your state. If you are not familiar with the term, it is basically a legal deadline on when a law suit must be filed.

Your best course of action is to consult with an attorney as soon as you can. Call your local bar association or try google to find an attorney in your state that has a background in police misconduct/prison litigation (or civil rights, more generally). They will be the only ones that can give you an answer about whether or not you have a claim.

Finally, I just want to say I am sorry you went through all of that.


Title: Ohio Medical Question

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > It seems as if all this could have been avoided - or at least minimized - if the Dr. would have reached out by phone with the information.

You don't know that and unless you are a doctor are unqualified to give an opinion. It's entirely possible the damage had already been done and knowing about it a few days earlier would have made no difference. Has he gotten an opinion from a second doctor?


Title: Sex offender (only solicitation of a minor (16) when 20 years old) failed a polygraph question and is now not allowed to be home with his children (2 y.o. boy and 3 week old boy) even though I have taken a class to be a sex offender chaperone. Do we have any options legally?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > Is there anything I can do to contest this?

No, because you have no standing.

Your husband can talk to his attorney about potentially appealing the ruling from the probation officer.


Title: Medical Privacy

Question:
Not me (thank fuck):

Two relatives have been involved in an automotive accident.

While one was being detained without medical treatment (despite medical professionals insisting that treatment was needed) they refused to talk to police without a lawyer present.

The investigating officer then had a nurse (in the hospital at which they were being treated) use their access as medical personnel to question the other under the pretense that medical confidentiality applied.

Is any of this legal?

Answer:
 Sounds like your relatives may need a criminal defense attorney.

I doubt that medical professionals asked questions for for the police to aid in investigation. But medical professionals may have gathered medically relevant information that would be useful to the police and could be subpoenaed by the police (like drug/alcohol test results, approximate speed of the impact, etc.). Answer #2: It's shitty nurse week here on LA, it seems.

- It is legal and advisable for a nurse to ask about the circumstances of an accident, including driver vs. passenger. This can help in predicting pattern of injuries.

- It is legal per HIPAA for a nurse to share medical information with law enforcement under certain circumstances, seen [here](https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/faq/505/what-does-the-privacy-rule-allow-covered-entities-to-disclose-to-law-enforcement-officials/index.html).

- It is dubious whether a nurse can act as a source of information for the police in the absence of above required circumstances. It is even more dubious that she consented to questioning you in the guise of a medical professional and not a member of law enforcement.

In addition to a defense lawyer, your cousin needs to speak to the hospital ombudsman. He needs to ask if their nurses are in the business of providing medical information without a warrant in non-emergent situations where there is no reasonable belief of a threat to public safety (if, in fact, that is the case). He needs to ask if there is a policy against treating people who were involved in an accident. There should be a lot of loaded questions asked.


Title: Need legal advice regarding a car engine I purchased without a warranty.

Question:
My car needed a new engine, so I found one from an auto recycling place in New Jersey for $2800. I called the guy and he assured me it was working and that he'll even lower it to $2200 and include shipping if I want it, but without a 30 day warranty (in hindsight this should've been a huge red flag to me). I said that's great and bought it. A week later it arrived and yesterday my mechanic got it installed and said it failed compression test and didn't even turn over. He stuck a scope down the first cylinder and saw that half of the piston was missing, meaning the engine was obviously blown. My question is this: Is he legally obliged to replace it or give me a refund since it was sold and claimed to be working, or am I SOL because I got it without a warranty?

Update: I called the place I bought the engine from and he said he cannot refund me my money because there's no warranty. The only thing he can do is send me another used one with maybe a warranty. I really don't want to do that because a 30 day warranty is very short, I'd prefer to just have my money back. So the only option it looks like is small claims court, but how would that work between the two states?
Topic:
Business Law

Answer: If the guy sold you a clearly defective engine that never had a chance of working right from the get-go I think you have grounds to demand a refund, or FREE shipping for a replacement. How did you pay?


Title: I got my paychecks cut and now I'm not being paid?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Call your local department of labour. They ought to look into it for you.

Link: https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdle/complaint-forms


Title: Tubal ligation

Question:
I'm 21(female) and while I'm not a child I'm not really considered a grown up by anyone else.
Anyway I've want to get my tubes tied since I was 15 years old. The only problem is that my doctors all refuse to do it. Not out of fear that it'll go wrong and I'll sue but that I might change my mind.

I live in California and I question if they're legally allowed to deny me that. I'm not going to change my mind and there is no medical reason for me to get it done other than that I don't want my children to have a depressed mother. I'm also scared that if I tell them that I am and have been depressed for 6 or so years that they'd use "mental illness" to deny me that.

Answer:
 Yes, it's legal for a doctor to deny you this procedure. Answer #2: Yes, it is legal for individual doctors to refuse to perform a medically unnecessary procedure.  It's *annoying*, but legal.

Keep trying - you can usually find someone willing to listen to you.Answer #3: When it is elective surgery they can. You may have to shop around for a doctor who will take you seriously. I know someone who managed to do so (unmarried, no children, 27 years old). You can also talk to a local Planned Parenthood and see if they can direct you to a provider. Good luck!


Title: Citation/Court summons for tagging, what can i do about it?

Question:
I recently was given a court summons for tagging a Fed-Ex truck. Im not looking for your opinion on the circumstances of my arrest, only legal advice. I am not in any sort of legal trouble aside from this, and at the time I was with two other kids who were on probation, im 18 and they were also adults (at least legally). The cop never saw me do it, and the fedex guy called the police who approached us at a different time and location. At first they let us go because they had no evidence we did it, but called me about 20 minutes later and asked us to meet them (actually just 1 at that point). We went and met the cop and she said there was a witness and asked us which one of us did it. Now at this point i copped to it because i didn't want to drag my already legally troubled friends down with me, and she handed me a citation. I can live with that and the misdemeanor charge and/or fine and/or community service, but i dont want to.

Im thinking since she had to ask who did it, she doesn't know for sure it was me. I did cop to it but im thinking i can explain that as i thought one of my legally challenged friends did it, so i was being all heroic and ate the charge so they didnt suffer any consequences with their probation, and only after it all went down we discovered that they didnt do it and neither did i, but we thought differently, if that makes sense.

I really dont want to have to deal with this if i dont have to, even if it would be simpler to do so, ill fight it if i have a chance to win.

What do you think of this, a better story? Change some things? Or am i fucked...

[EDIT] Im in colorado, usa. Happy now LocationBot?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Legal advice:

Don't perjure yourself by lying in court.

Your admission can be used against you in court, and so can the testimony of the witness who saw you.  You can get a lawyer and hope for a plea bargain, but you aren't going to win this if they have a witness and a confession.

Further legal advice:  Stop defacing the property of others.


Title: Can I keep a security deposit of a subletter who is leaving without notice? [New York]

Question:
A man has been subletting an room in my apartment for a couple months. I'm on the lease, he is not. He agreed in writing (e-mail) that would be staying until the lease ends at the end of the year. Today, he informed me that he found a new place and will be moving out before October 1st. Because he gave me so little notice, I'm worried that I won't find a replacement for the full month. (The timing is bad because I'm about to leave the state for a work trip.)

Because he failed to give me 30 days notice, is it possible to keep his deposit as October's rent? If I do have to return the deposit, do I have to do it soon or can I wait until I receive my full deposit back when the lease is up? If I have to pay the full October rent myself, I cannot afford to also repay his half of the deposit anytime soon.

Answer:
 Yes, you are entitled to damages. If this is a month to month lease you can claim the deposit for, at mimimum, up to October 26th. You must notify your tenant of each charge against his deposit.
ex: $$$$-rent for last 30 days, unpaid.

Or "I am keeping $xxxx of your deposit because you did not pay rent for the last 30 days of your stay."


Title: Can I walk into a store with an RFID tag, just to activate the sensors to annoy them? [Massachusetts]

Question:
I was recently falsely accused of shoplifting. Multiple people looked on as I argued with the employee blocking me from leaving.

It was humiliating, and I would like petty revenge, even though some people will think I am foolish for it. Other ways to remedy this situation, perhaps for defamation, are something I would be grateful to hear from you about.

Thank you for your help.

Answer:
 Do you not have anything better with your time, like going to college, having a job, working out, playing chess, a spouse, etc?Answer #2: If they had a reasonable suspicion that you were shoplifting, then they would be in the legal right to confront you about that while you were still in the store.  It likely wouldn't be defamation unless they knew you shoplifted nothing and simply accused you of doing so out of malice and an intent to defame your character.

The law typically doesn't have your back if you're simply seeking revenge.

Edit: So being accused of shoplifting was embarrassing, so you're now thinking of going back there and falsely setting off the sensors to make it look like you're shoplifting, and inviting them to recreate the embarrassing situation all over again?  That has to be the least brilliant idea I've heard all day.Answer #3: You could, but once you are asked not to return to the store, if you enter you would be trespassing. Answer #4: Good way to get yourself kicked out of the store.

Not any real legal recourse if it was in good faith. You could complain to their corporate office and maybe they will offer you something to make it up to You, but they dont have to.


Title: I won’t be able to graduate due to my English Teacher’s unfairness

Question:
My English teacher refuses to grade some assignments I turned in on time just because I shared it through google and not the website she provided. I was having issues with the website and I let her know, which led me to explain why I shared the documents with her.

I know it’s bad but I don’t really check my grades, so on Monday I did and noticed she gave me zeros for a handful of assignments. I asked if she could please grade them but she refused and accused me of manipulating the system but how can I manipulate google?

I reached out to my counselor and even an associate principal but they were no help. The following day I found out that an acquaintance of mine was permitted by the same teacher to turn in a winter packet from December and she gave her full credit for it, I told the principal and he said:

“You have to understand that teachers can chose who they let and not let turn in late work”

The thing is, my work was never late, it was turned in the day prior or of the due date.
Today I went to the district office because the school have a non discrimination statement that says the following:

“The high school district is committed to provide a safe school environment where all individuals in education are afforded equal access and opportunities”

Her class is the only one I’m failing, it’s at a 53% percent and she refuses to give me partial credit and extra credit like she did with her AP students.

Do you think the district can help me or can I take legal action?
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 Your work *was* late.  It’s not turned in until turned in the way the teacher specifies.  You will 100% fail assignments in college if this situation arises.

As it stands, this is not a legal question.  You should absolutely first appeal to the teacher and then to the administration to see if this can be resolved.  There is no law preventing a teacher from failing you for failing to uphold the standards of the course.


Title: Changing dates on healthcare cards via Photoshop.

Question:
I'm an intern graphic designer working at a small print shop. My boss just had me change the dates on his healthcare card and his son's "Pediatric Advanced Life Support" card. He told me to change the issue year to 2016 and renewal year to 2018 on both cards.

My gut says that this is illegal and that I shouldn't have done it, but I'm not sure...

edit: I'm in Phoenix, Arizona btw

Answer: 100% illegal.


Title: [NYC] Can I reclaim the fee I paid for a co-op application that took more than a month to review and is still unprocessed?

Question: More than a month ago, my SO and I applied for a rental at an NYC co-op. It was a two-step process: first the management company had to approve it and then the co-op board. The management took about three weeks to approve it, after which it was submitted to the board. We urged the board to process the application asap since our notice was coming up and we'd be homeless in a week. They didn't get back to us and we had to move to a different place. Since our application was neither rejected nor accepted, can we have our fee reimbursed?

Answer:
 You're not entitled to a refund but nothing is stopping you from asking.

 Presumably, you'll get a call in the next few months to come in for your interview.  Feel free to go and tell the Board what you think of their business practices in person.


Title: [New York] Periodontist did crown lengthening on wrong side of my mouth. It's clearly malpractice but not enough to sue. What are my options?

Question:
This is minor as far as medical malpractice goes but it's been a nightmare for me...the basics are:

- periodontist performed a crown lengthening (removing gum tissue and jawbone) on the wrong side of my mouth, even though I told him I thought he was wrong before the procedure. My dentist was shocked when I went to him afterwards and he could not fill the cavity that was supposed to have been exposed by the crown lengthening (and which has been 5 years in the making).
- my insurance had told periodontist that the $950 procedure wasn't covered bc it was unnecessary; periodontist's office lied to me and told me the procedure was covered and accepted a $414 copay from me.
- I'd like to recoup the money I spent on this (which has been 5 years in the making and by now totals more than the $414 copay). I have spoken to 2 malpractice lawyers who say it clearly is a case of medical malpractice but would take 2-3 years to sue and would only get maybe $10k bc I'm not suffering any major pain or nerve damage. So it's not worth their time, understandably.
- QUESTION IS: I have no interest in suing anyone but was hoping to get the periodontist's insurance company to settle with me-- I have lost days of work due to this, plus my copay.
Is this the correct course of action, how would I go about that, and do I need a lawyer to do this on my behalf?
Thank you!!

Answer: If you're only out the $414 plus a couple days' work, you should be able to sue him in small claims court if the insurance company won't directly play ball and he won't reimburse you.


Title: Can a pilot actually force you to put your hands on your head for an entire flight?

Question:
I saw on r/news that a flight which had a “suspected security concern” ordered every passenger to “keep their hands on their head and not film” for 45 minutes.

Is this legal? If I were to place my hands in my lap and record the entire time, what specifically would I be charged with? Could they take my phone to stop me from recording?

If they attempted to take my phone to stop me from recording and I attempted to prevent them would I get in trouble?

Answer:
 The pilot in command is “directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft”

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/91.3

Depending on how that is interpreted, maybe? However, even if the flight crews actions weren’t justified, if you start fighting with the crew you’re in violation of regulations and in the post-9/11 world that type of thing is taken pretty seriously.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/46504

TL;DR, it depends, but if you don’t follow the instructions of the crew and start becoming a problem you’re likely going to jail.


Title: Utah, First DUI, Refused to blow at the scene, blood taken per warrant, what are my options?

Question:
Consumed about 5 strong beers starting at about 10:30pm and had my last one about midnight. Driving friends home shortly after midnight and was pulled over. Officer asked if I was drinking, I said no and explained that the smell of alcohol was from the friends in my car. The officer asked me to take a breathalyzer, I refused. I was arrested under suspicion of DUI. Police obtained a warrant to draw blood and blood was taken at 2:40am. I am 29 years old, Male, and roughly 190 pounds. Every BAC calculator i've looked up says that by 2:40am when my blood was taken I would have been under the legal limit. I was never belligerent and as far as I could tell was not acting drunk, and was respectful throughout the entire incident.
- What are my chances of successfully fighting this and would the expense of fighting it be worth it? I'm a broke grad student and do not really have a ton of money for a long drawn out legal issue. Also having a DUI on my record isn't the end of the world for me since it is my first.
- If the Blood results do come out over .08% should I continue to try and fight it?
- I have accepted the fact that I will automatically lose my license for 18 months, at this point should I exercise my option for a DMV hearing to keep my license?

-- Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 The calculators are only estimates and the alcohol content % of the drinks vary.

Being under .08 does not mean you were not DUI, just that the prosecutor has to do more to prove it. A police officer testimony as to your behavior, traits, and driving will work. Answer #2: In addition to what /u/Napalmenator said, if you were arrested at midnight, and then at 2:40 a.m. the blood draw said you were at (for example) .079% BAC, then that's going to be very strong evidence that *when you were arrested* you were in fact above .08%. The relevant time is when you were driving, not when the test happened, and the police know that your number will drop by a roughly predictable amount over time.

Given the big consequences you're facing, you should get a lawyer.


Title: Can I be held liable for bypassing a temp agency?

Question:
I recently had an interview at a real, reputable, international company here in Seattle, WA. I know this company is legit, and the person interviewing me is legit. Unethical, maybe, but a real employer nonetheless.

&#x200B;

The on-site interview was set up through a recruiting agency. During the interview, the hiring manager asked me if I would be comfortable bypassing the temp agency in exchange for higher pay. I joked, "That's not exactly upholding the ethics part of the company mission statement, huh?" but he took it as that - just a joke.

&#x200B;

Now, I'm not sure if a job offer will come through the company or the recruiter.

&#x200B;

I have not signed anything with this recruiting agency at all. They contacted me via phone, and I found the job posting on ZipRecruiter, it was a 1-click-apply.

&#x200B;

This will not be a permanent role for me, and I don't plan on being here longer than 1 year while I finish school. So, while I know that my would-be boss is slimy, I can endure as it's just a resume builder.

&#x200B;

My question is, am I legally responsible to report this to the temp agency?

Answer: You are not legally required to notify the temp agency, but what the company is doing is probably a major violation of their contract with the temp agency. I would be very leery of accepting this position because if they will bend ethics for you, they will do it against you.


Title: Is there a way that my parents can forcefully make me quit my job?

Question:
Context: I live in Vancouver, B.C am 15 years old and I have a job that my parents are trying to force me to quit by going to my boss.

Are they allowed to just go straight to my boss and make me quit/get fired?
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer: They can ground you, confiscate/control your bank account, ban you from leaving the house, ban you from driving, shut off the internet etc... They can also go talk to your boss and say they don't want you working there which more than likely will get you fired.


Title: Girlfriend getting sued from accident (Ohio)

Question: (Ohio)So my girlfriend was in a car accident about a year ago. It was only a 5-10 mph accident, however the girl she hit took an ambulance ride to the hospital. My girlfriend did not have insurance at the time. She has settled with the girl she hit insurance for $10,000 for car repairs and medical expenses. We thought it was over and today she got served for $25,000 for loss of wages, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life etc. The girl is also suing another man in the same lawsuit for $25,000 for the same reasons. We are 5 weeks away from having our first baby so the timing is fucking brutal. We will obviously be seeking attorney advice this next week, but I was wondering if any of you have advice or even words of encouragement about cases like this. Thanks in advance

Answer: When you say "she has settled" do you mean an attorney drafted a settlement agreement and a check has been handed over?


Title: My friend lied about having her driver's license and wrecked my car. Am I in any legal danger for letting her drive?

Question:
My friend (21 years old) and I (20 years old) were driving back home from a school conference in California (We live in Oregon, and we were in Oregon when she crashed), and to make a long story short, my friend took a turn way too fast on a highway and sent us crashing into a stop sign post at around 40 MPH. Luckily we both survived, and we called the police and all that to notify them of the crash and let them know that we damaged the city property. We figured there was no reason to not call the police, seeing as how none of us were breaking any laws or doing anything illegal. However, I eventually found out that my friend did not have a driver's license like she had previously told me, and in fact only had a driver's permit.  It should be noted that it was **illegal** for her to drive with me, as Oregon law states that if you have your permit and are 18 or older, you can drive with anyone who has a license and is 21 or older. I am only 20 years old, so I was not a valid person for her to drive with. I was infuriated, as we had split up driving time throughout the entire trip (all in all we probably drove at least 10 hours each), and the **only** reason I let her drive my car was because she told me she had her license.

As the owner of the vehicle, and as the only person in the situation with a valid license, am I in danger of any legal trouble here? Like I said, even though I am older than 18 and have my license, I am still under 21, so I don't meet the requirements of who she is legally allowed to drive with. But will that reflect legally on me at all (even if I didn't know), or just her?

**I should clarify: I am not asking about insurance and what they'll cover and won't cover. I'm asking about, legally, if I could lose my license, be charged with a crime, or have a mark on my record. Insurance is a whole separate issue that isn't really relevant to what I'm asking**
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: If you have any financial fines/penalties/lose your car/etc. it's only fair that the friend that misled you pay them, and I assume even if you are directly responsible, you could sue her because her lies cost you money. I also assume you won't want it to come to that because she's your friend, but it's an option. Here's a question I don't know the answer to: In situations where one person has absolute legal responsibility (selling cigs/alcohol to minors, sleeping with minor, possibly this situation, etc.) and it literally doesn't matter if they were mislead or lied to, can the liar/misleader be sued to compensate for the penalties/jail time/etc. the liar caused, or are they generally immune somehow? i.e., in the unlikely situation that OP is ready and willing to lose her friendship, could OP sue her friend for lying if OP theoretically lost her car or license or went to jail?


Title: Hired construction workers, now my thousands of dollars worth of stuff is gone

Question:
My dad hired some Chinese construction workers to remodel the kitchen and bathroom. They've been coming here for more than a week, and today shortly after they've left I've noticed that I'm missing A LOT of shit. I'm not 100% sure that it was stolen yet, but I made sure I knew where everything was before the move, and now they're all gone. The construction workers have finished their job and left just this Monday, and I've searched EVERYWHERE with my family for the missing items and havent found anything. Note: there were multiple days where they stayed in our house for 7+ hours, alone. No family members home.

We'll continue to look in the coming days, but assuming I've confirmed that it's been stolen, how can I take legal action? Can't they just deny having taken stuff, and we won't have concrete proof? Thanks!

Edit: LA area

Answer:
 >but assuming I've confirmed that it's been stolen, how can I take legal action?

From a criminal standpoint you can file a police report.  The police will then investigate it.

From a civil standpoint, hopefully someone else with better knowledge of the civil side can chime in.


Title: (NY) Local pharmacy provided 16 pills of 30 prescribed, with "14 owed"

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Healthcare Law including HIPAA

Answer:
 > Is this mishandling of medication or merely poor business practices?

It's neither.  It's a sign that they ran out of the medication and have to wait for more to come in.  I have no idea why you're having such an overreaction to this - stuff like this happens all the time.  You just have to go back later and pick up the rest.


Title: Recording racist attacks

Question:
Hi friends, this question is UK based, so please UK law only!
Last night a friend of mine (F) (19f, black) was in her shared student kitchen when a flatmate brought in 4 other guys who seemed to be drunk/high, who started shouting at F, and calling her a n*****. She was understandably very distressed and upset by this, and had to call on campus security, who made a report of her complaint. She also made a recoding of one of these men (all white) while he was shouting racist abuse at her. He messaged her this morning telling her it was illegal to show anyone that recording who wasn't already in the room. Is this true?
F had to miss her exam this morning because she was too shaken up to focus, but this means she now needs evidence to prove what happened so she can retake the exam without penalty. Will she be committing a crime if she submits this recording to her university?
In addition, recently students at Warwick were expelled for similar things, and I really think these men should be expelled for what they did too. So my main question is, what is the legal status of this recording and what should we do next?
Thanks everyone

Answer: Just FYI, there is an r/legaladviceUK. They should know your local laws better than we will. (I mean, at least I hope so!)Answer #2:  You can legally film in your own home or business as long as it isn't somewhere that has an expectation of privacy (like in a bathroom). A kitchen does not have that expectation of privacy. She can share the video or she can not. Up to her and legal either way