Title: Arrested for Breach of Peace for off-campus party in CT

Question: Unfortunately, last night my roommates and I were arrested on Breach of Peace charges for throwing a party that got out of hand. I am a 20 Year old male College student in CT and live off-campus. We cooperated with police fully, and they were all very nice about it and suggested we'd be OK with court and everything. Regardless, I would like to keep this from being on my record, and being the nervous one out of the group, I want to know what the best course of action would be for myself/my friends. None of us have prior offenses, other than a couple speeding tickets perhaps. Would it be in our best interest to hire an attorney? Can someone walk me through the court process (court date is in 2 weeks). I've read about something called a "deferred adjudication" that seems to fit my circumstances. How would I be able to get this ? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Answer: If your biggest concern is keeping a conviction off your record, you should hire an attorney.


Title: Help me solve an argument with the GF.

Question: She is a bartender. If someone goes to her restaurant and refuses to pay, can she stop them from leaving? Can she detain them? (VA)

Answer: [Here](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter3/section8.01-226.9/) is Virginia's law on the shopkeeper's privilege.  I'm not certain if it applies to restaurants and bars, but it appears to on first glance.


Title: I got a one night stand pregnant in Turkey. I am now being threatened with a legal route by email from the woman for support for an unwanted daughter

Question:
Hopefully can get replies aside from the moral dimension of this scenario.

In sum, I (unknowingly) got a local girl pregant in Turkey whilst I spent two months travelling there earlier this year. Fast forward to today, she has a newborn daughter. There is no doubt that the child is biologically mine but I do not want to be apart of her life in any way, which is causing consternation amongst her family and herself.

I had cut contact with the said girl soon after leaving the country but she has since found me via Facebook and has demonstrated harrassing behaviour on there in the past few months to the point that I have deleted my account. She has since found my academic email address online and has been sending repeated legal threats (though nothing approaching anything formal (yet)).

I am a US citizen (MA) and have not been back to Turkey since the trip and have only found out about the pregnancy at a very late stage of it.

Can anybody clear up the culpability on my behlaf to provide income support for the child? I do nto speak Turkish so have had little success in finding anything online about whether I can travel there in the future (should legal proceedings go ahead there); are there any cross-border collaborations between Turkey and the US (or Turkey and a third country, for the matter) that could leave me open to financial culpability in the future? Would she have any recoruse to force me (based in the US) to provide support, if she is based in Turkey (or if she later became based in the US, in the future)?

Thanks for reading - and thanks for any replies in advance.

Answer:
 Under US law, at least, you are responsible for your child. If the mother brings an action against you in the US, they will likely award child support, and assist her in collecting it from you.

Turkey is also a signatory to the Hague Convention on Child Support, which means the US may also assist her in enforcing a Turkish court order for a paternity test or for child support.

Congratulations, Dad.Answer #2: Im not a lawyer and definitely don't know enough to give specific advice, but here's a piece of broad advice.

You will have to pay child support. The child is yours. Living in another country doesn't absolve you of responsibility for that.

How that plays out, however, is outside my realm. Good luck. Answer #3: As far as I know “I ghosted her” and “she was rude to me when I said she was on her own” are not mitigating factors in most child support cases. Answer #4: If she knows what she's doing, she'll file in the courts in Turkey and then file in the U.S. with her favorable verdict in Turkey.

On an aside, start being responsible.


Title: Being deposed tomorrow. Any advice would be appreciated.

Question:
I was just informed that when I arrive at work tomorrow, I will be sworn in over the phone and be giving testimony regarding a former employee who is suing the company.  This is the only information I have been given.  I do recall the employee.  I was a direct supervisor, but not necessarily his boss.  It has been two years since he worked there, and I have limited recollection of specific interactions with him.  Obviously, I will simply be honest and forthcoming.  However, I am nervous as hell, because I have never had to do anything like this, and I guess I watch way too many Law and Orders.  I recall that this particular employee was extremely manipulative and charming.  If his lawyer is anything like he is, I am afraid my words will get twisted and I don't want to end up being confused and manipulated. I would appreciate any general advice given my situation.

Edit:  location…  I'm in Utah.

Answer:
 I would be pretty surprised if the lawyer representing the company doesn't talk to you first, and isn't on the call.

General advice: Be truthful, regardless of who you think it helps.  Answer the question asked, but don't elaborate beyond the question.  Your answers should be succinct.  It's fine to take a moment to think before answering.  If you can't remember something, "I don't recall" is a perfectly good answer.  So is "I don't know" if you honestly don't know the answer.  Don't guess or speculate.  If you don't understand the question, say so.


Title: Voir Dire - Questions on Drug Use

Question:
I have received a jury summons and I am concerned about the Voir Dire process.

1. Are the prosecuting/defense attorneys allowed to ask about personal drug use? And for that matter... are they allowed to ask about anything that might be criminal behavior?
2. If they are allowed to ask, am I required to be truthful? Should I deny, or can I plead the fifth?
3. Could I be held legally liable for affirmative responses? Could those responses be used as probable cause?

Edit for the bot: This is in NY State.

Answer:
 > Are the prosecuting/defense attorneys allowed to ask about personal drug use? And for that matter... are they allowed to ask about anything that might be criminal behavior?

Yes and yes, in some circumstances.  It's not regular for them to do so.

> am I required to be truthful?

You are always required to be truthful to teh court.  Never, ever ever ever lie.  You can plead the fifth; you can also be granted immunity for the matter.

Realistically, it's unlikely that any of this would occur.


Title: Gym Opened up today, Work is trying to get me to sign a "You shall not go to the Gym" Agreement... (MO)

Question:
Throwaway because people I work with follow my main Reddit account.... So in Missouri most gyms are starting to open up and mine opened up today. Most of the people at my work know that I work out religiously and love the gym. So I planned on going to the gym now that it is open. Anyways, today I was called in by my manager who asked if I had plans to go to the gym in the near future. I answered yes, and I was handed a document and asked to sign it. The document says that I will not go to the gym due to COVID-19 spreading, and it not meeting my works Social Distancing requirements. If I should break the agreement, I am subject to termination due to "Endangering the workplace"... I have yet to sign the document because I find it absolutely ridiculous and I just want to make sure that my work has no merit here and this is beyond ridiculous and potentially unlawful correct?

(Side Note: Both my home and gym are in a separate county than in my work. The county that my work is located in is still under quarantine, and all gyms are closed. But the county I live in is open for business and all gyms are open. Dont know if this changes things...)
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 You can be fired for not signing the document, signing the document and going to gym. Also for any not illegal reason or for no reason at all.

Edit: assuming no union or an actual not at will employment contract.


Title: Ex filed a restraining order against me

Question:
A little backstory, we dated for about 5 months. I broke up with her about a month and a half ago. We tried to remain friends, but she kept trying to sleep with me and I was not okay with that.

I stopped talking to her for two days and I walked  out to my car to find that two of my tires were slashed. At this point she was completely blowing up my phone (~100 calls a day). I then blocked her because I couldn’t even use my phone for daily tasks. She then started to call from a *67 restricted number, because apparently you can’t block those calls from your phone. She also showed up at my apartment multiple times and actually came in my door twice because my roommate forgot to lock the door.

I was still receiving around 100 calls a day and she then went to her social media accounts and starting lying and saying that I abused her, manipulated her, etc. I didn’t. She then posted my phone number twice on her social media platform and telling people to “fuck me up.” I have photo and video evidence that she has since removed from her accounts.

It was at this point I was going to get a restraining order against her, but I was leaving for vacation the next day, and was going to be gone for 2 weeks. So I decided to wait until I got back which was yesterday.

As I’m getting ready to go to court to file, a cop knocks on my door and serves me her restraining order.

In the order, she claiming that I abused her physically and emotionally, which I absolutely didn’t and would never do.  She also is claiming that I am an “unstable drug-fueled alcoholic”. Also not true. Would it help to offer to do a drug test at the hearing?

I guess I’m reaching out for any help and advice, as I’ve never been through this scenario before and because my court date is in about a week and can not afford a lawyer to defend myself. I was to be as prepared as possible.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Answer: You can still file for a restraining order against her. When you go to court, bring all of your evidence. Show the judge that she is the one harassing you. She likely won't have any proof of you harassing her. You also should file a police report about the slashed tires, if you have not already done so.


Title: I purchased a Craigslist car and just learned that the odometer was tampered with, is there any way I can seek compensation?

Question:
Long story short, I bought a 2005 Toyota Camry off Craigslist in San Jose two weeks ago under the impression that it had 123k miles, and everything checked out. The Carfax was provided and our mechanic says the car is in really good shape. Today a random online Carfax check revealed that the car actually has a service history worth 229k miles, which means that the Carfax we were provided was forged and the digital odometer was adjusted. Here are my questions:

* A bill of sale was made, but the mileage written on the title is false, as is the number on the odometer itself. We have a cached copy of the original Craiglist ad and all correspondence. Do we have grounds to sue?
* I will not be able to resell the car with the correct mileage and will not recoup my money. The price difference is $1,700 as stated by Blue Book, is this the amount I should seek?
* The name on the title is not the person who sold us the car. Should we try to reach the person named or the seller?
* We have not actually had time yet to go to the DMV and transfer the registration fully. Should we still do this now or wait?

Thanks!

Answer:
 > which means that the Carfax we were provided was forged and the digital odometer was adjusted.

That's jumping to conclusions. Carfax reports can be wrong.

> The Carfax was provided and our mechanic says the car is in really good shape.

So if one carfax shows 123k and another 229k but your mechanic says it's in good shape which carfax do you think is more likely correction?
Answer #2: I'm confused, if the person who sold you the car is not the person on the title how did they sell it to you? That person has to sign the title.


Title: What are the ethics around dating your crown prosecutor? [BC, Canada]

Question:
I've recently just finished as a crown witness for a case of assault committed against me some time ago.  The case recently wrapped up and ended up in a mistrial.

However, I'm waiting to hear whether crown wants to re prosecute the case.  If this happens, I'm unsure as of yet whether the same prosecutor will be on my case, or if someone new will be assigned to it.

What are the rules around dating the crown prosecutor of my case?  Does our professional relationship have to be completely over for this to happen?
If someone new is assigned to my case, and I am not working with him professionally, is this allowed?

I'd like to ask them out for coffee even on a friend basis because I think they're a pretty cool person, but I also don't want to put them in an uncomfortable situation at work and I'm unsure as to what the rules are around this specifically in my area.

If I were to wait until the case were over entirely, would that still be an ethical violation?  Is there some sort of time period that we have to be finished with our professional relationship before this would be allowed?

Edit: I had considered giving them a thank you gift as well once this is all over for how hard they worked on my case.  I'm also unsure as to whether there are rules against them receiving gifts from clients? I'd like to do what I can to avoid him getting in any trouble at work for either accepting gifts, or accepting an invitation to go for coffee.

Thoughts?

Answer:
 I've been in law school for all of 3 weeks but, lucky me, this means the ethics side of things has been freshly drilled into my head.

On your side, no bad ethical issues. Except maybe compromising his emotional investment in the case.

On his side? A wild shitstorm of ethical issues that can get him in massive trouble with the law societies or the Bar association. If he's smart he wouldn't touch that relationship with a 10 foot pole.

You're saying he's the prosecutor on an assault that happened against you? I feel like your attraction might be as a result of him fighting the good fight for you or something. Trials are emotional and messy. I'm not saying your emotions are bad or wrong - just that maybe you're not in the right frame of mind to correctly judge your feelings for him. Let the trial finish up and then give it a cool down period before deciding if you want to pursue it.


Title: Wrongful Deportation

Question:
My boyfriend and I took an 8 hour flight to the Dominican Republic from Canada (British Columbia). When we were going through immigration the immigration officer said in very broken English there was a problem with the computer, he will be right back. He took our passports. We stood there for 40 minutes. Finally someone else came out and said to follow him...he took us to an office where we waited another 20 minutes. They brought in an airline rep who could speak better English who told us my boyfriend had the same name as someone else who is not allowed in the country. He had never been to DR. They did not try to verify through a photo, fingerprints, other IDs, nothing. He must return to Canada RIGHT NOW. No entry into the country. The rep told my boyfriend to come with him, but I said what about me? He said he could only take my boyfriend and I would have to pay for another ticket if I want to return. He said there are no more flights that night and to go to my hotel (3 hours from the airport) alone. I started crying because I was so scared and stressed from the situation.

By the way, six other Dominican employees stood around watching the whole thing making me feel like we were animals in a zoo.

The Canadian pilot who was to take my boyfriend back came to see what was going on. He was very nice. After some back and forth in Spanish on the phone with other people, they said they could change the date of my return ticket to today, as there were many seats on the flight. We were ushered out of the office and put back on a plane. Another flight, this time 9 hours.

We contacted the travel agency, airline, and credit card company. Everyone is saying it's not their responsibility. I don't think we will get any compensation. Is the only recourse suing the country...? I still can't believe this happened.

Answer: You have no right to enter the Dominican Republic and you can't sue them for this


Title: [UPDATE] (TN) I sold a car over a year ago and the buyer never titled the car. The new owner contacted me on FB for help.

Question:
[Original Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/4hcec8/tn_i_sold_a_car_over_a_year_ago_and_the_buyer/)

Not much of an update, mostly navigating local government.  I called my county clerk's office, explained the situation, and received instructions to come to the county clerk's office to declare the vehicle as sold.  So, that's what I did...  And I was told that declarations were handled by the state, not the county, and was given an 800 number to call.  I called the 800 number and received instruction to write a letter with all of the pertinent details and fax it in.  So I did just that and faxed in a bill of sale as well, just to cover my bases.

I followed-up with a phone call this afternoon and the title is stopped in my name.  It still exists, but the state has noted that the vehicle was sold, the tag isn't valid for renewal, etc.  According to the clerk, I am not on the hook for any outstanding tickets or whatnot on the vehicle and now I have created a paper trail should this keep coming back.

Thanks to all for the help and advice.  There really wasn't anything that I was willing to do beyond this and I think the problem is solved on my end.

Answer:
 Thanks for the update.

Am curious if/how this will affect the person who owns the car now and if he knows what you did. Did the people you spoke to give you any idea how this will affect him?


Title: Assaulted by a juvenile, cannot receive police report. He is charged with felony battery but is out of jail already. How to proceed?

Question: (Palm Desert, California) So I was assaulted by a 17 year old kid because I exposed him for being a thief, I make a police report, that night he gets arrested. I call his parents the next day, telling them about how unresponsive they were that night when I went to the ER for my dislocated shoulder. Sent Xrays to the police station. He is being charged for felony battery, but what about the $600 my parents paid upfront to the ER? Will this be settled in court (I haven't been given a court date or update) or would I have to sue independently? I have no clue how this works, but am ready to sue this entitled rich kid for ruining my good arm. Can I sue for loss of wages, long term damage to my shoulder, and him being intoxicated during all of this? I am a UCSB student and broke as it is so this financial burden from the assailant is costing my parents. Some advice would be appreciated!

Answer:
 He could be sentenced to pay for your bills as part of his criminal probation or sentence.

But if not, you'll have to sue.


Title: Speeding Ticket it NY: 83 in 65.

Question:
Well the good news is it's only a 4 point speed infraction, so even if I just plead guilty my license wouldn't take too massive a hit.

But I have plead not guilty and will be expecting to meet with an assistant DA. If he doesn't budge, or still tries to give me 2 points, is that the end of it or can I explain to the judge my license is otherwise totally clean and this is not a habitual thing for me?

Why can't they just let me pay a fine? How is what I was doing unsafe when nobody was even around me and then a cop pulls you over at night with traffic speeding by and distracting flashing lights and somehow that's not unsafe?

And no I will not get a lawyer involved because it's still cheaper to plead guilty. I carry only liability insurance and it costs $300 a year.

Answer:
 > if he doesn't budge, or still tries to give me 2 points, is that the end of it or can I explain to the judge my license is otherwise totally clean and this is not a habitual thing for me?

Yeah sure, you could try.

> Why can't they just let me pay a fine? How is what I was doing unsafe when nobody was even around me and then a cop pulls you over at night with traffic speeding by and distracting flashing lights and somehow that's not unsafe?

I can tell you that having that sort of attitude isn't going to get you any sort of leniency with a judge.

> And no I will not get a lawyer involved because it's still cheaper to plead guilty.

Great, good luck to you then.


Title: Inmates stolen identity

Question: My boyfriend is currently incarcerated and has been for several years. When talking about plans for the future, I asked how his credit was. He said that he's never checked but there might be a student loan on there, so he asked me to try to check it. I attempted to make a credit karma account for him, and when confirming my identity it said there was a mortgage taken out in his name December of 2016, and an auto loan June of 2014 (he has been in prison since April of 2014) I was unable to get any further information because it required me to identify the loan company and monthly payment for said loans, which I don't have because it wasn't him. I am just wondering where to go from here, and how much we could do considering he is in prison and we are not legally married. Advice please!! I am located in Indiana.

Answer:
 You were supposed to answer "None." They are just control questions.

 "When did you buy your first house:

  A)1999,

  B) 2005,

  **C**) I didn't."


Title: I Fell For A Nigerian Prince Type Fraud. I Now Owe My Bank $4,070 Followed By Legal Action.

Question:
 **TL;DR:** Somebody scammed me as a sugar daddy out of $4,070 I never had to begin with, and had me do most of the work. I omitted details to bank investigators about my personal interactions with said scammer, and most suspicious activity is being traced back to my own phone number. The bank will most likely pursue legal action against me and I need advice. **How honest do I need to be with my attorneys going forward? In general, what kind advice can I get on resolving all of this?.. I'm happy to answer any questions that would make giving advice on the matter any easier.**

&#x200B;

I wasn't getting enough hours at my jobs, and I was really desperate to pay rent. I was heavily considering making a profile on SeekingArrangements, but somebody had messaged me out of the blue on social media asking if I was interested in being his Sugar Girl. And again, because I was desperate and mentally, not in the best place, I figured why the hell not.

He was very pushy and manipulative, and he somehow had convinced me to share bank information with him for payments, since he adamantly refused to use safer pay-methods such as Paypal or Zelle. Over the course of weeks, his banker "accidentally" deposited $6,000 into my accounts, which he had allegedly meant to send to his niece who was undergoing cancer treatments. He requested that I try to send what money back to him/his family members/family friends as soon as I could, so that she could afford her treatment. Everything from Paypal, Cashapp, Zelle, to buying physical iTunes cards. Everything about everything felt incredibly shady, and I hated every minute I spent dealing with this guy, but I was so desperate for it to pay off in the end, and the $6.000 was in my account, which I didn't reasonably understand how something like that could be faked. So I did go along with it, much longer than I should have.

Because I did find everything to be incredibly shady, I was constantly trying to find any information on the guy. The Spa that he allegedly owned, but didn't exist anywhere on the map or internet, any online records of his name turned up blank, and I attempted to call my bank to try and source the giant $3,000, $1,200, etc deposits that he had made, to try and figure out if he had somehow opened some kind of duplicate account in my name or credit to draw funds from. But the receptionist traced it to some kind of foundation and offered very little information, only saying that it had come from an external source not associated with my own accounts. So again, I did my best to try and believe it was a complete coincidence that everything just so happened to be as shady as possible.

Typically I've always been used to any kind of scammer being either 1. a very easily dismissed bot, 2. a spam-type phishing email, 3. a call-center spam artist. This dude played his part as an old, kind of obnoxious manager who desperately wanted some companionship, every single day for weeks. He played a very convincing part and I fell for it.

&#x200B;

Fast forward to when my bank has officially decided, hey, all of this looks pretty bad and unusual, and freezes my account. Security notice letters had gotten sent to my (real) dad's address instead of my own, and I only found out about them later when my father returned from out of the country. We scheduled an appointment to file a Fraud Case on the 16th, and on the 21st, we received a letter containing the same case number, essentially saying that the account had been charged off, and unless the $4,070 was paid in full within 10 business days, said bank would pursue me to the fullest extent allowed by the law. Meanwhile, the case has still been under investigation, past that 10 business day due date, and no mail or phone calls have been made to alert me to the decision made by the case, whether its been determined that they're positive I'm not responsible and that the activity was indeed a case of fraud.

&#x200B;

 The biggest problem being, is that most all of the transactions aside from the actual deposits have been traced back to my own phone, since the scammer practically had me scam myself.

It has now come to the time that my father is trying to help me find an attorney to defend me. With the previous investigators in my case, I explained most every detail I could about the fraudulent deposits made into my account, without disclosing details about the sugar daddy as a would-be employer, and that I had been manipulated into participation in my own scamming. I feigned ignorance about how any of my information could have been leaked or compromised, out of fear that things would become further complicated/compromised.

At this point in time, I have yet to hear from investigators on their ultimate decision.

&#x200B;

**How honest do I need to be with my attorneys going forward? In general, what kind advice can I get on resolving all of this?.. I'm happy to answer any questions that would make giving advice on the matter any easier.**

Answer:
 You should be completely honest with your attorney about this.

And you should start preparing for the strong possibility that this ends with you paying the money back.Answer #2: >**How honest do I need to be with my attorneys going forward?**

Your attorney will not be able to help you to the fullest extent of his abilities if you refuse to be honest with him.  He's heard it all before, and his job isn't to judge or lecture you.  You've already lied to investigators, you're being accused by your bank and you need an attorney to help you un-fuck yourself.  The more you continue to lie, the more it will look like you were a willing part of this scheme as opposed to an innocent victim.  There's a strong chance that you will still have to pay the money back, although you might be able avoid criminal charges.


Title: My Mother stole $5400 from me, and the bank says nothing can be done.

Question:
I am 22 years old. When I was 19, I moved out of my mother's apartment on very bad terms. She has been verbally and emotionally abusive my entire life, but only occasionally physically abusive. The only way that I was able to move out of her house was by packing my things over the course of a week, telling her I was moving out one day -- but not which day -- that week, and then moving out quickly with my s/o's help when she was out of the house taking my little brother to a doctor's appointment.

&#x200B;

At the time of moving out, I only had one bank account. It was a Student Banking account that I had opened with my mother when I was 16 when I got my first job. I had all of my money in it. All of the paychecks from my job were direct deposited there. Any money that was given to me was put in there. I was the only person who had ever paid into that account, and the banking records can prove that.

&#x200B;

The day after I moved out of my mother's apartment, I went to work like any other day. I checked my bank account at some point in the day, only to find that the almost $6000 I had saved up was almost completely gone. I was left with $500 to my name. I immediately called the bank to figure out what had happened, because obviously someone had gotten access to my bank account. It was obviously fraud, right? However, the bank told me that it was not fraud at all. It was an in-person withdrawal. My mother took the money from the Student Account that her name was listed on.

&#x200B;

I confronted my mother about the money immediately, and she told me that she was "holding it" for some medical procedures that I needed a few years later. I knew at that time that I would likely never see the money again.

&#x200B;

Now it's a few years later, and it's time for me to schedule the medical procedure in question. I reached out to my mother to request the $5400 that she took from me, and she stopped responding entirely. I gave her a day or so, and then I went over her head and reached out to my maternal grandmother to ask for help from her. Instead of helping me, though, she guilted me for leaving my mother's life and not telling her happy Mother's Day. She told me that it was no wonder my mother didn't want to help me after the way that I had treated her.

&#x200B;

That was almost a week ago, and I haven't heard anything from either one of them since. Is there legally anything that I can do? Technically her name was listed on the account because it was a student account, but the records can clearly prove that I was the only one paying into that account. Please help.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 Sounds like she was on the account as well and it was a joint account. Nothing illegal here.

You can sue your mom in civil court and let a judge decide. That's your only recourse.Answer #2: > Technically her name was listed on the account

That's all you need to know right there. She could take the money. Your only recourse is a civil lawsuit.Answer #3: Get your own bank account, in a different bank, with only you on it, and transfer your money there. If you haven't already done this.

You can sue her for the money in small claims court. If you win, you'll have to collect, but that's your option.


Title: California- my wife was just ‘let go’ while out on maternity leave...

Question:
Friends!

My wife is 5 months into a 6 month maternity leave. She was called in to the office yesterday and told that they would not be continuing her employment.

They gave no reason.

They will continue paying her for the duration of her leave (until Aug 20th.)

They have offered a 6-weeks-pay severance package, contingent on her signing a release of rights. She has not signed yet.

The company has a history of being shady with client money, piss poor accounting procedures, and promoting unqualified people. Mrs. Shit_Bat called out several members of management last year to the owner of the company for being a liability. We feel that this termination is retaliation for whistle blowing.

Do we have a shot at a wrongful termination suit?

Should we bother consulting with an employment lawyer?

I can imagine this might be the wrong question to ask, but I don’t know any other way to ask it... What kind of evidence would support our cause?

Thanks!

Answer: Was she on FMLA, company maternity leave or something? 6 months is more than FMLA covers


Title: My brother [18M] is being harassed by my sister's [28F] boyfriend [~36M]

Question:
Location is Michigan.

My brother happens to be half black. He is doing great in high school and wants to go to college immediately after. My sister and brother live with my mother, her boyfriend stays there too. He is constantly harassing my little brother and telling him to get a job. He uses the N-word around him daily and has called him a lazy N-word. Constantly telling him that all N-words are useless and they should all die. He has stated that he wishes he could kill them all. The cops only gave him a warning about the death threats/racism, and when he does rage and break things in the house, he doesn't break anything valuable enough to make the police care.

&#x200B;

I want to know steps I can take legally to stop the verbal abuse, harassment, and death threats.

&#x200B;

To clarify, yes my sister condones this because she is very easily manipulated and controlled. She has very low self-esteem and lacks the confidence to step up in a situation like this. She supports the boyfriend financially (he has no job himself (can't keep one due to poor skills and being an alcoholic, which is where part of the hypocrisy comes from that makes it so annoying to listen to). My mom also lacks the courage to take the steps to stop this. I will take it to the landlord soon to get them removed from the home, but, in the meantime, I need help stopping the harassment itself.

Answer:
 [https://statelaws.findlaw.com/michigan-law/michigan-temporary-restraining-order-laws.html](https://statelaws.findlaw.com/michigan-law/michigan-temporary-restraining-order-laws.html)

&#x200B;

Look into filing a domestic violence PPO.

 Also, your brother is an adult and nobody can stop him from taking his things and moving out. Perhaps he has a good friend with understanding parents who would take him in until he goes off to college next year.


Title: Boss told me not to file Worker's Comp

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Once your insurance gets the claim, the diagnosis will trigger a questionnaire to you, asking whether there is another party liable for the charges. You MUST respond to them, or they will not pay. Your response that it was work related will cause them to pursue his w/c insurance for payment. Unless you lie to your insurance, it's not a legal issue. So far, it's incomplete insurance info, a fairly common problem.

Your boss will have to deal with the impact of his w/c insurance being billed, which will raise his premiums, maybe. Unless he's without coverage, and that's a different story but still not your problem.


Title: 3 day notice HELP!!

Question:
soo heres the story...

me and my mom have been not getting along so she planned to move on 05/30/2015. We have lived here for 10 years(me, on and off) She notified the office with the proper time and papers ,everything was fine. I couldn't(and still cant) find a place because I just got my job . So I told her that if the move out date came and I didn't have a apt that I would be staying there.

So she decided to call the office and tell them that after the move out date I wasn't going to move out.That was a week ago. On Wednesday i get a 3 day notice on the door. It says they had no idea that me and my two small children lived their since we were not on the lease. That i had to move out in 3 days(today) or be evicted.

1. is this legal for them to lie on the 3 day notice and say they didn't know i lived here when i see them everyday(laundry, playing with the kids outside,they see my car)

2.What can i do/ what should i do.

3. cant I sue them for lying in the 3 day noticing by saying they didn't know I lived here, when clearly they did(for 10 years), also for undue hardship. if I move it will be to a motel and that would drain all my savings for my apartment

Thanx for the replies on response, no stupid shit please!

update: location is southern california
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Seeing them and being on a lease or a tenant agreement with them are two different things.

Your mother is in violation of her lease and they are giving her three days to remedy that. Perfectly legal. You need to move asap.

And it was stupid of you to threaten to squat on their property after your mom already gave noticeAnswer #2: > What can i do/ what should i do.

Move out in three days OR call them and negotiate more time.

Alternatively, you may have rights to stay a few days longer, perhaps as much as 30 days.  That's state specific.  But you have no rights to stay indefinitely, so start looking for a place to move to.


Title: is there a way to report a fake therapist?

Question:
Hello all, sorry if i posted in the wrong subreddit. I tried to post in legaladvice but they keep removing my post. so I dont know where else I could turn too. thank you

I was wondering if there was a way to report a person who claims to be a therapist with no license and is providing their "service" to my "family". ( the reason why I put family in quotation is because I am no longer in contact with them. Just a fyi)

this is a person who was my brother's church mentor from the past and apparently was apparently consulting my uncle's family (mom side) and now my dad. For background info, my uncle's family and my family are extremely dysfunctional because pretty much everybody has some kind of severe personality disorder. They were also exposed to alot of traumatic experiences as children (south korea in the 1960-1990's) so they are very narcissistic as adults in the way they obsess over control, manipulation, etc.

anyways, last year I told my dad I think we should seek out a therapist to at-least understand why we were dysfunctional like this. (this was before I woke up to the fact that every family member I knew were narcissistic.)

My father agreed and called this fake therapist. Somehow my father kept wording his messages in a way that made the fake therapist start focusing on me. The fake therapist would then say "you are very low in self-esteem, why do you think that? maybe you should work on that before thinking of being pissed at your family." "you need to be by your father's side especially when he is freaking out like this." "why are you moving away from your family? you have no real reason too."

After like 3 session with this dude ( he is also collecting money from my father each time), I realized this guy is a scam artist. I googled his name and nothing came up. The ONLY thing that came up was that he was a realtor.

crazy. I was getting "mental health coaching" from a realtor. So I decided to look up a local psychologist with a license and that nobody knew. my dad even agreed to partake in sessions. After 2 sessions, my dad quit. Afterwards, my therapist hinted that he is a narcissistic. She did this in a very discreet way, if I had not been paying attention at that moment, I would have simply missed the message.

anyways, I kinda got off track here because I am still not fully over what I've been through and its almost been half a year now but my question is if there is anywhere I can report this fake therapist?

Answer:
 How do you know this person is a "fake therapist"? It seems your only "evidence" is...

>if he was a real therapist, he would have known that

...which is not actually evidence, especially since ***you*** are not a therapist. Believe it or not, not all therapists find work as therapists or some have 2nd jobs as real estate agents (for example).

That being said, if that person is claiming to be a licensed X, you call your state's board responsible for licensing X and let them know.


Title: (SC) Landlord refusing to allow me to transfer my lease over to someone else

Question:
I'm currently staying at an apartment complex in which I can't afford anymore due to financial problems. I've been late on rent for the last three months due to my financial situation and I just can't afford it anymore. I spoke to my landlord today and she mentioned that the only way that I can break my lease is if I tell them 30 days in advance and I pay two months of rent. I don't have money for that. I've been having issues with this apartment complex since I moved there in July and the staff is making it difficult for me to live there (mold, roaches, etc). It's gotten to the point to where I wanted to seek legal action because of possible retaliatory actions.

So I post my apartment on Craigslist and people are interested in taking over my lease. My landlord told me that I can't transfer my lease over.

Is there anyway I can get out of my lease by transferring it over to someone else?

Answer:
 > Is there anyway I can get out of my lease by transferring it over to someone else?

Only if your lease allows it.


Title: Landlord trying to evict me? (va)

Question:
I was planning out on moving out anyway just hadn't let him know. I don't have anything other than an oral agreement to be living here. He just gave me a 30 day notice and told me to sign it and give it back to him, but the notice has some things wrong with it. There's nowhere for me to sign, first of all. Secondly, there's no reason why he's evicting me. I feel like there should be, at least. Thirdly, I've gotten no warning prior to this, written or oral. Fourth and lastly there's a section on the paper he gave me that something should be checked.. he just filled in what was on the line but then didn't check anything.
What should I do?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 30 day notice isn't an eviction.  It's just him telling you he doesn't want to continue your month to month lease after the end of the month.

They don't need to give you a reason or more warning.


Title: [PA] Is it legal for me to teach my 15 year old son to drive in a parking lot?

Question:
I have a son who is 15 years old that I want to start getting good at basic driving skills and using a manual transmission BEFORE he is eligible to get a learners permit at 16.

If I take him to an empty, privately owned lot with permission from the owner, could I start teaching him to drive there and letting him operate the vehicle?

Answer:
 In most states, it's not illegal for an unlicensed driver to operate a vehicle on private property.

However(and this is a big "however") there's a difference between "private property" and "privately owned property".  In most areas, if a place is publically accessible - like, say, a parking lot - it is "privately owned property", and most driving regulations apply there.

My quick read of PA statutes shows that they generally follow the above parameters.  If you tried to teach your son in, say, a WalMart parking lot, you'd be in violation.  If you tried to teach him on, say, a closed-off and restricted lot that was not accessible to the public, you'd likely be fine.


Title: Child support notices for past tenant, same last name.

Question: Along with my roommate, I have been renting a house since late 2014. Notices from New York State Child Support Enforcement have arrived repeatedly, for a past tenant who has the same last name as me. Should I be worried about being mistaken for an alias or a relative of this man? Any risk of my wages being garnished, or my car seized, etc, based on such a mistaken identity? Thank you...

Answer: This shouldn't be a problem, but it's best to call them and inform them that they aren't reaching the desired party: https://www.childsupport.ny.gov/DCSE/LocalOffices_input.action


Title: I fucked up. DUI California

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Um, it's not morning in California, it's 2am.

But yes, get a lawyer.  Yes, go to AA or equivalent.

You're looking at at an automatic 30 day license suspension, and least a four month license suspension, but you may be able to get a 1 month license suspension followed by a 5 month work-restriction (your license only permits you to drive to & from work.)

This is not about the state getting their money.Answer #2: Because you were over .15, you also face up to 10 months in jail.Answer #3: If you feel “fine” at a .22 you may have a drinking problem. Typically you don’t see those high of numbers on semi-functional people unless they are an alcoholic or frequent binge drinker.

For reference: most people lost consciousness around a .24. Anything above a .20 is where you start to see blackouts/vomiting in the average person. I’ve seen a person die at .26. If you are drinking to these levels and still feel okay the next day, you are either very young or very lucky but either way, it’s not safe.

You may need to cut back on your drinking, friend.


Title: Mental illness and divorce

Question: I live in Michigan and have been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. I was the plaintiff in a divorce and don't remember it at all. My doctor is saying I can get the divorce rescinded because I wasn't mentally sound and one of my other personalities did it and not me. I saw a lawyer who admitted this wasn't his strong suit but said that it wasn't worth my money. My religious beliefs don't allow for divorce. Do I have a case at all? I'm willing to pay whatever money I need to in order to not be divorced because I believe I'll go to hell for it. Please help me

Answer:
 >My doctor is saying I can get the divorce rescinded because I wasn't mentally sound and one of my other personalities did it and not me.

Your doctor definitely did NOT tell you that because the legal recourse you are describing does not exist. A finalized divorce decree cannot be rescinded.Answer #2: You have a lot of talking to do with your therapist if you think you can just undo a divorce and make everything go back to normal.  You won't go to hell, I promise.

EDIT: On top of that, your ex was abusive to you.  You need therapy, not to go back to him and pretend everything is great.


Title: My school is implementing a system where I must either swipe my ID card, fill out my ID number, or touch my phone to scanner, and this logs me as going into school. Can I excersize my 5th amendment right to refuse this system?

Question:
To "improve" the system of marking people absent, my school is implementing a system next Monday that makes you put in your ID when you walk into school. This marks you either absent or in school. Can I refuse to put anything in the system by invoking my 5th amendment right?

The way I see it, I'm not obligated to provide information to the higher authority of the school.
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 None of this has anything to do with the fifth amendment at all.Answer #2: Of course you can refuse to put in your ID card. You'll also not be allowed in to the school.

&#x200B;

> I'm not obligated to provide information to the higher authority of the school.

&#x200B;

Correct. They are also not obligated to allow an unidentified person in to the school.Answer #3: Please explain how this is remotely a violation of your fifth amendment rights. I'm just curious.Answer #4: You aren't being searched or seized. You're being asked to check in to your school for attendance and your safety.


Title: [Canada/Ontario] Might have a run away minor (17m) stay with me abroad. Is there anything I need to know to cover myself legally?

Question:
So to start off I am currently working as an english teacher in Korea. And yesterday morning I received a call from a lady who claimed to be the friend of my parents. Over the phone she told me her son had left home yesterday and bought a one way ticket to Seoul from Ontario. She was frantic and wanted me to help her.

So I spent many hours calling the Canadian embassy in seoul, korean airlines, and the police station trying to get in touch with this boy. Today after talking to my parents, I realized they weren't close friends, merely acquaintances if that. And my parents told me to be careful what you say to the lady and her son and to protect myself.

Now being the helpful guy I am, I gave the Canadian embassy my information and korean phone number. They called me this morning telling me the boy has been picked up by the police, and told me to contact the police station. So I called them, and it appears the embassy told him the directions to get to my town in Korea. In a way I have become a non legal guardian of this Canadian minor. After talking with this boy (17) I realized he is not normal and harbors some dangerous ideas regarding Korea. He told me he came here on a political mission to unite and liberate Korea.

He will be coming over to my house today, I had agreed to let him stay for 5 nights for 30 dollars a night. And additionally I agreed to lend him 500 dollars on the condition that his mom pays my mother in Canada the 500 + 150 for the accommodations. I will not be releasing any funds until I hear from my mother that she has received the money.

To be honest it feels like I fucked up by helping, and the Canadian embassy is now dumping their responsibility on me. I made it clear he was not to stay here long term, and she was going to have to find a different way to get money to her son.

Just wondering if doing this could leave me open to anything legally. Considering this is a minor, and I have no idea if he is in a sane state of mind, I just want to sure that his mother cant do anything to fuck me over in Canada.

edit: just a delusional kid. Don't think he is dangerous at the moment. He told me about a long term plan of inciting a revolution in korea (lol). He will probably be back in Canada before his 6 months is up.

Answer:
 I think you have a moral obligation to take him back to the embassy and tell them you believe he may cause people harm and appears to be unstable.

Put him back where you found him. ~ Strand FTWD


Title: New Jersey Lottery Winnings Intercept question

Question:
today I won $5,000 on a scratch off lottery ticket but, before I claim my earnings I would like to find an answer to one question.
I know that the government can withold and intercept lottery winnings if the winner owes on back taxes or child support when they run a check on your background using your SSN, but can they intercept winnings if you have personal debts from collection agencies or credit card debts? Not that I'm not planning on paying any of my debts off but I wouldn't want to claim my winnings just to walk out with zero dollars.

Answer:
 No.  The state has no way of knowing if you have an outstanding civil judgment or garnishment order against you. Even if it did, it is the plaintiff's job to enforce it.  The state cannot do it for the plaintiff.

Now, if you happen to deposit those winnings in an account that can be found by someone holding a judgment or garnishment order against you, that person would be entitled to execute it against that account and take the money.


Title: I lost everything in accident and have been offered $300 from insurance company.

Question:
Hello community,

I was involved in a horrible car accident earlier this year. My vehicle was totaled, I lost my job and haven't been able to keep up will bills, rent payments etc. I have been borrowing money from family just to make ends meet and riding uber virtually everywhere. I still do not have a vehicle and the lat few months have been the worst of my life after dealing with the depression of losing what I thought was everything and having to rely on others like never before.

After a very stressful six months of dealing with the insurance company I was given a final settlement offer of less than $400. I was told I would be reimbursed for my loss of wages and transportation costs as well but there has been no mention of this from the insurance company. I borrowed a total of $3,000 from pre settlement funding company to help pay for bills/groceries and offset train/bus costs but besides that nothing. I am located in Georgia.

Would you all settle for this amount or hire an attorney and keep fighting? I feel like this amount is a slap in the face for the pain and stress I have experienced and I just feel like giving up.

Is there anyone that has experienced a situation similar to this that can give any advice as to what I can do next? Thank you in advance.

Answer: Get an accident lawyer asap.  Do not sign anything. Depending on your coverage, you are due much more but do not expect it to settle anytime soon. Expect like 3 years, mine took 4 years after accident to settle, but I got all medical covered by the car insurance before then.  If you are that bad off you might even qualify for disability for a little bit.  Please please speak to a lawyer asap and get the ball rolling on this.


Title: [IL] Caught shoplifting at Walmart. "Restitution pay"

Question: Hello. Earlier today, I was caught shoplifting a package of 2 pens worth $4.99 at Walmart. Stupid, I know. The security guard was a nice guy who was really appreciative that I complied with his request to go to the 'security room' with him and answer all of his questions. They did not call the police, but took down my information and told me I would get a letter in the mail in around 14 days to pay a fine. "Restitution payment" I believe it is called. My question is, what would happen if I don't pay this fine? Upon Googling this question I stumbled upon a lot of peoples' responses saying not to pay it, that it would be worth it financially for Walmart to actually pursue a case or whatever if the payment is not received. Advice?

Answer: They can sue you for more then they request. They can contact the police and pursue criminal action. So it is your gamble. Answer #2: You got caught. Pay up and put this behind you. Otherwise it will hang over your head for years.


Title: [CA] Security camera in my bedroom

Question: I live in a house with roommates and want to install security camera in my room. This would provide extra security since bedrooms have no locks. However, my main reason for contemplating this, is that my girlfriend sometimes gets physically abusive and I am really concerned about being falsely accused of domestic violence. I figure if there is a video I would have a solid defense to a he-said she-said situation. She does not live in the house but she visits often and we have sex in my room. Would this be legal?

Answer: Not legal advice but stop dating someone that is physically abusive, you deserve better than that.


Title: [CA] If you have someone arrested for assaulting you, can you choose to drop the charges later?

Question: [Los Angeles County] a significant other was struck in the face multiple times by her mother. The police showed up, and the mom was taken to jail. Can my SO choose to drop the charges before the whole court fiasco and testifying?

Answer: No. Your SO can *ask* for charges to be dropped, but it's not her choice.


Title: Dropped from health insurance before I filed for divorce

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > Can he drop me while we are still married?

Yes.

In the absence of a judicial order prohibiting it, it's his policy and his prerogative who is/isn't covered.

However, it'll probably bite him later, as you were married at the time the bill was incurred.


Title: [NY]Do not want to collect child support

Question: Hello, throwaway for obvious reasons and New York for location bot. I the custodial parent have been served with a notice to appear before the family court in NYC for child support enforcement as we are on TANF/SNAP. I don't want need child support from my partner who is living abroad 8000 miles away from the US, he also does not work and lives in his parents house as he has a heart condition and is expected to live a very short life. Therefore how do I go about convincing the Support magistrate or the HRA to not pursue this case as said person is not returning to the US anytime soon and will die in his country.

Answer:
 It's not your choice--the child's parent is on the hook before the taxpayers are, and it's not fair to ask them to subsidize your preference. That being said, I don't know what collection capability they have across international lines, and it will probably depend on the country in question.Answer #2: > we are on TANF/SNAP. I don't want need child support from my partner

These two statements are mutually exclusive.

If you are on public assistance, you DO need help supporting your child.  That help comes from the other parent before it comes from the rest of society.


Title: Had a good sum of money in the bank yesterday, then I checked online and had $0.00 listed as my account balance. It's after midnight here so my bank is closed, are there any steps I could take immediately against potential fraud?

Question:
Edit: This is in the US

Update: Just checked my bank account and everything is back to normal. Thank you guys so much for saving me a night of worry, I know now not to check my bank account late at night.

Answer:
 Assume they're doing late night maintenance. If you still have a 0 balance the morning, call them.

This isn't uncommon with banking sites. Blame COBOL. Answer #2: Don't panic.  It's possible that your bank is doing system maintenance which is screwing up their online banking.

I use PNC Bank: sometimes when they're updating their website, my account shows a $0 balance.

Check back in a few hours.  If your balance is not correct in the morning, call the bank or visit a branch immediately.


Title: Me (22female), my sister (16) and my dad are getting evicted. We got served unlawful detainer papers. My dad wont tell me whats going on. What do I do plz help!

Question: Im feeling very helpless right now. Do we all get unlawful detainer in our records? What do I do at this point. Please help we dont have enough money for a lawyer.

Answer:
 We need more information.

What type of lease do you have? Who signed the lease?

What is the reason for eviction? Lack of rent payment?

Where do you live?


Title: Unwanted wedding guest

Question:
Hello!

My biological father and I have not spoken in over 4 years.  I do not want a relationship with him and have not initiated contact with him in this time.

He has heard through family channels that I'm getting married this October, and has informed multiple people that he plans to stand in the back of the church and attend despite not being invited.

I've already checked with local law enforcement who let me know that since we're renting the venue that if he shows up we only need to ask him to leave once. If he refuses, he can be arrested for trespassing.

Today his wife contacted my mother asking for additional information.  My mom has not responded.

What I'm looking for is suggestions on what actions I can take to ensure it is 100% clear that he is unwelcome at this wedding.

Can I have a lawyer draft a scary looking letter? If so, what should I ask for and what should be in it?

I appreciate any and all advice you can give.

Thanks!

Edit: wedding held in Missouri

Answer: Hire security. Give them a picture and have them sit outside the church.


Title: Can you sue someone for harassing you with lawsuit?

Question:
Getting sued costs $$$ in legal fees. Have a situation where a persistent person is continuously pursuing legal action against a relative of mine. This person will consult with a lawyer, get action started, just enough to cost money on the other side, and then move on to another lawyer.

At some point is there redress or a way to stop a pattern where someone raises claim after claim?

EDIT: Litigant is in CA. My long suffering relative is in CO.

Answer:
 Are they still pursuing the same suit, or is it multiple suits?

Do the suits have merit?


Title: Los Angeles, CA - Legal for city to repave road at 4AM?

Question: It's 4am and the city decided to repave the road that my house is on at this time. It is absolutely ridiculous; my ENTIRE house has been rumbling intermittently for over 2 hours. Can I do something about this? This can't be legal.

Answer: A lot of major metropolitan areas will do roadwork at night to avoid snarling up traffic. It's safer for everyone involved to not shut down streets and do the work when there are less people on the road. I doubt that there is anything you can do.


Title: My friend and I are starting a financial company in Maryland. What regulations and licenses do we need to comply with?

Question: My friend and I are creating a company that would deal in the trading of digital assets on the Ethereum blockchain (similar to Bitcoin). We are looking into how to create an LLC and don't know what we should do in terms of legal stuff. Thank you for any help!

Answer:
 Politely, if you need to ask on a Reddit subforum what financial regulations you're going to be dealing with and what compliances are required you perhaps shouldn't be involved in handling the finances of others. It really isn't an industry for amateurs.

That said, follow the advice previously given and prepare yourself to pay tens of thousands to a competent lawyer who can hold your hand through the maze of red tape you're walking in to


Title: (New Jersey) Being threatened to be sued for a debt I do not believe I owe.

Question:
I just received a letter in the mail saying I have 30 days to respond to a 14K tuition from a college I dropped out of several years ago. I paid for my tuition almost entirely out of pocket, and remember needing to pay almost all of it up front.  My history with the school is a little bleak. I came from an abusive home and was determined to get away from it, so I enrolled in college. It was expensive, and due to my father not paying his taxes I was ineligible for most aid. The stress of school, my home life, and trying to pay for school was overwhelming and I entered a fairly bad state in my life. I tried to kill myself several times, and at the end of it didn't leave my house for several months. I never really officially dropped out, I just stopped signing up for classes, which my friend says may be the cause of this debt.

Things got better, and I slowly lifted myself and my life back to a stable track. I taught myself java, and now have a job as a developer, and am successfully removed from my family.  I guess the reason I'm telling you this is that I don't have any documentation of when I went to school, or what I paid. I don't really know where this debt came from, they may have sent me letters to my family's address which I never went back to. This letter was sent to an address I lived at 2 years ago, and my friend (who still lives at that address) forwarded it to me. And there was no other letters to that address prior to this one. Because it was sent first to NJ, and then sent to me in CA from him, I believe I now only have two weeks to settle this. I want to settle this debt fairly, and pay it if it is truly something I owe, but I don't know where to start to avoid being sued and to verify the validity of the debt.

Any advice or information would be helpful... thank you.

Answer: NJ lawyer here. Demand written proof asap. Make them show their work before they file a lawsuit.


Title: [CA] i gave 405$ out of 820$ for januaries rent, but i will not have enough to pay, do i get my 400$ back?

Question: Like title says, im short money so i am getting evicted, do i get the half portion i gave to her for next months rent back or no.

Answer: No. It's just less she can sue you for.


Title: I got my fake ID taken and finally got the dreaded email

Question:
Hello everyone. Using a trash account for obvious reasons. So, way back last summer, my friends and I purchased fake IDs from China. Great idea. I was naive enough to use mine in Boulder. They were relatively good IDs, but as we all know, Boulder is *tough* when it comes to fakes. So I believe it was in November that I got my fake taken at the downer (Sundown Saloon). I had gotten in many times before, but it was really busy on this particular night and they ended up keeping my fake :/.

&#x200B;

So I'm skating by thinking everything is okay and thinking it may just go away. Until I got the email. From the Boulder Police.

It says  something like 'do not ignore this email' and 'the penalty ranges from felony to municipal violation' and that it was the cop's preference to 'issue a summons for the lesser violation'. What does this mean?

&#x200B;

Do I need a lawyer? What the heck am I supposed to do in this situation. I don't have very much money to begin with, and I work for the University so I do not make that much hourly. It takes me a long time to make a couple hundred dollars. They emailed me on my school account if that provides any more information.

Answer:
 This isn't a scam, it's a city police officer who wants you to incriminate yourself so that he can make a quick conviction out of you.

https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/7vteyt/received_email_from_police_about_fake_id/

Get a lawyer, and don't talk about what you did with anyone except the lawyer. Do not respond to the officer.


Title: Car wrongfully repo'd? [CA]

Question:
I just bought a car at the end of February. I made my first payment in the middle of April. I was on my computer and saw out of my window that a tow truck was right by my car. I ran outside and started asking what was even happening. The tow truck guy showed me the repo order, the car and everything was right, but the lienholder wasn't my lienholder, nor was the name for the person who supposedly was getting their car repo'd.

 I tried showing him my registration to show that the name and lienholder was wrong but he took the car anyway. He couldn't tell me where I was taking it, and I'd have to call the lienholder, who isn't even my lienholder. He basically said not my problem, and took off.

I've tried calling the lienholder he stated, and they didn't answer. I'm really lost on what to do because how is it even possible for a car that was bought two months ago to be repo'd, and it not even be my name or lienholder. I don't really know what to do.

Answer:
 > how is it even possible for a car that was bought two months ago to be repo'd, and it not even be my name or lienholder.

At some point, ownership wasn't properly transferred to you and/or the prior lien wasn't properly cleared.  This may be a clerical error, or it might be a sign of fraud on someone's part.

Did you buy this through a dealer or a private party?


Title: [CA] Roommate got a dog certified as an ESA to avoid lease, I'm allergic. What can I do?

Question:
A few months back my roommate brought home a dog that she just *had* to have. I am allergic to dogs so I got sick pretty much immediately. Our lease says no pets and I asked her to take the dog elsewhere or move, she refused both. It escalated until I had to notify the landlord who issued her a 3 day notice to get rid of the dog or we'd be evicted.

She complied but she plans to get the dog certified as an emotional support animal and thus circumventing the "no pets" rule.

I don't know what to do at this point. I'm not in a position financially to move, I had some health problems I had to pay for and it cleaned me out. If she brings the dog back I'll likely get sick again but if the dog is certified as an emotional support animal I have no grounds for keeping it out.

What are my options?

Answer: Does she have a mental illness and a doctor who is willing to prescribe an ESA? If not she should not be able to claim that the dog is an ESA.


Title: Someone is targeting and damaging my car (good neighborhood in Houston) and I'm beginning to worry about my safety. If this continues, is there any way I can break my lease?

Question:
Obligatory not sure if this is the right subreddit.

I came outside Thursday morning to find one of my car's windows broken. Nothing was taken, despite there being plenty of valuables stored in the glove box and center console, and they broke a small, rear fixed window that provides no access to the front door/locks. The police officer who made the report joked that I must have just pissed someone off and said there wasn't much they can do. I took the car to get it crash-wrapped (basically saran wrap over the hole) yesterday and then parked off the street in the driveway.

When I went outside this morning my car had been keyed from the front right headlight across the driver's side door. At this point, I'm already on the hook for about $600 worth of repairs, but I'm concerned about my safety going forward.

I genuinely can't think of anyone who would be messing with me, and it seems awfully odd that my car was randomly selected two nights in a row. I'm beginning to have concern for my safety moving forward — I'm a fairly small girl in my early twenties — and I'm worried 1, I might accidentally encounter whoever is doing this since I come and go a lot at night and 2, if someone is actually targeting me specifically, I'm unnerved that they know where I live (my parking spot lists my apt. #). My lease doesn't have a crime provision and the safety obligations of the landlord seem limited to the actual dwelling (windows, doors, locks, etc.).

The police have pretty much just told me to get a new car or move, and I'm a student so option A just isn't realistic. I just moved into this area a month ago and haven't had any problems before now.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 No you cannot break your lease, but you should take proper steps to defend yourself.

Call the police and file a report every time something like this happens.

Keep the area around your car as well lit as possible.

Consider self defense tools such a pepper spray or if you are old enough and comfortable with it, a gun and a concealed carry class.


Question:
My friend hasn't paid a car payment in over a year and a half and is hiding his car from repo people. How illegal is this? What are the consequences?

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He thinks he can trick the bank and repo men, and is hiding his car 3 hours away from the registered address. He isn't even driving it. I am in fear he could be charged with grand theft auto if they find him out. How bad is this?

Answer:
 He's probably not going to be charged with anything, but the company will probably initiate a replevin (repo) action against him which gives them full title to the vehicle. Banks usually sell their notes to companies with particular expertise in this, so once an order is filed, he shouldn't have much hope of keeping his car.Answer #2: Repo guys are very sophisticated these days. They have networks of license plate readers that feed into a national database.

If he drives his car at all, he's at risk of getting spotted and getting the car taken.


Title: Motel i live in and work for was shut down for 5 months and had me be in office, without pay.

Question: I live and work in a motel in Florida because money is tight and university eats it up fast. Motel this year was shutdown due to violations for about five months and continued to let me live here without paying them, well because it was illegal for them to take any money for services while being out of business. for five months i stayed here and made sure there were no squatters trying to break into rooms, it was a big problem we had. Motel has opened since then and the owners are very greedy people who do not care for anyone but themselves. my room has been without electricity for a week at one point, still had to pay for it. at the moment, my new room is without electricity and I still have to pay for it. very hard to shower in the dark btw and it sucks to be without heater or ac. My manager is very nice and weve talked about this for a while, how we can call wage and labor and make the owners pay us for those five months of work. We didnt care at first cus we were all "yay free rent" but as soon as it opened, since we had no source of income we were already one month behind on rent. theres so many violations here, almost 10 rooms are without electricity and were still told to rent them out, fire safety is actually beyond messed up, guy came and put duct tape on the control panel just to pass inspection for reopening. im looking for any opening to sue or collect lost wages simply because im so tired of the owners not caring for not only the guests, but the employees who are also guests. we often work without pay. any advice is greatly appreciated.

Answer:
 You made an arrangement for five months: free lodging in exchange for providing security to the motel. Both parties agreed to the deal, and services were exchanged. Why do you think you deserve additional compensation now? The fair market value of your lodging was almost certainly above minimum wage.

Yes, I understand that there were illegal elements to the original arrangement, but if you threaten them about this to receive additional pay you've just graduated to blackmail... don't do that. If you'd like to report code violations and safety hazards please do so, and if your safety is in jeopardy please vacate the premises. However, it just sounds like you're broke and trying to find a way out, so keep in mind that you've also engaged in illegal activity. For example, it's very likely that you're not reporting or paying taxes on your compensation (lodging) either.

Good luck to you, just be smart.


Title: [OH] My roommates and I need to move into our new house at midnight but the rental company refuses to give us keys until their office opens.

Question:
So we need to be out of our current house on August 1st by 8 am. The term of the new lease starts 8/1/19 with no time specified. Our plan was to suffer through and move in at midnight as we are in college and have to be at class/work in the morning. However, the rental company's office doesn't open until 9 am which is the earliest they said we will be able to pick up the keys. I've asked to get the keys on the 31st and they refuse to release them until they open on the first.

Since the lease term starts on 8/1/19 with no specified time, shouldn't we be able to access the house at midnight? Are they violating the terms of the lease by not letting us access the house until 9 am? If we were to access the property by means without keys, after midnight, would that cause any issues since it's technically ours then? (For example, if a window was "accidentally" left unlocked). If we do not get the keys until 9 am on the 1st, we will need to rent a moving truck to put our stuff in. Can we deduct the rental charges from our rent given the conditions?

Thank you and I'll be happy to provide any further information needed.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 They aren’t doing anything illegal. Your lease begins on the 1st, not the 31st. They don’t have to give you a key the day before your lease starts, but they also aren’t required to give you a key at midnight.

If you break in before you have legal access to this place (you don’t have a key) that is criminal.

Literally just rent a moving truck that fits everything inside, and then leave it parked until you get the keys. Then move the stuff inside.Answer #2: It is entirely reasonable for the company to insist that you wait until their office opens. On top of that, you would be violating every noise regulation in the book by moving in at midnight. You need to move in at a reasonable time to avoid disturbing your neighbors. You really don't want to start out in a new place by upsetting everyone who already lives there. Not to mention, someone is likely to call the police on you.

Rent a Uhaul. Go stay in a hotel or at a friend's house for the night. Park the Uhaul where you are staying and keep a close eye on it. Go get the keys at 9 am and move in.


Title: Offered job - found out I’m 8 weeks pregnant [IL]

Question:
I had two interviews with a dream job. I was anxiously awaiting a response when I took a pregnancy test. Much to my surprise, I’m expecting my 3rd child. The next week, they offered me the job. I accepted, but let them know about the pregnancy in advance. My family advised me not to, but it’s a non profit so I expected more understanding and I had prided myself on my honesty in the interviews so I felt like it would not be good to delay telling them. They said it shouldn’t be a problem and scheduled me for Wednesday to come in to fill out new hire paperwork, learn details about benefits, and discuss my start date.

From what I understand, they technically can’t discriminate against me for being pregnant and withdraw the offer based on that, but they could decide that since I will require leave before I have been employed for one year, I technically do not qualify for FMLA and they could say my position couldn’t be held after my leave. I want to discuss this very clearly when I fill out my paperwork because I do not want to have the rug pulled out from under me when baby arrives. My husband will only be working a part time internship and we will need this income. Would it be unreasonable, rude, or unprofessional to request it in writing that I will be allowed to return after my maternity leave? Or ask to have it written into my employment contract? I just need some sort of solid reassurance. I’m usually a very trusting person and would just accept their word,  but this is truly my family’s survival. I will have three young children to support.

And my husband would of course look for full time work if we ultimately needed him to, but he is getting his masters and this internship basically guarantees him a great job after he graduates and I do not want him to get stuck in something that’s not as in line with his studies.

Answer:
 You can ask, but as you note they will have no legal obligation to hold your position when the child is born.  First, it needs to be pointed out that actual employment contracts are very very rare.
 The document you sign is unlikely to be a contract in the way that most people think of it, its more of a general idea of what you job and pay will be.  Without specific language binding the parties to a term of employment or limiting termination you would be an at will employee despite having signed a "contract."  So past that the odds of them writing it into an employment contract are minimal, because employers don't like to have limits on at will employment.  In any event it might now have a whole lot of effect anyway because at the end of the day unless you get a general, you cannot be fired absent cause (which would be very very rare) you will still be an at will employee who can be fired for any reason or no reason at all.

All of this is to say that this is less of a legal issue for you and more of a, how do you think they will respond and if the response is negative, while they might not be able to revoke the offer they could make your life uncomfortable.  Best of luck


Title: [Canada - Ontario] Can I get a traffic ticket for a crime an officer didn't witness, but someone reported?

Question:
Hi Reddit.

I was driving home from work and arrived at a railway crossing as the gates came down. In a moment of (admittedly) poor judgement I decided to dangle through the gates and be on my merry way. This was a back country road, it was not completely empty though and there were two cars on the other side.

An hour after my traffic violation an officer shows up at my door and asked to speak to (apparently) me. My dad answered and said 'there's a cop at the door that wants to speak with you'. I actually was not driving my own vehicle, but another family member's, so I was not sure if this was some other matter entirely or what to expect. I went to the door and spoke to the cop who asked if I had been driving. He said he was not here to give me a ticket, and to just be honest if I was the one in the car. He said he could run around getting statements from witnesses but really doesn't want to bother over something like this. I caved to the pressure of the situation and not wanting to potentially come across as a blatant liar not knowing if my dad had already told him it was me who was using that vehicle or not, so I said yes it was me driving - and I realize it was a stupid mistake. He gave me a half-sentence lecture to the effect of it being dangerous, etc. He then asked for my name, DOB, and phone number and wrote it on a post-it note, not his actual note pad - and left shortly after.

My question to you redditors,

Did I potentially just hang myself and could I expect a ticket in the mail despite him saying he wouldn't? I don't even know if that's possible here. I know they can lie, and generally I am pretty good at dealing with the police. I found it very strange that he took my information down if he wasn't going to do anything about it. Anyone familiar with ontario traffic law and how this might pan out? TIA

Answer:
 Assuming that it works the same as it does in the States:

Of course you can get a ticket under those circumstances.

Just like you can get arrested for murder or robbery if a police officer didn't witness it.


Title: Owe money on a ticket, but the courthouse has been closed since the 9th due to the Camp Fire. They won't allow me to do traffic school if I pay online. What now?

Question:
I got a speeding ticket last month and received a letter at the beginning of this month detailing how I can pay it. My options are to either pay online and forfeit traffic school, or call the courthouse and arrange traffic school, as well as pay my ticket and traffic school fees. The courthouse has been closed since the 9th due to the Camp Fire. My deadline is tomorrow at 8:30 am, but they are closed tomorrow too.

I want to take traffic school to avoid the point on my record (I have no others), but I can only do this by calling them and arranging it that way. It says if I pay online, I forfeit the ability to take traffic school due to them not being able to tack on the associated fee. But... if I don't pay online, then I miss my deadline and they tack on an extra $300 fine. What do I do? I've already emailed them, but I doubt I'll hear back until after my deadline.

Answer:
 IANAL. In your place I would pay the fine, and when the courthouse reopens, go in person, see the judge, explain the situation, and ask if they can allow you to go to traffic school.

If you don't pay up on time, that would probably keep you from being allowed to do traffic school anyway.

Have you actually gone online and tried to pay? In LA County at least, there is an option to pay the regular fine, or pay the fine and an extra fee for traffic school.

In any event, priority #1 is to be in compliance with the law, so pay your business on time. Answer #2: In another state I have successfully petitioned a judge for additional time to complete the course by sending a letter. It wouldn’t hurt to write and send a letter (so it’s postmarked) ASAP, even if it’s just to the court. Sounds like some exceptions will need to be made all around.


Title: Landlord locked our thermostat, is that allowed? [CO]

Question:
Hi all, I am located in Colorado. The building I live in is fairly old and heated via radiators. There is only one thermostat for all 7 units located in the hallway of the building so we don't pay for heat specifically. The majority of the time my apartment is a nice reasonable temp, but recently some tenants moved in that decided to turn the thermostat on waaaaay too high (like 78, wtf??). I had to turn it down, but they kept turning it up so I just started opening my windows. Just the other day they locked up the thermostat and turned the heat down. I would be okay with restricting the access to the box since the one resident was being very unreasonable about the heat, but when I looked at the thermostat it said 64. When I left this morning it was at 60. The hallway is warmer than the apartments, so the temperatures were lower in each unit. My unit gets a good amount of sunlight so its one of the warmest and it felt like the heat wasn't working at all after checking the radiators, I can't imagine how cold it is in the North-facing units (I lived in one at one point so I know it is much colder than my current unit normally). Are they allowed to lock the thermostat and set it that low? It's currently relatively warm (40s daytime, 20s night), but I worry about the animals living in the units once it gets lower and snowing next week.

Would it be unreasonable of me to pick the lock and set the temp to a normal 70? Can I demand that they set it higher or am I at their mercy? Thanks for your help

Answer:
 > Would it be unreasonable of me to pick the lock and set the temp to a normal 70?

Utterly unreasonable. Probably illegal. Most definitely evictable.

> Can I demand that they set it higher or am I at their mercy?

The only thing I can find Colorado is that if temp is less than 20 a home must be able to reach 68. So you may want to reach out and see if landlord will raise it the four degrees. That said, I wouldn't worry about the animals if its set at 64, thats plenty warm enough.


Title: Is it possible to write up a contract with a friend obligating him to get a facial tattoo a year from now?

Question: If I have a witness and he signs while completely sober and in good conscience and health is this possible. This is in the state of Washington by the way and I am completely serious.

Answer:
 No court is going to enforce specific performance of a contract like that.  Even if it's not outright void as against public policy, there is just no way a court would force someone to follow through on that obligation.  At most you'd get money in the amount of damages you incurred.

Also, just signing a piece of paper doesn't create a contract.  There has to be consideration.  That is, the person signing the contract has to get something of value in exchange for his or her promise to perform.  You can't just have a contract that says, "I promise to do X".

TL;DR:  No.


Title: TX - Can anything be done for wrongful termination in an at will state?

Question:
Hello everyone. I'm posting for my mother since she does not have a Reddit account and asked me to post for her.

My mother had worked with a company for 3 years. Last week, she was called in by her boss and was told that she was being let go from her manager position and the reason was that there was a complaint from another employee about her. She doesn't know who made the complaint.
She had never been written up or had any kind of warning for anything at all. It was just completely out of no where. The HR manager told her that she was shocked. She was also able to get a letter of recommendation from her manager. She's been told from others that an employee has been bragging about getting her fired. She admitted that she went and told some lies to the OWNER of the company, and that resulted in my mom being fired.

Is there anything she can do? Or since Texas is an at-will state is she out of luck? It seems unfair to be fired for a complaint that wasn't investigated or anything like that.

Answer:
 That isn't wrongful termination.

As you said, she works in at at will state. They can fire her for nearly any reason, or no reason at all.


Title: [NS] I just hit someone with my car by accident and not sure what to do

Question:
I live in Halifax Nova Scotia and I was about to get some sushi with my girlfriend. While waiting to pull out of the lane way there were cars to my left waiting for a crosswalk to finish and a pedestrian on the side walk waiting to cross. After the cars passed me I waited abit but the pedestrian to my left did not walk, so I figured she was letting me go.

As I go forward I hear my girlfriend shout my name and as I look forward I see a couple infront of my car. I hesitated and hit my breaks as quickly as I can but I knocked the girl over. The boyfriend furiously got to my window and shouted what's wrong with you and all I could say is "is she ok? I'm so sorry" over and over. After taking a few seconds I got out of my car and approached them saying I'm so sorry and was trying to think of a way to make it up but couldn't think at the time. I noticed her purse strap had broken during the fall.

After a few seconds of no one saying anything they said they had to catch their bus and I watched them walk away (still in minor shock). I walked back to my car and reversed next to a house and parked just to take things in. After determining I should have offered my contact info and to pay for the broken purse I went to find them but was unable to at the bus terminal (they may have gone a different direction or taken a cab).

My question is this, as shitty as I feel right now should I report this asap in the event they do as well? There was no exchange of information during any of this so I have no way to contact them myself.

EDIT: So I got ahold of my lawyer and he basically said "did he get your name? Number? Plate? Did you get his name or number? Address?" to which the answer was no. He told me then there is nothing to worry about, I got out of the car so it's not a hit and run and if it's reported then my girlfriend is a witness to help prove it was just a accident and they walked away fine and didn't chose to take any info. Apparently it doesn't fall onto the person at fault to offer info or report this unless he plans to sue or complain.

Answer:
 I would have reported it to the police, maybe still good to do but depends on local law. Not sure about the CA/NS law but many places in the US you have to report it or could be charged with leaving the scene.

For all we know they went to a store to call the police or could have just went home and pissed at you.


Title: Is it legal to give out someone's schedule to a non employee in Michigan?

Question:
Title.

I live in Michigan and where I work, I recently got in a bit of trouble for not giving a coworkers next shift to a (potential) customer over the phone. This is a basic retail sales environment, if that matters.

When I lived in North Carolina, I was told that it was illegal to give a schedule out like that, as there was no way of knowing if the person asking had ill intentions or not, I never thought to look it up, and just stuck with it.

Now, no matter what google searches I do, I only find results for allotted breaks, overtime, and the like.

Any help would be awesome, because this manager is kind of a dick, and if I can, I'd like to prove him wrong. I'm not above admitting I was in the wrong, though. And to be honest, I'm mostly just curious.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: It's not a crime to say "Susy has the day off she will be back Tuesday at noon" BUT some employeers may have had a policy not to give out information that will let random people know when someone is alone in the store or walking through the parking lot etc An employer may have also been concerned with lawsuits based on "How could you tell my stalker/buglers my schedule I was harmed/robbed because you did not take do care."


Title: Landlady want to charge a cleaning fee after I've moved out?

Question: [removed]

Answer: You moved out of your apartment but left dirty dishes in the dishwasher?  There are lots of posts here about landlords charging fees they shouldn't but in this case it sounds justified.  Mopping the floor and putting away the dishes is not an "impeccable" standard.


Title: Concealed carry in company owned vehicles.

Question:
I have a small service company with 6 trucks in WA state. After almost 16 years of being in business and several employees the idea of carrying a gun has never been brought up by an employee. I am not sure where Liability lands if an incident happened. Could my company be responsible during work hours or after work hours if they are in a company vehicle?  I don't want to violate anyone's rights or be held liable in a situation that I can't control.  I'm at a loss and don't know how to handle this idea.

I am a gun owner myself with a CCW permit. The only time I conceal carry is hiking or sometimes hunting. I am "scared" of big cats and don't like bears much either but I conceal because it can read wrong to other hikers on a trail.

Answer:
 If an employee blasts somebody while on duty, you will absolutely be sued.

If they are carrying guns on the clock you should have clear policy at how that can be done.

Things like how it is carried (holstered, in a bag, lockbox, ect)

Also define when they can use it. For example, if they get into an altercation they are not to use their firearms unless it is in selfdefense of themselves or another in a life or death situation. Stuff like that. If you leave it the wild west your going to be defending something stupid like a road rage incident.

You can get insurance for employees that carry firearms, but it's not cheap.

If you allow them to use a tool on the job, they better be qualified to use it or it's on your head for "failing to train" and "failing to supervise".


Title: Girlfriend is getting fired for insulting a customer outside of work on Facebook.

Question: My girlfriend is getting fired from a big corporation restaurant in California. This customer came in twice, my girlfriend was her waitress both times. My GF said she was a raging bitch both times. After the second time, my GF came home and found this customer on facebook and sent her a message calling her a stupid cunt. That was pretty much the entire message. Nothing was said about the restaurant at all. I know my GF is an idiot, but is there anything she can do?

Answer:
 She can file for unemployment. She may not get it, though. This sounds like a great reason to fire her.

She should think about some anger management courses.Answer #2: What the hell did she think was going to happen? Any employer would fire her for this, and rightfully so.Answer #3: She can look for another job, and maybe some therapy to improve her self-control.Answer #4: Your girlfriend needs to polish her resume asapAnswer #5: California is an at-will state. Your girlfriend can apply for unemployment


Title: [MI] Can't afford a lawyer, not being provided one

Question:
I've been charged with "use of marijuana" (statute 333.7404d) about 10 minutes out of Grand Rapids where it is decriminalized. When I called the court yesterday to find out my court date, I was informed that it will be next Tuesday, and due to the fact that incarceration is off the table, I won't be provided with an attorney. Since the arraignment is so soon there is no way I can scrape together money for a private lawyer. This is the first time I've ever been charged with anything at all, so I should qualify for statute 333.7411, which defers the consequences, placing me on probation instead, meaning I would not have to lose my license (which would be near impossible for me to work around right now.) My main concern is, seeing as I'll have to plead my own case to the judge, what do I say?

Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 Ask for an adjournment when you appear before your judge and say that you need the extra time to get a lawyer. Most judges will grant a pro se (person appearing without a lawyer) the first adjournment to allow them time to get a lawyer.

How are your finances? If you're not making a lot of money and your income levels are low, you may qualify for free legal services via a public defender, legal aid organization, or even a local law school's legal clinic. I would recommend googling your local public defender's office and then other free legal services offices in your area to see if you qualify or who they can put you in touch with.


Title: [CA] 17 year-old lied about his teacher and statutory rape

Question: My 17 year-old family member lied about being in a relationship with one of his teachers, a relationship of a sexual nature. He told this to the school principal, his parents and the cops. The teacher was pregnant and he claimed himself as the father. A few days ago he admitted he was lying after the paternity tests showed he was not the father. This is after he spent hours reporting details to the cops and they spent months investigating. He told his mom he did it to get back at her for giving him bad grades. There was never any sexual contact between them. She was suspended from her job and arrested over this. He had been going to therapy and his mom and dad filed a lawsuit against her and the school board. How probable is it he will now be arrested or sued over this? I should add he is not developmentally delayed and does not have a diminished capacity for knowing right from wrong.

Answer:
 Highly probably for both.

Personally I hope to God he is. Falsely accusing someone of rape ***for grades?!*** Answer #2: Can she claim his lies caused enough stress that the baby to come premature and sue him and his family for the cost of the NICU?


Title: [CA] Was "doored" by a passenger getting out of an Uber

Question:
A passenger exited a rideshare vehicle while the car was in line at a 4-way stop sign and I was riding past on my bike. With no time to react, I hit the door and flew over my handlebars. I hit my head hard on the pavement (my helmet saved my life). My legs bruised up and I'm pretty sure I cracked a rib.

I haven't been to the doctor because I don't think the doctor can do anything but tell me to take ibuprofen and rest, which is what I've done.

I also didn't call the police to the scene. Don't ask me why--maybe I was too dazed to think clearly. I made a police report a few days later.

I also reported it to Uber. I have the phone number of the passenger, but nothing from the driver except the make, model and color of his car. Uber has responded with "no worries! Our insurance adjuster will be in touch." I haven't heard anything from any insurance adjuster.

I'd like for someone to reimburse me for damage to my bike, and I'd like some money for my pain and suffering, of which I've had quite a lot over the past several days. What are my options?

Thanks for reading, and thanks for your help.

Answer:
 "Quite a lot" of pain and suffering requires medical intervention, painkillers, physical therapy, and is a lot more than bruises and scrapes.  If you weren't injured severely enough to go to the doctor even once, your pain and suffering will properly be deemed minimal, and you can expect a very low settlement offer.

You need to follow up if you haven't heard from an adjuster.


Title: One year's worth of vacation days gone after company forces department switch

Question:
My dad lost a year's worth of vacation days when the company he works for switched him from a California based department to a Texas based department. In California they allow you to accrue more than a year's worth of vacation but in Texas they do not.

The company has a weird set up; they are based in California and extended the vacation benefit to my dad even though he lives in Texas. This company was acquired by another one and the policy seemed to stay intact. Then my dad was transferred to a Texas department one day and all his accrued vacation time disappeared. He has inquired about what happened to both HR and his bosses but is being ignored. Can anything be done about this?

Answer: I'd argue that he accrued that in California and so California contract and labor law apply. He should seek advice from an attorney licensed in California.