Title: I need to report my endocrinologist to the state board of physicians but not sure where to start.

Question: My endocrinologist is extremely unprofessional and has landed me in a life or death situation as I can not access my medication that keeps me alive. After dealing with her for almost a year I am fed up. My self, my pharmacy, my medical supply distributors and other doctors have been unable to get ahold of her for months. I am in the process of seeing a new endocrinologist and there is a wait, and I have no other way to obtain my prescriptions because she refuses to return calls, answer her phone and does not understand how to use a fax machine. The last time I was able to speak to her she screamed at me and cussed me out over the phone and told me it wasn’t her job to cater to me and I need to stop harassing her. She then told me she’s never dealt with a type one diabetic who needed such complicated medical technology. It’s fairly common for type one diabetics to require an insulin pump so clearly her medical knowledge is extremely outdated. I was simply calling her (very often because it seemed she wasn’t doing her job as far as faxing my paper work over and I had to explain to her step by step what she needed to do, and who to call etc. because she wouldn’t do it her self on her own time.) then following that, her husband... her HUSBAND called me from his cell phone to cancel two appointments I made an hour before the actual appointment. Since then I have been unable to contact her and she lets all of her calls go to voice mail. I had my therapist call her and pretend to be a patient. She left a voice mail and lo and behold, she returned her call. When my therapist started asking her about me she raised her voice over her, and told her to mail her paper work if she is interested in being a patient and hung up. I wish I could find another doctor but there’s few in my area and even fewer that take my insurance. And the only one that is taking new patients can not see me for another 4 months. I am close to being out of the medicine I need to keep me alive and grasping at straws to try and find a way to get more. She has put me in this position.  I have never dealt with this situation before. I have the paper work to send off to the board of physicians but I’m not sure what I should write. Please help. This lady is going to kill someone if she remains in the medical field. She’s either senile, delusional or evil.

Answer: When you report a physician to a board of medicine or medical examiners, you simply tell your story. You aren’t expected to be able to describe the situation in medical terms or understand the applicable laws or ethical guidelines.  It’s their job to relate your story to those guidelines and inform their conclusion.


Title: Elderly lady threatens to sue my mom if she doesn't go over every time she calls her (California caretaker laws)

Question: My mom is paid by the state to take care care of an elderly lady in California and has been doing it for 3+ years. The lady is alloted a certain amount of time that my mom can be paid for but my mom has been consistently working more than those hours because the lady claims it is against the law for my mom to refuse to care for her if she needs it (i.e. she calls whenever shes hungry) even if she's not getting paid for it. My mom wants to work less but is afraid of getting into legal trouble. Thoughts?

Answer: Your mother should speak with her manager.Answer #2: Your mom shouldn't work for free. That's both illegal and unethical. If she feels she can't meet the needs of this lady with the set number of hours she should talk to her boss. She is not obligated to go over whenever she needs a snack. Answer #3: Your mother should contact the Social Services agency which is paying her ASAP on Monday. Here's their contact info: http://www.cdss.ca.gov/County-OfficesAnswer #4: Can't find it, but there is a very appropriate post about who  *not* to take legal advice from.  The other party is right at the top.


Title: No Compete in Vape Shops

Question:
This is a post I made to /r/electronic_cigarette and someone suggested I post it here as well.

I made [this](http://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_cigarette/comments/2ky56m/left_with_a_vape_shop_and_determined_to_succeed/) post to reddit about 5 months ago. During my time there I took the shop from seeing 600 to 1000 dollars a day to 3000 to 4000 dollars a day. I made juices so good I had to "tone it down" because we could not sell premium even though we carried lines like Steam Factory and Cuttwood. Then 2 weeks ago I walk in and get handed a paper and the first word that caught my eye was "termination". I already knew, did not have to keep reading. I was informed that I had forgotten to lock one of the doors before leaving and for that reason I had to be fired. Her daughter had already made her way back into the shop so what hurt me was the fact that I did not even want to be a manager when I started working there, I did it because the owner's daughter abandoned the store. The daughter was "the brains" before I got there and now she in that position again. All I wanted to do was help people quit smoking and make awesome juice. This was my first mistake there and now I am filing for unemployment and trying to find work. I would love to work at another local vape shop but I signed a no compete contract before I was hired that says I cannot work in vaping for 6 months within 30 miles of their store. I asked if this would be enforced if I tried and was told "yes". I started working there to help my friends, and I honestly do not think my one mistake warranted that type of action. Its been 2 weeks and it still hurts when I think about it. I have a strong following in my city and would love to keep that going but I don't know if I will be able to. I have never put more of myself into something than I did there. I was finally able to unleash my mind on what I love doing and try to make something of myself, shit fucking sucks.....

EDIT: Location is Killeen, Texas

Answer:
 You can take it to a local labor/employment lawyer and have them read what you signed.Answer #2: On it's face it sounds valid, 6 months/30 miles is narrow enough in scope.

If you go to a show 31+ miles away I assume you will retain a good portion of your customers, hobby ecig use is rather specialized and driving a half hour for a specialized hobby just isn't a big deal.


Title: My apartment elevator broke and landlord won't fix it

Question:
I moved into an apartment in November that's 8 stories and only 1 elevator.

Late December the elevator broke and the property has been taking their time to get it fixed.

This is taking its toll on my life.  My mother was supposed to spend two weeks here but now needs a hotel because she can't walk 8 flights of stairs.

I want to get my deposit back and leave this place but I have a lease and I don't see anything in it that mentions the elevator.

Is this enough to break my lease and get my deposit back?

Answer:
 50 states, 50 different sets of landlord tenant law.

There is a *reason* there are so many reminders to include your location when you post.


Title: Purchased vehicle and dealer wont give me my title but is offering to buy it back not including the extra money I spent on it.

Question:
I am in New York and I purchased a motorcycle from copart.com (which is a salvage vehicle auction website) lot in New York through a dealer that is in Florida. The transaction was pretty straight forward where I paid the money to the dealer and they paid copart so I was able to pick up the motorcycle the next day. As the vehicle was slightly damaged I replaced the needed parts, painted it and got it road worthy again. My dealer was supposed to send me the title within 30 days but three weeks in told me that they received the wrong title and it will have to be reissued by copart. Now 3 months have passed of me demanding answers and a representative from copart is telling me dirrectly they don't have the title and and will buy back the motorcycle for the price I originally paid.

What are my options?

Answer:
 My dad's motorcycle was stolen. Fast forward five years. A similar situation happened and the DMV was alerted that a seller had lost the title and needed a new one reissued, which is no big problem, it happens all the time. But the VIN number for the motorcycle matched my dad's, the police called him to go look at it,  it was indeed his missing bike, and he got it back. Somewhere along the line someone had installed a windshield, and the "new" owner was upset, but that's what happens when you unwittingly buy stolen property.

Try this. Take the VIN of the bike, send it to this copart place, see if they can now get you the title. It sounded like that's what they needed.

In the future, you're going to want to have a signed form indicating transfer of title. All DMV's have a version of this form, which both parties sign when the money is handed over and the vehicle is picked up. This helps prevent situations like this. Once you have the signed form, it then becomes your responsibility to take the form to the DMV and file it with them in a timely manner or title may revert back to the seller (who would also have to return your money). If the vehicle turns out to be stolen, you may be out the money you spent on parts. As someone else mentioned, if you don't have the title registered in your name, you don't actually own the bike yet and shouldn't make changes to it.Answer #2: Have they explained why they cannot get the title?

You can certainly negotiate -- would you be able to remove the new parts you've installed, and then sell back the bike in its original condition?


Title: [CA] Company refuses to delete data from background check (includes SSN, residence history, etc.) [x-post r/privacy]

Question:
Hi folks,

I'll leave names out so we can focus on the issue and not on the company. I'm being subcontracted for a gig and the background check has been outsourced. I'm OK with the background check, but what concerns me is not only the amount of information being collected, but also the duration it is kept by the outsourced party.

The non-exhaustive list of data this company collects includes:

* SSN
* Residence history
* Credit history
* Criminal history/police reports

After calling and clarifying with the company how the data is used, there are indeed third parties who have access to this data as well as the company performing the background check has refused to delete my data after the background check is completed, and they intend on archiving it indefinitely.

My main concern here is that these databases [are massive targets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Personnel_Management_data_breach) and I really dislike having this info concentrated in one place. What rights do I actually have here?

Note: I'm looking at alternatives since the company requesting background checks is allowing me to do so.

Thanks.

Answer:
 You have zero rights in that they can keep the information on file.

I am not sure what you are looking to do?  If the background check is being done by company A, they can keep that info as long as they like.


Title: [MA] Grandfather recently died, and in his will his house is 50% to my uncle and 50% to my mother. My mother is already decreased.

Question:
As a result, once the house has been sold her half of the proceeds are to be split between my brother and I.  My uncle says he consulted a real estate attorney and because the deed is in my mother's and his names, my mother's boyfriend will have to reopen her estate, a new EIN, a new checking account and attorney to handle her share of the proceeds.

Does this sound right? My mother has been dead for 4 years, and her estate was settled within a year.  Does her estate have to be reopened and new accounts opened to manage this?  I assumed that us being next of kin would just allow the proceeds to be inherited by us, but admittedly I am ignorant on the law here.

Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer: Who is the executor of the will?  Do you have your own probate lawyer?  The boyfriend should have nothing to do with this.


Title: Foul (urine) smells coming from neighbouring unit.

Question:
Location: Ontario (Mississauga), Canada

Condominium

Hello reddit, (first post ever)

Problem:

Foul smells (urine, cigarette smoke, etc) emanating from neighbour's unit into the hallway and into my unit since last year (\~NOV 2017 after outside panels of the building were "upgraded"). High possibility of hoarding taking place. Health concerns as we breathe this air all the time.

Today (July 1st), I found (and photographed) a very old/used a/c filter in the hallway right outside of their unit (which has been there all morning, note: we have 24 hr access to garbage disposal).

Additionally, this is of high importance to me because I have a small kid (<2 years old) and I can't have him exposed to this for obvious health concerns.

Actions already taken:

First contacted management in-person about 8 months ago. No actions by management, so I put had to do some put up some physical barriers, effectively, creating an air-tight seal from where the smells were coming through into the unit.

Smells continue in the hallway, so I have continuously through the course of the 8 months contacted management by-phone and in-person. Management asked of us (\~2 weeks ago) to write a letter to directed at themselves (management) and board of directors. Neighbour confronted us regarding a letter they received from management and indicated the source is a "cat litter box by their door" (very skeptical about this since I have never seen/heard a cat and we've lived here for 6 years).

Also, through 311, contacted "Health and safety" (unsure if this is the right name, spouse was the point of contact) and was told that this is a matter they cannot address since it is a condominium.

Other neighbours have complained as well with no real result.

I'm left with sending emails almost daily to management (to leave "a paper trail")  in hopes they will do something about it. (I would CC the board of directors but management have indicated that there is no email address for them).

What (if any) legal steps can I take so this awful smell will stop (at least being present in the hallway)?
Topic:
Canada

Answer:
 You could try calling animal services since they claim they have pets.  If animal services gets in the door and there is an obvious problem, pets or not, they might be able to help get the ball rolling.
Does the neighbor have kids?  If so, call child protection services. You might want to give them a call anyhow for the safety of your own child.  I’m not sure if they would or could do anything but it might be worth a shot.


Title: Child are provider attempted to convert child to Christianity against the parents wishes.

Question:
Not even sure if this is a legal matter, but I thought I'd ask for a friend. Location: Portland Oregon.

Recently the childcare provider for my friend's 5y/o daughter converted to Christianity. She started to take the child to Church with her. My friend politely asked her to not do so, since it didn't coincide with their family's beliefs.

Child came home with a story that the childcare provider would make the daughter "pray so that her parents would open their hearts to Jesus." After a concerned phone call with the childcare provider, said provider immediately refused to watch the child anymore without prior warning and has blocked and refused any communications with the family. Child care provider currently has in their possession numerous photos of the child that the family would like handed over.

I'd like to clarify that throughout this ordeal no harm/threats to the child were made in any way and there is no monetary dispute as far as I know.

Would like to know the best way for this family to proceed to recover photos and protect their family from future encounters with former childcare provider.

EDIT: Thanks for the replies. It seems like a silly question, but better to ask and know for sure than let things escalate. Appreciate the responses everyone.

Answer:
 >Child care provider currently has in their possession numerous photos of the child that the family would like handed over.

That's not happening, unless they are photos that were loaned to the provider or something.

Sounds like the provider wants nothing to do with them so I don't know why they think they need to be proactive about future contact.

Answer #2: Who took the photos?


Title: [PA] I signed a contract for a Study Abroad Program, I had to withdraw 3 days past the withdraw deadline and now have to pay a big fee.

Question:
Hi all,

I signed up for a study abroad program and the deadline to withdraw was March 9th 2016. I ended up not notifying the program that I had to withdraw on March 12th 2016. The reason I was late was because I was waiting to hear back from multiple internship interviews and I ended up receiving offers from two.

Well, it turns out that I am now facing either a $1000 withdrawal fee if the program does find someone to replace me  or a $6000 full tuition fee if they don't. I can't afford this fee, especially since I will be paying for all my transportation for my internship offer which is unpaid.

Can someone help me and tell me if this is all true? I didn't read the contract as thoroughly as I should have to begin with and this is a scary lesson for the rest of my life to read the terms very carefully. I copy and pasted the terms for Withdrawal below, can someone help me about this please? I really hope I do not have to pay such a large fee and maybe possibly even the full program fee.

CONTRACT

(5) Withdrawal

(1) Participant has the right to withdraw from this agreement until 9th of March 2016. If participant withdraws until 9th of March 2016 he/she will lose his/her place free of charge.

(2) If participant withdraws after 9th of March 2016 (program name) attempts the best to find an appropriate successor who is also accepted by a partner university (in textual form). A guarantee for the success of that service cannot be given. In case of success a reasonable fee is charged for participant who withdrew.

(3) (program name) reserves for itself to withdraw until 18th of March 2016 especially for the case that the minimum number of participants is not reached (e.g. if too many participants withdrew).

Answer:
 >  I'm really scared right now because I can't afford this fee, especially since I will be paying for all my transportation for my internship offer which is unpaid.

Then maybe an unpaid internship isn't the right thing for you right now. This is a choice you're making you have to live with the costs.


Title: [Vermont] My banks is telling me they underestimated what I owed on my mortgage last year so they are increasing what they are charging me this year

Question:
My interest rate has stayed they same but they are now charging me significantly more (monthly payments are up over 25%) for my escrow because they said they underestimated my escrow payments last year.  They told me they would reassess my payments next year.  My mortgage is with a national bank (headquartered in NH).

Is this legal?

Answer:
 It's not only legal, it's likely required if you have an escrow fund. They have to do a projection of expenses and either refund you the money, or charge more to meet the projected demand. You can get a cheaper Homeowners insurance, and the payment will likely go down again next year. Or you can make a one time payment into your escrow account and keep the same payment you have now. Answer #2: Yes. Your property taxes or insurance likely were different than expected. They have to make up for the escrow deficiency and collect more for this year. Pretty standard stuff. Answer #3: It is your escrow payment not your mortgage payment, tho both are collected as a lump sum monthly.

Review your Escrow Analysis statement and confirm that the taxes and insurance were paid correctly (at the correct time and for the right amount).

If you are not sure about the tax amount and due date, check your county or townships website and see if it is available online (most but not all are online these days).

You can shop around for different insurance, but make sure the policy meets your mortgage companies requirements.

You can also request in writing to cancel your escrow account, but you will need to meet the mortgage companies requirements for approval.  These requirements usually include on time payments for the past 2 years, and LTV of 80% or less.

Keep in mind that if you are late paying your taxes and/or insurance after cancelling your escrow account, they can force the escrow account for the rest of your mortgage.

IANAL, I spent 4 years as an escrow analysis


Title: Another business is allowing their customers to block my customers from coming!

Question:
Location: Los Angeles County, United States

Hi everyone,

I am speaking on behalf of my father, who can't speak English very well. Here is the scenario:

The tire business is allowing their customers to park like [this](http://imgur.com/HhYLUoD)

To clarify, they are not parking in my allotted space (although my father was generous enough to let the tire business park in his spots when they were open). They are allowing the customers to park in a way that effectively blocks my father's business. There is literally no physical way to get the car into my father's shop. So customers see this and just leave, which negatively affects his business.

This isn't as clear cut so what are my options here. This can't definitely be legal right?

My father said he tried talking to the landlord and he doesn't seem to give a damn. The police told him to call the towing company to let them take the car away. But then the towing company is telling my father to call the police and let them handle it. In addition, when the towing company does try to come, they say it'll take 2 hours. And in that time, he may lost more customers and the car owner finishes up and leaves!

What the heck can he do about this???

Answer:
 Contact the fire marshal and ask if cars blocking access your fathers business is a fire or emergency hazard.  Answer #2: Wait, you have a towing company that *doesnt* want to make money? Weird.

I second the fire marshall, although they might not care.

Have you thought of setting up a moveable barrier of some kind so cars cant park there but they can get through?


Title: Friend married girl who isn't a US citizen on impulse while in Vegas... what shit did he get himself into?

Question: Context: So my friend had been dating this girl for a few months. She is a citizen of Mexico but is here on a visa (unsure what kind and how long she has been living here) and is currently working at a hospital. They just got back from Vegas and while there, they decided they might as well get married(????). I feel like they skipped a lot of steps and have potentially set themselves up for some trouble. What are the ramifications, if any?

Answer:
 Uh they can file taxes with each other and see each other in hospitals now?

There is nothing wrong with marrying someone who is not a US citizen.


Title: Can I fire someone if they called in sick the day I was planning on firing them?

Question:
A recent question on Reddit got me thinking. [https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/97orjr/you\_know\_you\_are\_going\_to\_be\_fired\_tomorrow\_you/](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/97orjr/you_know_you_are_going_to_be_fired_tomorrow_you/)

From a business owner standpoint, If i am planning on firing someone on Friday, but they get wind of it and call in sick, not show up, Im I required to keep them in payroll/benefits until they show up again? Lets say they have a legit medical problem. What then?

Answer: If it’s an at will state then you can fire them any day you want. You can make that day their effective last date. If they’re taking sick leave maybe you pay them for that day, similar to if they had shown up and you fire them but pay them for that day as their last day of employment. Even if they truly are sick, I think it’s okay as long as the reason for firing them isn’t their sickness. As always, best practice is to follow any policies in place and throughly document your reasons and processes for firing them. Answer #2: You don't have to be present to be fired.Answer #3: Of course you can. If I get wind that my boss is going to fire me, does he have to keep paying me if I decide to stop showing up to work to be fired?


Title: [PA] 19yo state school student charged with an underage, yet I believe I was drugged.

Question: I was drinking a bit with friends when we went to a party and that's when things got weird. I have no recollection of getting there and the strangest part was that I woke up three hours later at a retirement home 30 minutes NW of my school, I didn't drive and neither of my friends do. I woke up at the retirement home confused and scared and that's when a worker there called the cops. The officer arrived and said my eyes were bloodshot and I was delusional, the citation said I was found asleep under a table inside. I blew a .038 which doesn't make sense. I pleaded not guilty now, what are my options to prove I was drugged?

Answer:
 Hire a lawyer. Even if you prove you were given a narcotic, it still isn't going to change the fact that you were charged with underage drinking which you admit that you were doing. Answer #2: What's it matter if you were drugged? Do you have another charge beyond underage drinking? You admit to doing that and they have proof of it.

'The only reason I was caught committing my crime is because someone drugged me' isn't getting you out of it.


Title: Wedding reception hall double booked

Question:
Sorry if I'm not following the sub's rules...
Basically, my fiance and I booked a Courtyard venue for a wedding reception. They just called us 3 weeks before the event and said they accidentally double booked it and the other party booked before us so they get priority on the space.

We didn't sign any contract because this place is a fairly new business and it was rather informal. The owner simply stated that all we needed was to pay the deposit in full and it was supposedly secured. It's a small reception with only 70 people, but my family and friends have already made plans/hotel reservations/flights to come to the event. They've only offered to resolve it by giving us a significantly smaller place to hold our event (which will barely fit us) and refund our money. The venue choice was the only reason we chose this location and now we don't have it. Plus all of my losses from the time and money we've put into it so far...

I'm just wondering if there is anything I can ask to recover some of my losses on this? Is this something that I can make into a civil/small claims case? I have no idea about any of this kind of stuff. I'm meeting with her in an hour and I'd like reimbursed for some of this.

This is in Ohio, U.S.A. btw...

Thanks for your help!

Answer: I don't see what damages you have. The venue screwed up, and offered you a mitigating remedy, plus a full refund. They might be willing to throw in some free champagne to soothe your feelings, but unless the new venue is in some swamp shack 20 miles out of town, I don't see how you've been financially put out.


Title: Worked for nationwide department store and was fired yesterday, WA State.

Question:
My friend is a great worker, always upbeat and was very well liked at the store where she worked part time for the last 11 years.

The situation is that she and two newly hired employees watched a shoplifter steal from the store and head out to their car. My friend was not with the two employees chasing the shoplifter out of the store, it was her understanding that they weren't to chase people that were stealing but they were to take a photograph of the license plate if they could. She followed after and got the picture.

When they were asked for statements, her statement closely matched the security video but the other two employees were found in the wrong and immediately fired. She said that they most definitely cross lines and were immediately fired, she had nothing to do with their situation but she was out in front of the store when they were retrieving stolen goods.

My friend was told that the upper level corporate people reviewed the situation and that she was fired as well because she was outside the store and included in the incident.

She was told that because she was fired she would lose her 30 hours of accrued vacation pay and that she wouldn't get unemployment benefits.

She was told that because the store had a policy on how shoplifters should be managed, they broke the rules. She asked what the rules were and was told that since she stepped off of the curb, she was fired.

My friend is an outstanding employee, her manager went to bat for her but lost to corporate.

My friend said that she had never been briefed about shoplifters, it was a casual conversation between employees that she learned to let the shoplifters go but get the plate if she could. If there policy was in place, she and all of the employees should know about it and the potential to be fired by not upholding policy.  Most certainly if she would have known that she needed to stay on the curb, she would have. She had no knowledge about the policy until she was fired.

Does she have any recourse? She is a single mother of two and while she doesn't want to work for them anymore, she does want vacation time that she accrued and unemployment, she was noted as an excellent employee for the company.

&#x200B;

Answer: She should go ahead and file for unemployment anyway; her former employer doesn't get to decide whether she's qualified. If she's denied initially, then she should appeal that. She can also look for another job; that's her only option here.


Title: Dental office being harassed by residential fellow tenant via Fire Dpt. [NYC]

Question:
I work with my dad at his dental practice. He's the only dentist and I work the front desk for him.

So on Thursday (Oct. 1st) we open up the office to find the office broken into. We hit full panic mode for a bit before we confirm nothing was stolen. We check with the building's super (this is an apartment building with commercial space btw) and he tells us that the tenant above us called the fire department over a "strange smell." Naturally they blame the dentist.

The same day someone from the landlord's office comes in to speak with us asking about what kind of chemicals we keep on the premises. The only chemicals we have in any significant amount are X-ray developer and fixer. He tells us that the fire department reported a "vat" of chemicals in our bathtub. We show him that this "vat" is in fact an about 24x12x12 plastic container filled with water we use to clean our x-ray developing machine. My dad, pissed off enough to be in full go-fuck-your-self mode, took a cup from the treatment room and downed a glass of the stuff in front of them to make a point.

Few hours later a guy comes in sent by the landlord to check the air content and has his scanners running as he talks to us. Based on those scans he said that the air in our office was cleaner that it is outside. My dad told him everything that he told the guy from the landlords office and downs another glass from the container in front of this guy as well.

The guy tells us about the [Right to Know Program](http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/businesses/tier2.shtml), specifically the [hazardous substance list](http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/tier2/rtkhazlist.pdf). We checked how much of the developer and fixer we have at a time against the list. I don't know the numbers off the top of my head, but we are well below the limit.
On Saturday my dad goes in to find our first patient chilling in the waiting and he tells us the door was wide open for him. We check with the super it turns out the bitch above us called the fire department again.

We are worried that this tenant may be attempting to build a case for our eviction.

Edit: went with Landlord/Tenant flair since that's what we are most worried about at the moment but this *is* a bit of a mix.

Edit: [update](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3nkjkt/harassment_via_fire_dept_escalated_threatened/)
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: What exactly is your question?


Title: Cop searched my car without any consent

Question:
[PA] I got into a accident just by myself going to work, work was 1 minute away I'm 18 years old and I slid on snow into the side of the road.. the  cop showed up and asked if I was alright blah blah... searched my car without asking, no reasonable suspicion of anything, no reason to search my car? He gave me a fine for speeding and not wearing my seat belt. Anything I can do here ?
Topic:
Searches and Seizures

Answer:
 (Looks at post history), reads between the lines. I see. You were drifting your Audi in the snow. The officer was perhaps suspicious you were driving recklessly, checked to see if your seatbelt was locked. I assume if it was that would be indicative of higher speed when you wrecked or something.

I doubt that would qualify as a “search”, but I could be wrong. Don’t drive like a dumbass.

EDIT. You were drifting and driving like a dumbass without your seatbelt. Good luck with that. You could hire a lawyer, fight the tickets, and argue the evidence should be suppressed. And the judge might not care. And that legal fight would cost more than the tickets. Answer #2: If he is using anything he found during the search as evidence against you in a crime, your attorney can seek to have that evidence thrown out.


Title: Craigslist Buyer wants refund after 7 months

Question:
 I sold my macbook pro on Craigslist in Columbus oh around 7 months ago for $700. The computer had been serviced by Apple, and Apple told me they had completely repaired it and replaced everything with new parts.

I mentioned this fact in my listing, and even offered the buyer a 14 days return policy. It was in a fully functioning state when I parted with it, showing no signs of deterioration whatsoever.

Now after 7 months, she emailed me again saying that the computer doesn't work, that she took it to a certified Apple repair shop, and the repairmen claims that all the parts within are inferior replacement parts.

I never had the computer serviced by anyone except the Apple Store, so I don't believe the parts should have anything wrong with them. Furthermore, Apple should have a record of this since their laptops and serial numbers are linked.

But, legally speaking, am I supposed to give the money back?

Answer:
 Tell her to get lost.Answer #2: Do not even respond. Send her email directly to TRASH.Answer #3: Not a chance man, even a 14 day return policy is pretty steep and unnecessary.  Replace it with car, or tv, or cellphone.  The result is the same.  Even craigslist states everything is sold "AS IS":

>DISCLAIMER. MANY JURISDICTIONS HAVE LAWS PROTECTING CONSUMERS AND OTHER CONTRACT PARTIES, LIMITING THEIR ABILITY TO WAIVE CERTAIN RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. WE RESPECT SUCH LAWS; NOTHING HEREIN SHALL WAIVE RIGHTS OR RESPONSIBILITIES THAT CANNOT BE WAIVED.

>To the extent permitted by law, (1) we make no promise as to CL, its completeness, accuracy, availability, timeliness, propriety, security or reliability; (2) your access and use are at your own risk, and CL is provided "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE"; (3) we are not liable for any harm resulting from (a) user content; (b) user conduct, e.g. illegal conduct; (c) your CL use; or (d) our representations; (4) WE AND OUR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES ("CL ENTITIES"), DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES & CONDITIONS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT; (5) CL ENTITIES ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS (E.G. OF PROFIT, REVENUE, DATA, OR GOODWILL); (6) IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY EXCEED $100 OR WHAT YOU PAID US IN THE PAST YEAR.
Answer #4: No Apple tech told her that. The precise service history on that serial number will be well documented but Apple. They would never say that to a someone, even if it were true. She's going fishing.


Title: is it legal to steal a pornographic actresses moans?

Question:
i plan on making porn animations and flash games but to do so im gonna need some moans and wet slappy sound effects i looked into voice actresses and couldn't find any cheap ones willing to do low quality  obviously sleezy work so heres my question... can i just steal the noises from pornhub? is that legal? if not then whats the penalty for it

&#x200B;

i live in the USA california to be specific

Answer: Seeing as how you correctly use the term stealing in your post, I think you have your answer.


Title: Bird Law? [VA]

Question:
A friend of mine flew in from China and she had some small birds in her checked baggage.  She was apparrently humiliated and arrested for smuggling ( not sure the official charge yet).  She said they told her they had to kill the birds in order to keep them from spreading unknown diseases or some such thing.

Is that common practice?  Was there really no way for her to go home with her pets? And how much trouble is she really in?  What is the punishment for this kind of thing?

Answer: Yes importation of live animals into the US is highly regulated and doing without permits is illegal.  The animals were likely destroyed (killed) to prevent the spread of unknown illnesses.  Your friend needs an attorney ASAP because this isn’t DIY territory.


Title: [Iowa] Police officer confessed to looking at illegal images. What should I do?

Question:
I was arrested in Iowa for images that are legal in my country (Sudan).

While the officer was talking to me he stated he looked at photos and I was disgusting little boy. My question is, can I use the fact that the officer committed crime by looking at the pictures to get my impending case dropped?

I was thinking about mentioning it to the district attorney outside the courtroom.

Edit: Do I need a lawyer or can I just tell the judge how it went down?

Answer:
 No. How do you expect a police officer to ever arrest someone for illegal images if they can't ever look at those illegal images? Are they just supposed to close their eyes while looking through evidence?

Also just say child porn. You broke child porn laws. Answer #2: After reviewing your demeanor and the nature of your responses in here, I would advise you to NOT speak to either the prosecutor or the judge in this matter.  You will only end up making things worse for yourself.

You need to get a lawyer to handle this for you.Answer #3: The officer didn't commit a crime. There are specific exemptions in the law for police conducting an official investigation or otherwise acting in accordance with their duties. Child pornography is a very serious crime in the USA. This is not like getting a traffic ticket or even being caught with a small amount of drugs. You can expect a prison sentence. You need to not talk to the police and only talk to your attorney. It does not appear you are truly grasping the gravity of your situation.Answer #4: Just like a cop wouldn't be in trouble for possession when making a drug bust, this cop wont' be in trouble for looking at your pictures.Answer #5: So are you saying it's a crime for the cop to look at the images, but not a crime when you do. That's not how it works in the good old US of A.Answer #6: You are bad at trolling.  You have to pick between ignorant or beligerant, it's not beleivable when you're both.  Also don't respond to every post, because it makes it clear you are baiting more responses.  People actually asking for advice listen more than they talk.  Better luck next time though.


Title: Why don't people take out a loan instead of contacting a bond company?

Question: For example, if someone is accused of DUI and has to post a 20 thousand dollar bail, why don't they take out a loan for 20,000 and pay back the loan once they show up for the court dates. Assuming interest is less than 10% (the standard rate for bond companies), why don't more people do this?

Answer: Loans require collateral and time. When you're in prison you don't necessarily have much of either.


Title: Wife slipped on toy placemat

Question: I'm wondering(this is strictly hypothetical) if the manufacturer would be liable for her injuries if they didn't warn about a severe slip hazard. This is a small child's toy so them playing on the ground with it is expected. My wife found out the hard way that this placemat+carpet equals a hover board. I hate to sound like I'm exaggerating, but I'm talking bananas in Mario Kart slippery. My wife looked like bowser spinning across a frozen level, after a banana, into a bomb snow man. If I were a teenager still I would take advantage of this and ride it around the house, but we're talking real health hazard at this point. I've since made sure the placemat of doom is always on a table, but I'm left wondering if they would be liable... Or if I should tip them unto the booby trap industry. I'm I'm Washoe County, Nevada, USA btw.

Answer:
 Surely anything flat and plastic would be slippery?

Look I have no doubt she was startled but seriously? Manufacturers don't have to imagine every way someone might misuse or even encounter their products and post warnings about all of them. Sharp edges? Sure. Plastic disc on carpet? Not so much.

Urrgh.


Title: I want to draw and sell maps based on locations described in books. Would I be violating copyright or trademark?

Question:
In the US, I know some fantasy books include maps, and I would use them for reference to get the basic locations, but my maps would certainly look different, and I would be sure to include some key ornamental differences.  As long as I include a "certificate of un-authenticity" that states that the map isn't authorized by the rights owners of the source material, would I be okay to sell these? (I'm in the US)

Say I drew a map of Middle Earth from the Hobbit, or the more recent Westeros from Game of Thrones, would it be legal for me sell it in the US?

Also, could I protect (copyright?) my particular image so that others couldn't mechanically reproduce it?

Am I mistaken in thinking this falls under "fair use" as "fan art"? or does that end when I try to monetize it?  If so, is there a recommended procedure for trying to obtain rights to make said maps of properties not in the public domain?

***tl;dr:*** Boy, that's a bunch of legal questions, I should probably just consult a lawyer instead of looking for free advice, huh?

edit: Thanks for the info gang!  Looks like I've got an arduous road ahead of me, if I want to stick with this.  I suppose for now, I'll stick to works in the public domain and figments of my own imagination.

Answer:
 Possibly both.

You're talking about creating a "Derivative Work" of a work under copyright.  That means that you've taken the author's original expression, added your own, and created a new work.  If you do that without the other's permission, you've created an unauthorized derivative work, which is a copyright infringement.

It may also be a trademark violation.  If the author is using the names of the different places in commerce to identify who wrote the book, then your use could confuse people about the source of your work (making it appear that it came from the author).  This is why, for example, there isn't a "Harry Potter" book about a guy who uses clay to make bowls and pots and happens to have a lot of hair.

Note that "Fan Art" is not automatically a fair use.  It often exists because publishers tolerate the infringement because it helps to sell the original and it's generally a bad idea to sue your best customers.

If you want to make money off of this, you want to contact the publisher, tell them what you're thinking about doing, and ask their permission.  They will likely want a royalty, at minimum.  Or, they may not let you do it at all.


Title: [New Zealand] Hospital refused to allow my support person to be with me

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Medicine and Malpractice

Answer: This is not a legal issue and you don't seem to be asking a legal question.


Title: Girlfriend got DUI in Arizona, work wants her to take a trip to canada

Question:
My girlfriend got a DUI in 2013 in Arizona, moved to washington in 2014. Her understanding is that due to her DUI she can't visit canada until she's able to repeal in another 2 years.

Now as part of her work she may be asked to go to canada on a business trip. Her current work is unaware of her DUI and she'd like to keep it that way.

We are having a hell of a time trying to discern exactly what her options are, especially in regards to if she can get into Canada or not.

Thank you

Answer:
 You can apply for rehabilitation before the five year rehabilitation period is up. Go to this [website](http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5312ETOC.asp) and follow the instructions under "Coming to or remaining in Canada without approval of rehabilitation."Answer #2: OK - Canada has recently (like in the last 2 years) modified their stance on this issue. It is much more likely (but by no means certain) that she can enter Canada even with a DUI. Unfortunately for her - it's down to the individual BCA if (s)he will or will not let her in.

Basically, we are talking here about the roll of a dice. Because there is no certain way of ensuring she will or will not be permitted to enter.


Title: [CA] Lab through Doctor's office charged me $15000 for blood work. Is bouncing me around

Question:
TLDR: Lab claims to be in-network on their website. In reality they had fallen out of network a few months before my visit. Now they are charging the max and demanding payment

In July 2015, I went in for my annual check up at an in-network doctor.

**By law an annual check up at an in-network doctor and an in-network lab is at no charge to patient.**

The doctor send my bloodwork to a lab 'L' that mentioned on its website that they were in network with my insurance company.

In September 2015 I got a $15000 bill from 'L'.

On calling my insurance company 'IN' they said that 'L' had fallen out of network 3 months before my visit.

'IN' further said that they had got only a $300 bill from 'L' and I should not be seeing a $15000 bill.

I sent my copy of the  $15000 bill to 'IN' and they settled $500 as a courtesy.

The agent told me this is more than what a typical annual checkup lab should cost but they would approve the max lab cost of $500.

I called 'L' and asked them what's up. They confirmed the $500 payment and said they would send over the remaining bill to 'IN' soon.

Fast forward a year later I get a call from 'L' asking for $14500.

I ask them when they sent 'IN' the complete bill. They said they were not required to send the bill to my insurance and I was responsible for all charges.

My insurance company denies getting the updated bill. I ask them to look at the bill I had sent and next day the agent calls me back and says the bill has a lot of duplicates. I look at the bill and see the same code entered multiple times

Lab is threatening collections for $14500.

The lab has outsourced its billing to a billing company 'B' in Arizona. I called 'B' and they said they cannot adjust the bill and has to follow what 'L' says.

When I call 'L' about the bill they say to call 'B'.

*I contacted the doctor's office asking if they have an indemnification clause in their contract with 'L' and the doctor's office is refusing to take any further calls. They are an hour away from me and refuse to give me an appointment to settle billing issues.*

What should I do?

Answer:
 If you get coverage through your employer, see if they offer Health Advocate. It's a free service for employees and can help you resolve claims. (Source: I work on HR and have seen this work well for employees) Answer #2: Appreciate the upvotes. Thank you all.

**The reason why they can charge so much is that they are out of network and thus can literally charge whatever they want.**

If they had been in-network, they would have been subject to the prices as per contract with IN (which would be of no consequence to a patient because they would see none of it by law)

I am at a confused state: I can sue 'L' for misrepresentation of network status (I have screenshot of their page on my date of visit), **but if they are indemnified by my doctor (who sent my bloodwork to them), my case is possibly going to get thrown out and I will have to sue the doctor**?


Title: [OR] Friend received MIP at music festival and is freaking out. What's the most likely result of this charge in court?

Question:
My friend is 20 years old and went to a music festival over the weekend. Her group was pulled out and questioned by police officers after a festival employee found alcohol in one of the girls' bags (NOT in my friend's bag).

While the others lied about their ages as most of them are underage, my friend was the one who told the truth (maybe stupidly, I don't know) and said she was only 20 and had been drinking. She was given the MIP without a breathalyzer test, but the officer said he could "smell the alcohol on her breath." Again, she did not have any alcohol in her possession, but she did admit to drinking.

As a pre-med student, she is extremely worried about her future. How likely is it that this can be expunged from her record given that she is already over 18? Is it stupid to assume that she could appear in court and ask for a smaller ticket fee/get community service instead?

tl;dr 20 year old friend was charged with MIP without having any alcohol in her possession or going through a breathalyzer test, what is likely to happen when she gets to court?

Answer:
 If her future is that important, she should hire an attorney or request a public defender. MIP can result in a fine up to $1000 and a mandatory 365 day license suspension. Not to mention, it may very well affect medical school.Answer #2: In Oregon, MIP also includes consumption. The breathalyzer thing (probably) doesn't matter much here, as the officer smelled alcohol and your friend admitted to drinking. Officer testimony is evidence, and your friend admitted to a crime. That's all that's really needed.

The consequences thr charge carries are between 250 and 1000 dollar fine plus a 1 year suspension of her license.

If she wants the best outcome she needs to hire a lawyer or get a public defender if she qualifies. If she goes in without one of these two things it's highly unlikely she will get any reduction. Depending on the judge/prosecutor she may have a hard time getting that as well, as she pretty much did the dumbest thing possible by admitting to the crime to police.


Title: Pc Repair, has my money and laptop

Question:
Virginia, USA

Hey guys, my laptop broke so i went into a nearby small business. It got diagnosed and he told me what parts he was going to buy and what needed to be fixed. I paid for his rate, and for the parts.

That was in April of 2015. It has been 10 months, he has had my laptop.

At first, he was keeping me updated with the laptop. Eventually the communication between us was slowing down. Most of the time he would stop responding and i would just leave a message. That was around the halfway point. I decided to go visit his place of business, and an upstairs tenant told me he moved out. He packed up and left.

After that, i have never heard from this guy. for 6 months i have just been calling him and leaving messages. I have no idea where he went or what happened to my Laptop. I got a hold of the company that handles his finances, and have been able to talk to him. He continues to say he will speak to my PC Repairman. Still haven't heard anything from the PC repairman, or from the financial division. Unless i ask the financial division first, which he responds by the same,"i will contact him".

So yea, basically left in the dark here. My Laptop was around $800 when i first bought, i've had it for 2 years. SO its value definitely decreased. still windows 8 with i5 and considered an ultra book. I paid almost $300 for his parts and services.

I'm not sure what would be the next step. What do you guys think? Try and go for the refund with the financial division, and call the laptop a loss? Or take this guy to court?

Answer: If you want to pursue him in small claims court, you should consider filling a warrant in detinue. [Here](http://www.courts.state.va.us/forms/district/dc404.pdf) is the form that you'd fill out and take to the clerk's office at your county (or city) courthouse.


Title: Co signed a loan

Question:
I co-signed a car loan to help a friend in 2013. We agreed that she was to refinance and take the loan out herself about a year into it. She didn’t make payments and now it’s in collections.

She left to another state and I lost contact with her. I’m not sure if the car was repossessed and sold or if the car is still with her.

What can I do to have no financial responsibility? I’m afraid I will be sued

Answer:
 >What can I do to have no financial responsibility?

Go back in time.

You legally agreed to make payments if the main signer didn't. This is exactly what co-signing means. You need to call the lender and start making payments unless you want your credit ruined. You can then sue your friend for those payments, if you can find her.Answer #2: > What can I do to have no financial responsibility?

Nothing. You have 100% financial responsibility to the lender.


Title: [TX] Received notice of collection on a traffic ticket that was already paid 13 years ago.

Question:
I just received a letter from a lawyer's office that's collecting old citations for a small town in Texas.  The problem is, I know that I already paid this ticket, but have no way to prove it because they required that it be paid with a money order (don't have the stub), and the confirmation I got from the municipal clerk was verbal.

I vividly remember this ticket because I received it on my birthday back in 2003, for going 5 over (apparently the speed limit changes in TX when the sun goes down) in a tiny town near the state border.  I had to call in to either set up payment or a court date, but was offered to take a safety course to have it expunged, and opted for that.  I was unable to sign up for the course due to living and attending college in another state (originally thought I could take it online, but no).  So I called in, frantic, asking how I could fix it.  I was instructed to call back the next day so I could speak to the judge, and he told me that as long as I paid the ticket, AND the court costs, I'd be off the hook.

I remember being very upset with myself for not just paying the stupid ticket, because the cost had more than doubled.  I sent out a money order (they would not accept a personal check or credit card), and called the following week to make sure they received it and the clerk told me that everything was kosher.

Which brings us to the present.  I've been told the ticket hasn't been paid, but the court costs have been (by the lawyer's office, who later reneged on that). The clerk says there's no record of court fees, unpaid or otherwise.  There's no warrant for my arrest, but now I'm on "warrant list" and the current judge will review it in March. I've informed them that they have already been paid and I intend to fight it.

So, do I have a leg to stand on?  I contacted my bank to see if I could get records showing the withdrawal (I rarely withdrew cash during this time period), but they only have records going back 7 years.  I certainly don't have a copy if the ticket (had to send it in with the money order) or the stub of the MO.  Please tell me that there's some sort of statute of limitations on this. :(

Is it worth getting a lawyer?  Their fees would likely be much higher than the citation itself.  I'm currently living on the east coast, but we're planning on moving soon to be near family, and this jurisdiction is a stone's throw from our new house.

Should I just pay the damn thing and be done with it?  This feels like extortion. :(  What's to stop them from pulling this again 10 years in the future?  They still don't accept anything but a money order.

Answer:
 You need to send them a letter requesting the validation of the debt. This is asking them for the proof that they have that you owe money. If the court does not have this proof, where is theirs? They would have to respond to this or drop it. That's your next step.Answer #2: INAL but unless you've made payments recently it may be past the statute of limitations...What I found during a quick Google search

 > Texas’ four-year statute of limitations on debts works alongside the Texas Debt Collection Act. The limited time period means that debt collectors cannot sue individuals in an attempt to collect debts that are more than four years past due.


Title: Is my Landlord obligated to pay for my damages?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: That's what renters insurance is for, and why it's required for many rentals. The landlord's insurance is not very likely to pay for this. Answer #2: You should contact your renter's insurance.Answer #3: No


Title: Signed a settlement release with the insurance company after a car accident accident but I did not have an attorney. A couple of months later, I'm feeling a lot of pain and I think it might have been due to the accident - Am I bound by the settlement papers I signed? (NJ)

Question:
Hi all. This may sound really obvious but I just want to make sure I'm clear out of options. I was involved in a car accident where I was rear ended by a large truck. At the time, I didn't think much of it and felt some pain but was generally able to get out and leave the scene. Long story short, about a couple weeks or so after, the truck's insurance company offered me about $1,000 dollars to settle the claim and well, me being me desperate for money, signed the agreement and got the check.

Now its roughly about 3 months since the accident and the pain in my back has gotten far worse. I saw a doctor who referred me to another doctor and I'm awaiting MRI results to see what was damaged. I know I should have gotten an attorney before signing anything but is there any way at all I could just return the settlement and try to bring a claim against the truck's insurance company to possibly recover more? Thanks.

Answer:
 You're out of luck. They made you an offer on compensation for the issue and you cashed their check.

That's why insurance companies try to get you to accept an offer soon after an accident. It can take a long time for problems to fully manifest.

Check with a lawyer, it sounds like problems are starting to stack up for you and it would likely be worth the money. Good luck.


Title: What constitutes "fit for use intended" covenant?

Question:
Minnesota, USA

I moved into a rental townhouse on the 30th. The unit  is a 3 bed, 1 3/4 bath with a washer and dryer.

The day I moved in they told me that maintenance was going to be finishing up a few things in my place that day, which he was. He told me later that afternoon (a Saturday) that he would come back in the morning to finish up everything and not to use the upstairs sink because it wasn't done (it needed to dry or something?). There are also no doorknobs on the bedroom doors, one bedroom door isn't even on the wall, a closet that doesn't have doors up, two light fixtures that aren't covered (the covers were left on my kitchen counter), the downstairs toilet isn't caulked to the floor so it wobbles around, there are holes in the walls where the TP holders and towel racks go, the kitchen sink has a faucet but the sprayer hose isn't installed so there's just a hole in there, and the upstairs tub doesn't drain.

The next day (Sunday) he never came. On Monday I went to the office with a written list of everything that I noticed that wasn't done, they made a copy, and later that day he was in there doing something (I was at work but the babysitter told me he had been in) but I can't tell what he did because all of the above issues are still the same. Nothing seems to have been fixed. There are tools left around everywhere that I had to move so my toddler isn't playing with a power drill or picking up screws off the floor.

At what point is my place not fit for it's intended use (I have one toilet, one sink, one shower, when I should have two of all of those things per my lease)? Should I ask for a discount on rent?

Answer: I would ask for a discount on rent and read lease and determine if this failure to have room ready gives you the option of leaving. I do not think this breaks the covenant for intended use however.


Title: Sued for car accident but I was not driving

Question:
A friend of mine borrowed my car and was involved in a fender bender. He rear ended someone at a low speed (less than 5mph). I was not present at the time of the accident, The cops were called and at the end of it all, my friend and I were sued by the driver of the other vehicle. My insurance company opened a claim and hired a law firm to represent us.

The problem is that this happened about 2 years ago. I was given a bunch of notices to show up for hearings (as well as my friend), but my lawyer's office called me and my friend each time to let us know the hearing had been delayed.  This happened half a dozen times over the past couple of years. My friend has since moved away and is not reachable. He had provided a statement to the police at the time of the accident and provided a statement to the law firm after the accident.

I received a call from the law firm today letting me know that a hearing is scheduled tomorrow and I have to go. They have also said they tried to reach my friend but they had no success. According to them, they said that if my friend doesn't show, the court will find in the other driver's favor, my insurance company will pay the damages and then they may come after me for payment. I'm extremely nervous right now, because the lawsuit filed was for a large sum of money, and if my insurance company pursues me for payment, I will be bankrupt. What should I do? Can my insurance company really pursue me for the entirety of the claim if my friend does not come to court? My hands are trembling right now. If it makes a difference, I have auto insurance through one of the big name companies and am living in NY state. The accident occurred in NYC.
Topic:
Insurance

Answer:
 You have insurance precisely so that you won't be bankrupted if you found to be responsible for an accident. The part about your insurance coming after you for payment doesn't make sense. They may raise your rates or drop you of course.Answer #2: Your insurance company will pay the damages. In theory, if the amount of damages awarded at court is larger than your policy limits, then, yes, you could be personally liable for the excess damages.

Do you know your limits? Do you know if your friend had auto coverage of their own when they were driving your car?  Their insurance provider would have to pay any excess damages once your own limits are exhausted.

Your friend rear-ended someone. There's virtually no way that they will not be found 100% at fault.   The light amount of property damage speaks for itself and the judge/jury will have to decide whether injuries as serious as the amount being claimed could have been caused by such a low-impact accident.

Incidentally, even if the accident was minor by your standards, people with pre-existing conditions can, and DO, get seriously hurt in low-speed, light-property-damage types of accidents.  Imagine slamming on your brakes and your seatbelt suddenly tightening. You could herniate a disc in your neck if you were predisposed to neck injuries and there wouldn't be any property damage at all.


Title: Property friend is renting is for sale. People are traipsing around the yard at all hours of the night disrupting the children living in the house. MA

Question:
My friend is renting a property in Massachusetts with a few other people. The landlord has put the property up for sale. It is a multi-apartment house. They have no issues with the landlord or the real estate agent bringing people into the home. They are always given 24 hours notice or more for showings.

The issue they've been having is people are coming over without the real estate agent (typically after 7-8PM) and moving around the yard in the house and looking at the exterior of the building.

They have two small children living in the house that are about to begin school. The household is being disturbed by these people walking around the property at night with seemingly no landlord or real estate agent with them. They are disturbing bedtime routines for the children and at times, scaring the adults. (I would be a little nervous if I saw some random person walking through my yard too)

Do they have any rights in this situation? Should they be calling the landlord, the cops, or just deal with it and try to get the kids to bathe/bed regardless of the noise and random people outside? I am unsure if the yard is part of the rental agreement or just the actual apartment.

Answer:
 > after 7-8PM

IMO that is not "all hours of the night."  I was expecting to see 2AM.
Renter should contact landlord and request that all showings be scheduled before 8PM. But understand that many people work until 5 or 6PM and need to get together with spouses and so on before they can make it.
The landlord may not respect that request, in which case I would meet the lookers when they arrive, explain the situation, and hope they are sympathetic.  If they are reasonably quiet I fail to see how walking around the yard  would bother children indoors, in an apartment, and behind closed blinds.  One would think regular apartment neighbor noises to be much more disruptive.

>scaring the adults.

The property is for sale. They know this.
Expect people to be looking around.


Title: [IL] Sister met someone online w/ a bad life, invited her to live with my family. 2 years later, a falling-out happened, my dad forbid her from coming back, and offered to give her her things somewhere not on our property. She says she has "squatter's rights", and that she can come get them here.

Question:
So, my sister met someone online who had a shit life, so she invited her to come live with us. It was alright for awhile, but she slowly started showing more and more of the fact that she's an awful person, until it finally blew up and my dad kicked her out, and told her to never come here again. My sister has been talking with her, offering to give her her things somewhere not on the property, but she's refusing to, saying she has legal squatter's rights to come get her things, since she lived there for over 6 months and has proof, and that she can't be evicted without a full months notice. However, she never lived here and paid rent, it was always as though she were another family member. Does she actually have these rights?

I did some Google-fu, and it said that when evicting squatters they need a month's advanced notice like any other tenant, but is she even a squatter since she was living with us in our house?

Thanks for your help.

Answer:
 She's not a squatter, she is a tenant.  Your parents ALLOWED her to MOVE IN with them rent-free.  In other words, they accepted her as a tenant with a monthly rent of $0.

So she is correct, legally she is entitled to notice AND a legal eviction if she fails to leave when her notice is up (likely).  Otherwise, she has the option to take your parents to court for an illegal eviction and receive damages.

Probably your best option is to offer her "cash for keys": a lump sum to her in exchange for her keys and having her sign an agreement that she is voluntarily moving out.


Title: How long can police keep your property as evidence?

Question:
I live in AZ and a little over 2 years ago I was arrested and some of my property was ceased. Laptops, Ipads, Phone, financial records.

I was never charged and haven't heard from the court about my case since.

I did call the police department that has my property, but they said they still need it for review, and recently just stopped taking my calls altogether.

How much long should I expect to wait for my property?
Topic:
Searches and Seizures

Answer: Forever. You'll never get it back. It's wrong and unfair, but it's the reality of the situation.


Title: Can you call child protective services on you ex if they are allowing your 9 year old to sit in the front seat of there car?

Answer: you can.  if that is the worst you can report, nothing will be done


Title: exhusband filing for custody, just doesn't want to pay more child support -- MASSACHUSETTS

Question: I filed against my ex in court for more child support, he filed a motion saying I live in a crime ridden area, that they want to live with him and whatnot--HE BASICALLY DOESN'T WANT TO PAY ME SO HE IS COMING UP WITH ALL STUPID THINGS TO SAY AGAINST ME.  The court is now involving a GAL, and it's getting expensive, my lawyer won't take payments because we're going to trial...what are my rights?

Answer:
 What do you mean what are your rights? Your rights are too take everything to court and let judge decide. Your theory on his motives is likely not relevant. Answer #2: > what are my rights?

You have the right to hire a lawyer and/or defend yourself in court.


Title: Found a half empty pill capsule of mine on my roommates desk. What action should I take?

Question:
I’m writing this on my phone about 6 hours after I found the capsule, as mentioned in the title.

I am a current student at my university and after months of waiting, I was finally able to move all of my stuff out of my dorm. I live in a four person room, myself included. I was the first of the four roommates to fully move out after the whole COVID debacle happened.

Anyway, when I finished up packing up, I sat down on the futon to take a quick break. This allowed me to see one of my prescribed medications (a Schedule II controlled substance) on one of my roommates desks. I picked it up to realize it was only about 40% filled, when they are usually about 75% full.

My first thought was that I dropped it earlier and one of my roommates picked it up during the initial move-out after spring break (which I was absent for). However, I have to take my meds everyday so I take every pill in each bottle before throwing them away so they couldn’t have grabbed them from the garbage can.  Additionally I took every single one of my pills with me during the spring break. In the end, things aren’t adding up and I believe that one of my roommates went into my toiletry bag and helped themselves to my medication.

I have asked two of the three roommates if they had seen anything on the floor during the first move-out and they both said they had not. I have yet to ask the third roommate because I’m not certain if it wild help anything in the situation to possibly be accusatory despite very weak evidence supporting my claim.

The third roommate is very manipulative of authority figures and has thrice been caught cheating on exams and had their fake ID taken at the local bars. He has talked his way out of every incident and it very annoying/demoralizing to nearly every student when he is able to walk away free after doing things that would get the average joe expelled.

I’m not really sure what to do and what course of action I should take due to the sheer lack of evidence I have. Who do y’all suggest I contact in the college in order for this to be taken seriously? What do you suggest I say to him, if anything at all? What future recourse would you expect to have happen?

I understand if there are some confusing parts and I’d gladly clarify where needed. Any advice is very welcomed. Thank y’all so much.

Answer: What do you want to happen regarding a single pill? You’ve moved out, so I’d just forget it and go on with your life.


Title: [IL] Theres a fistfight planned and a ton of people including me are going to see it

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You should not participate, as you have nothing to do with it. All kinds of things could go wrong - it could turn into a brawl, through no fault of yours, that you end up involved in. I could think up a dozen other hypothetical situations you could end up stuck in that will be bad for you. Just don't go and don't get involved unnecessarily. If you want to tell an adult that it's happening, it would not be a bad idea, but you aren't legally obligated.

I should add that, aside from legal considerations, your school could take all kinds of actions against not just the fighters, but those who go to watch. You could get suspended or expelled just for being there and you would not have much recourse.


Title: What would be the penalty if you were caught trying to hire a hit man to take you out?

Answer:
 You'd be charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Even if you agree to the hitman killing you, it's still murder for the hitman to do so. Answer #2: Conspiracy to commit murder or attempted murder depending on how far it got.

Edit: I misread your post and assumed you were asking about killing another person, not yourself. The conspiracy part stands, I’m pretty sure you can’t be charged for attempted murder on yourself.


Title: [Michigan] Wrongful unemployment? Fast times at coffee shop high

Question:
Hello /r/legaladvice,

Throwaway because people I know are on reddit.

A friend of mine works for an unnamed big corporate coffee shop, at a location in Detroit, MI. Recently I've heard from that her store manager said the store is being sued for racism. I think she said a coworker of hers accidentally served a white Caucasian woman who was behind a black guy in line. I can't recall much else. I do know the employee in question has black ancestors, but looks like he could pass as a white guy. She's also white as a sheet, and we are both concerned that this lawyer could come after her, too.

Anyway, fast forward a couple days, her manager mentions his boss (and his boss' boss) have told him he has to fire the entire store.

Every single day my friend goes out of her way to be an exemplary employee. She has made sure that every single minute of every single day she exhibits professional behavior. I'm also reasonably certain She hasn't done anything to warrant a termination of employment. What should she do?

I think it's also worth noting that many many employees at this store not only fail to exhibit professional behavior on a regular basis, but a number of them have been involved in circumstances which are extremely questionable. For example, varying amounts of money have gone missing from the till, only to show up again later (makes me think someone's got a minor money laundering operation).

I know all states are at-will and people can be fired for whatever reason, but in my limited legal experience I find it hard to believe that this doesn't qualify for wrongful termination.

EDIT: I carnt grammer good.

Answer: Nothing in your post suggests wrongful termination. If anybody is fired they should apply for unemployment and look for a new job.


Title: (Oregon) Ex plays games with form 8332 EVERY year

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Get it put in writing as part of the custody agreement through the court.


Title: (CT) I've been accused of domestic violence. I have texts that prove otherwise

Question:
I was charged due to my significant other who went to the hospital and fingered me for domestic violence. I was arrested and charged. I have text messages from that person that admit to them being in a non reported car accident that night, after drinking heavily. Since I would not answer my phone that evening, they called a friend and blamed me saying I left them abandoned and this friend had to drive around searching for them. These messages were left out of the police report. My lawyer now has them. My significant other's car has major front end damage as a result of that evening but my lawyer cannot get photos of the car. Could he subpeona the owner to provide pictures of the car? And could the text messages be admissible in court?

This is my first time dealing with the legal system and need some guidance.

Answer: You have an attorney. Listen to them and to no one else.


Title: Can a business sue over a bad review?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You can't be (successfully) sued for a negative review if what you've posted is completely factual and simply a statement of your opinion.

There is a risk here though that you could be sued for breach of contract for going against your agreement to remove your negative reviews. He could essentially argue that replacing your 1 star review with a 3 star review still counts as a negative review.

I honestly don't know how a judge would look at it, and if they would consider a 3 star review with a slightly negative comment (timing was terrible) to still count as a "negative" review.

Personally I wouldn't want to waste the time and effort to find out if he decides to push the issue and I would just delete the new review and walk away from the whole situation.


Title: im wondering if somebody could tell me were i would stand in this situation regarding Grand Theft Auto.

Question:
ok so basicly would it be possible to take them to court over false advertisement. now when i purchased this game i got it to play a heist with my friends, as it was advertised to me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=olEGtoYs_8A#t=70

now it has been almost one year and this part of the game is still not there, and to top it off, the game freezes your console due to some sort of major bug. i do not feel like this game was sold to me correctly, if it was released as a beta you would expect these bugs but it was released as a full game and it is far from this.

Answer: This is like wanting to sue over a movie's final cut not having a scene that was in the preview.  Those tricky bastards!


Title: A kid i know was kicked out by his mom and dad. The kid is 14 years old

Question:
So someone I know was kicked out of their parents house. The person who was kicked out was a minor who was 14 years old. Now the minor who was kicked out said there was a reason but he would say why he got kicked out. Currently, he is staying over at another friends house which is very helpful of them. So now for the question, is it possible for a minor to sue his parents for child abandonment?

P.S I forgot to mention when he was kicked out, he got none of his belongings. No clothes, no phone, no school supplies
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 If he COULD sue for this (and he can't) then the outcome if he won would be that his parents would have to let him come home.  It's not like he'd win a bunch of money or something.

If he is in danger or if he wants to report this, then child protective services in your state is the way to go.


Title: Missouri - Wife cheated, and took money for drugs

Question:
I found out yesterday that my wife of 7 years cheated with another man and took money from our bank account for drugs. She was recently in a psychiatric hospital and diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. She was out for about a week or two and decided that she didn’t want to stay in our home. We currently live with my parents due to me being the only one who works. She has been a stay at home mom since last June when our second child was born.

She was upfront and honest about what’s going on with her. She’s also been self harming with cutting and using weed (that I know of so far) to try to cope. She took the last $40 in our account for the weed and has been impulsively spending for the last week so I had to borrow money from my parents for gas, groceries etc. I’m concerned that when she gets paid again that she will try to take more money to get high and numb her pain.

The situation she was in the other night sounded like something out of a movie. The guy she cheated with was someone she met in the hospital who was recovering from drug abuse. Apparently from her story, his child died, and his brother overdosed on fentanyl and almost died while she was there. It’s obviously not a good situation to have our kids around in her current state.

So my questions are: Can I open a bank account in my own name to send my next paycheck to so she can’t access it? I don’t want it to seem like I’m cutting her off because I feel like this could be used against me down the line but I don’t want her to keep taking money so I can’t pay bills and support my children. My other question is, can I keep her from taking the children? I work full time and she was staying at home. I’m very concerned that she would try to take them even though she doesn’t want to be around them. She said she can’t handle them in her current state. I have their car seats and given the situation she was in as I described, it is not safe for her to take the kids. Just to be clear, she still isn’t in our home. I have people I can rely on to watch the kids while I’m at work.

I appreciate the advice in advance.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: Yes, you absolutely can open a new account in your name only and change your direct deposit so it goes to that account. You absolutely should, too.


Title: Very noisy, annoying neighbors. What are my options?

Question:
Hey, R/legaladvice
I live in a fairly nice and upcoming area of town (San Antonio, TX). Now, here is my problem. I have some very noisy neighbors who keep fighting at odd hours of the night (11pm, midnight, 1, 2, 3am). Now, I have contacted my leasing office about this several times, they simply say "get police reports and then let us know, if we have enough complaints, we will evict them". With that advice in mind, I've made several complains in the last 6 months, but nothing happens. They keep quiet for a week or so, then go back to being annoying, noisy and fighting. I personally don't care for their safety, I really just want them to either STFU, or leave.

Now, here is my question: being that my living situation is being made harder by a neighboring tennant, would I have legal recourse in the event I want to end my lease, or would that help as a bargaining chip to be moved into another unit, and at the expense of the apt complex?

I'm in Texas, if that makes any difference. Thank you!

Answer:
 Nope. Part of living in an apartment is hearing peoples crap.

You can ask your landlord about moving units but they are not obligated to do so. And noisy neighbors is not cause to break a lease.


Title: Theft/Drug Court Case (IN)

Question:
Alright, so let's start off by saying that I've made some bad decisions these past few months and recently got incarcerated for Theft and Drug charges (mostly theft).

Long story short, worked at a university, took a few laptops (not university property, but student ones), cops tracked me down. They were able to trace me back to stealing both laptops (which I basically admitted to right then and there). I got taken to university PD for questioning, and then was transported back to my house so the police could look for any other potentially stolen property. I had already sold the other laptop online (which I told the police). The police have since recovered both laptops and I have refunded the buyer their money.

Before the police searched my apartment, they asked if they were going to find anything else in my apartment. I told them that I had drugs in my apartment (weed, ecstasy, and acid (that I've never actually taken)), and they brought in a drug dog to canvas my apartment. (I realize that the dog probably would've only been able to find the weed, but I was scared and was completely open about what I had).

After the search, I was handcuffed and taken to the county jail where I sat for 5 hours until a couple of good friends were able to bail me out. ($500).

I've been fully cooperating with University and other police agencies in the investigation, but I'm still worried that I might face quite a bit of jail time. I'm not quite sure how this all works out, but my general case looks like its a Level 6 felony for theft, with 2 charges of level 6 theft (property between $750-$50k), a class A misdemeanor of possessing a controlled substance, and a class C misdemeanor of possession of paraphernalia.

I have two court dates (I guess they are pre-trial, one for drugs and the other for the theft), and I'm worried that if I don't lawyer up (I can't really afford one, I lost my job due to this and am currently working part-time). I'm worried that I'll be screwed if I don't get one and choose to get a public defender instead (if they'll even let me have one).

I have had no run-ins with the law (other than getting pulled over and warnings for speeding, and one ticket from an accident that I caused a few years ago), and have not done any illicit drugs since this happened. I have fully cooperated with the police and made amends with everyone involved (as much as I could, anyway). I'm just worried about going back to jail, that 5 hours in jail was enough, and I really don't want to go back.

Could use any and all advice about this. I appreciate any advice anyone could give.

Thanks in advance everyone!

Answer:
 Call around and consult with criminal defense lawyers and get their rates. If you truly cannot afford one or cannot get the resources to afford one then you need to go to your court date, plead not guilty and request a public defender.

**Do not say another word to police or prosecutors or the judge (other than "not guilty") without a lawyer by your side.** You've incriminated yourself *far* too much already.

Edit: each level 6 carries 6 months to 2.5 years in prison with a one year advisory sentence. The class a is up to a year in jail and $5,000 fine. The class c carries up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.


Title: [Ontario] Marriage is on the rocks with 4 month old baby. Mother wants to return to home country for a month, abandoning me and baby.

Question:
My wife's mother is apparently gravely ill so my wife came home demanding she get to go to korea for a month.

We argued extensively about it but the end result is that she will go away for the month.

I'm pretty sure that's it for our marriage. I want to seperate but I want to protect my parental rights and it is CRITICAL that my daughter doesn't leave Canada to go to korea after separation. Once she's outside the country I will have lost her for good.

I am not sure how to proceed. While my wife is gone I plan to make all the legal moves I can while I retain physical custody of our daughter.

Notes:
-I am fine with split custody. 50/50. I will not be happy with visitation.

-My wife is a permanent resident through our marriage.

-We are quite poor. No one is going to be hiring expensive lawyers to beat the other down in a legal war. (Though I do have about 20k in a line of credit I can utilize)

-My wife expressed suicidal thoughts which I recorded.

-My wife is almost certainly suffering post partum depression but refuses help.

Answer: I feel like you're leaving out some vital details of your story, there is nothing that screams abandonment here.  She wants to see her mother and take care of her because she's gravely ill and to you that sounds like grounds for divorce?  Nothing said here sounds like grounds for divorce except maybe you recording your wife's personal admissions within the marriage for later use against her.


Title: Boss Writes Bad Checks, Now in the crapper or life. What should I do?

Question:
Hey all,
 to summarize and give a bit of background, I am an executive assistant for a gentleman here in Quebec. We agreed on payment for me, etc.

 He had written me a bad cheque, it bounced. As he didn't rectify it on time, I suffered upwards of $300.00 for NSFs from my account. After I told him I'm in the red, he offered to put a cheque in my boyfriends name so I wont lose my $300.00. That then bounced as well. His situation was rectified though and the $950.00 was returned to him via cash (Of which I have proof/backup).

 Seeing as all this transpired in weeks, more money has been owed to me, and he then put a cheque in my live in mother-in-laws name, as to avoid the ever growing red in my account. Both of those cheques for $1500.00 have bounced, and she is now suffering with 4 NSFs as well....

I am not here to receive financial scolding, as I'm aware I need to take care of my account. What I'm looking for is help with this fraudulent activity.

I have explicit written consent from him to have access to any and all e-mails. I have over 20 e-mails here from various companies/people that all have bad written cheques, some from an account thats been closed, some where he knew it was NSF. I have written proof from him that he told a girl he sent a wire transfer (He did the same to me)..... then I have an e-mail concerning the same thing, saying to brush her off until he can get the funds from his mother, as he did no such transfer (Also what he did to me).

Please tell me how to proceed, I sent him a message today saying he has until noon to rectify this situation in cash. He responded by saying to prepare invoices for all cash he has given me (I have written proof of when and how much he's given) and he will meet me only this afternoon.

I have no car because my paycheck was to be put towards my brakes (That mysteriously don't work anymore), I owe money to different payees who all need to be paid, rent is late due to this clown and now my account and my MILs account are suffering. What do I do? I feel wholesomely stuck....

Answer: You sue them for your losses and find a different employer. This guy is going to be nothing but headaches.


Title: Is it legal for your employer to take back money from you on grounds of overpayment?

Answer: Yes, it is not your money. Just like if checked your bank balance and found you are now a million dollars richer.


Title: Is it legal for my boss to not give me enough time to sleep between shifts?

Question: I am in North Dakota and i work construction with odd hours and long shifts. Can my boss demand that i work until midnight and then be back to work at 6 am the next day?

Answer: Are you in a union or do you have a similar contract requiring a lengthier turnaround time?


Title: Stalker/teacher vs student

Question:
LONG story kind of short - my mom is a (art) college professor and started receiving anonymous “love notes” on her office door (probably almost two years ago at this point). Security had to start walking her to her car and if she met with any students in her office security had to be present because they were unsure of who was leaving the notes. They ended up installing cameras outside her office and found out who it was (one of her female students).

This student, who has been spoken to about the matter, continues to stalk my mom in the weirdest ways:

- She makes sure she’s at school events she knows my mom will be at even if she has no business being there/unrelated to her major

- she sits where my mom can see her while she’s working in her office and she is in the classroom across the hall

- she constantly posts about my mom on social media, sometimes really rude/inappropriate comments

- she draws and paints pictures of my mom and creates books about her for her projects

My mom said if one more thing happens she is filing a restraining order. How should my mom go about this? I’m only asking because it is extremely frustrating to me that the school has done nothing but tell this girl she can’t take classes taught by my mom and that she can’t approach her. I imagine if this was a male student a lot more would have been done for her.

Answer:
 Forget "one more thing."

Restraining order. Police. Answer #2: If your mother works at the school, the behavior is probably non academic misconduct and the student could be kicked out.  In addition to contacting the police.  Other advice here too.


Title: Our heat is not working properly, and will likely need repairs. Lease states that we must pay first $2,000 Of any repairs made to the house. In Illinois, is heat exempt since this is something the landlord must legally provide?

Question: I am on mobile, so apologize if formatting is off. We were in a tight spot when we signed the lease, or I never would have agreed to the lease clause stating that we have to pay the first $2,000 for any repairs. We are even just going to use the broken dishwasher as a drying rack now, since we do not want to drop money into someone else's investment. I think, though, that since landlords are required to provide functional heating systems, then the clause is null and void in the instance of getting the furnace repaired. Any input would be so helpful.

Answer:
 > We are even just going to use the broken dishwasher as a drying rack now, since we do not want to drop money into someone else's investment

Will you be charge for this at the end of your lease anyway?Answer #2: If this is the case, couldn't the renter take the $2,000 worth of products they paid for when they leave?
IANAL, but this sounds like a slumlord and a loser. Answer #3: If you are in the city of Chicago, or even cook county you can look up laws regarding landlord's responsibilities.  If you are in Chicago my understanding is they are required to provide heat, and can face steep penalties for not doing so.  IANAL, but I bet other cities in IL have similar laws/ordinances on the books.  But it's probably going to be less likely to be the case the farther away you get from Chicago, downstate is unlikely unless you are in Springfield.


Title: Had a fender bender, other party did not want to call the police, now threatening legal action for non payment of medical bills [Atlanta, GA.]

Question:
So much as the title says, a few nights ago I had a small fender bender.
The car in front of me stopped short, it was raining, and I was unable to stop in time.
As I was only going roughly 15 mph, her car was scuffed but no body damage. Absolutely no damage to my car.

We pulled over and I gave her my insurance information, however she stated she didn’t feel it necessary to call the police and file a report.
Fine by me. There was no real damage other than a scuff that could easily be buffed out. Both her and I agreed.
We exchanged numbers and she promised to contact me with any additional information.

A few days later, she messages me and says that my insurance is refusing to speak to her without a police report, she’d like to know whether I’d contact them myself.

Sure, no problem.

She then says that she feels sore from the accident and that she’s going to the doctor and would like payment of her medical bills.
She says that she’s a full time student with a labor intensive job and cannot afford to take time off.

Keep in mind, I didn’t hit her car hard enough to even cause any body damage. I understand your body gets tense after an accident but this one wasn’t enough to send anyone to a hospital let alone have a spinal realignment.

She’s now telling me that she “cannot stop her grandfather” and that she will have to take legal action to get payment of her chiropractor bill.

Am I responsible for paying her medical bills? Does she have any legal standing without a police report?
Any advice would help!

Answer: \+Answer #2: Not wanting the police involved is a huge red flag. You should not agree to this unless you are going to be in trouble as well (other than a ticket for not controlling your car). When she said she agreed that it could be buffed out and she didn’t want the police you should have shook hands and walked away.  She’s trying to make some money off of your insurance. You should go ahead and file your claim and explain to them what happened so they know it’s a money grab. Then pass your claim number to her and cease contact due to her intimidation attempts.  Sure whiplash can set in later and it’s hard to prove neck and back injuries are not what the person claims. Your insurer has the resources to combat her threats and check her background as she may have a history of this and you may be somewhat vindicates. But like someone said you have professionals that will manage this for you so you don’t expose yourself to more than what’s due. Sure your rates may go up but you won’t get tangled up in a cash grab that cost cost you much more out of pocket and a lot of time and stress.


Title: Texas - A coworker accused me of stealing and I was interrogated at work

Question:
I know you're not supposed to talk to the police without a lawyer present, but I was so panicked when it happened. I found out that a coworker of mine lost a hard drive with important and valuable information on it, and he thinks someone at work stole it. The cops said it was of so much value it was a federal crime! With absolutely no warning, I was interrogated at work by the cops and was so freaked out I went home and cried.

After thinking about it, I'm actually a little mad. Shouldn't my supervisor have stopped the cops from interrogating me? I'm a city employee (librarian); should the city have provided a lawyer to me? I'm still very upset about what happened, and I'm starting to wonder if something illegal was done. I'm still trying to figure out if my workplace has any policy.

Answer:
>
>After thinking about it, I'm actually a little mad.

>Shouldn't my supervisor have stopped the cops from interrogating me?

Umm no? Why would they. You could have walked out at any time

I'm a city employee (librarian); should the city have provided a lawyer to me?

Again, no? Why would they? (Absent a union maybe)

Being questioned by the police isn't illegal. You just walk out if you don't like the questions


Title: Custody of family dog

Question: So I currently live at home with my parents however am searching currently for a place to get on my own and a number of years ago when I lived away from home my parents adopted a dog. This dog truly is my best friend, I take her on hikes, camping trips, errands, she comes to work with me (I'm a carpenter) my parents on the other hand however are very lazy and inactive people, never walk her or do things with her and I know if she stays with them she will just be tied up in their yard for the rest of her life. They never hurt her, or malnourish her but obviously the quality of her life would be much different and I really care for this dog much more than most humans in my life (seriously) so my question is, my mom I know will fight me on this because she's very confrontational by nature simply because she enjoys it and will claim to care and love her, what are my options exactly to acquire legal custody of a pet? I live in British Columbia, Canada.

Answer:
 >my parents adopted a dog

So. It is theirs. Same as if they bought a playstation and you loved playing it and they almost never played it. That doesnt make it yours.