Title: Is it legal for someone to patent a device they designed, but only because of prior scientific research that wasn't their own?

Question:
I currently have a design for a medical product, but there is a problem. I made up the design after reading some supposedly fiction pseudoscience. I went on to create a design in my head (I always find myself randomly sketching ideas and designs in my head). After searching the deep web I actually found out that the pseudoscience had a lot of truth behind it. there where multiple scientific research papers on the subject.

My question is it legal for me to apply for a patent for my medical device? Its design never changed after reading the research that was done. I have tried to find the researchers but they are Chinese and I cant find any contact info. For the record, I live in NJ,USA
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer:
 The law is indifferent to how you came to invent the thing.  You can dream it up, be inspired by fiction, be researching, work in the field, whatever.  It does not matter what sparked you to invent the thing.

As to whether it can be patented, the primary laws that apply would be 35 USC 101, 102, 103, and 112:

101 is patentable subject matter.  Medical devices are new useful inventions, and thus subject for patents, as long as they work.  So the only question here would be does your device actually work on any level.

102 is prior art.  The question is whether or not someone, in any publication anywhere, has described the exact same device as what you're trying to patent.  Have they?

103 is obviousness.  In general obviousness rejections come from combining multiple references to find all the features of your invention, though sometimes the patent examiner can attest to personal knowledge.  Obviousness gets really complicated and fact specific, so I can't give you much there.

112 is specificity.  You need to describe the invention in clear enough terms so that someone of ordinary skill in this field can make or use your invention without having to do any further inventing of their own.  112 is also used to reject applications where the claims are unclearly or ambiguously written.

You can always apply for a patent as long as you aren't lying in the application or being totally frivolous, which this wouldn't be.  If you pass the 4 tests above, then you should get the patent.  You'll almost surely need the assistance of a registered patent attorney or patent agent though, as preparing a successful and worthwhile application is very difficult.


Title: I want to join the military but I can't because I'm not a permanent resident.

Question: I need to go to the military. Army or marines. I'm no longer motivated to keep going with my life and I feel as if that will be the father figure I never had. I only have a workers permit and I want to know if there's a way I can go into the Military to obtain my residency or other options I have. California Palm Springs

Answer:
 When i was in military i met many who werent citizens that were enlisted. Met ppl from africa, uk, latin americas. You should go talk to a recruiter of the branch you wish to enlist in. There is probably a regulation on how they handle these cases that they can look up. Answer #2: This is not really a legal question as there is no way to FORCE the military to take you if they say no.  You do not have a right to join the US Armed Forces.  No one does.

Go talk to a recruiter and see what they say.  If you qualify for permanent residency, you can also begin that application process.


Title: [CA] Landlord bullying my sick aunt into staying in her apartment

Question:
For the past couple years, my aunt has been living in Irvine, CA, leasing an apartment from a corporate landlord. A little under a year ago, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. One major surgery and about half a dozen mega doses of chemo later, her tests are good, but she's been completely wiped out, emotionally and physically. The rest of our family lives in SC, so any of us taking time off to take care of her isn't really an option (though my mom did spend over two months out there with her after the initial surgery). Our family and my aunt's doctors have all agreed with her that moving home to SC is the best option for her, right now, so she can actually *rest*. In fact, my parents are flying out this weekend to finish packing, and my aunt will be flying back on Tuesday while they drive her car back.

Here's where we need advice. The landlord is in a snit because (and I can't believe she did this) my aunt contacted the utility providers about shutting off services to her apartment before talking to the landlord, and they found out through the utility companies. Not a wise move, IMO, but what's done is done. First, they said they wouldn't let her out without proof of disability. So she got letters from her doctors. Now, the landlord's got their corporate legal department involved, and they're saying they're not going to let her out of her lease period.

What can we do to get my aunt home and out of the lease? (Note: after today, she will be unemployed, so any way we can get her out at little to no personal expense is preferred.) Thanks!
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 > What can we do to get my aunt home and out of the lease?

Nothing.  She signed the lease, she's bound to it.  You can physically move out of the apartment and take her home.  She can turn the apartment over to the landlord, and the landlord is then required to try to re-rent under normal process.  If he re-rents it, she's off the hook.  Otherwise she pays rent until her lease is up.


Title: [MI] Worker's comp

Question:
A week ago, one of my friends suffered a head injury on-the-job. He needs a CAT scan for proper diagnosis, but can't afford one, and he doesn't have insurance.

Can he file a worker's comp claim for 100% of his medical expenses? And if so, does that work by reimbursement, or does that work by submitting the bills for direct payment? Or what?

UPDATE: His employer was aware. He took him to the doc, but didn't pay for a CT scan. I relayed everyone's advice to him.

His symptoms have cleared up significantly, though, so he doesn't think he needs to follow through. I can only tell him what your advice was. Can't make him follow it. He's still taking it easy for a few more days.

Thank you for all your advice.

Thank you in advance.

Answer:
 He should speak to an attorney that does Workers' Comp immediately. I don't practice in your state, but I presume he has to notify the employer of the injury within a certain timeframe or risk having the claim barred. In NY comp lawyers are paid only when the worker gets paid (they take a fee out of money awarded to the worker). Doing some quick googling it looks like it's the same in Michigan so he doesn't need to put out any money to hire a lawyer.

Workers' Compensation can be very tricky and it's not something you should handle on your own. Tell your buddy to get a lawyer asap.


Title: Is it normal when calling the state bar association to look for a lawyer for them to charge you?

Question: I'm looking for a lawyer, and following the advice constantly given here, I called the state bar to ask for a referral to a local lawyer. They wanted $50 for doing so. Is this sort of thing normal?

Answer: The Bar to charge? Thats weird. Some of the referral attorneys may charge for the consultation, thats totally usual.


Title: My Friend ordered an illegal pizza

Question:
My friend cracks accounts online and with this gets dominos accounts. He came over my house and went on my computer, went on one of these accounts he has and ordered the free pizzas they had to my house. Now im worried that since the have my address and we took the free pizzas they will call the police. Help.
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer: Not an unreasonable fear.  Should the cops show up you should refuse to talk to them and then get an attorney.  Be prepared to snitch out your friend if you don't want to go to jail for fraud.


Title: CA-What rights does my ex have of my daughter in his condition?

Question: My ex and I officially divorced in June. The terms are I have full physical custody  and we both have legal custody. Visitation only states "reasonable" gor him. The reason we seperated in Dec 2014 is because he was on drugs. He is still on drugs. I can only say I'm 99% sure because I've been told he is by his brother and one of his friends. He's lost a lot of weight and his face looks awful. He's homeless and has no job. He still expects to be able to see and talk to our daughter on the phone whenever. I feel that since I am her primary caregiver, I have the right to keep him away from her considering his lifestyle. Am I legally able to do this?

Answer: What is reasonable will ultimately be defined by the judge.  But, IMO, not allowing any phone contact is pretty unreasonable.  You have every right to get on the phone, make sure he is sober, and perhaps even monitor the calls (with his knowledge).  But since reasonable visitation is required, you don't have the right to cut off all contact.


Title: ex-gf wont give my car back, wont return calls. Please help... :(

Question: I live in NY.  My girlfriend of four years left me for a (not very talented) bass player seven months ago.  I have tried to be nice and have let her use one of my cars for a majority of that time.  When I bought it I put both of our names on the title.  The loan is in my name and I have a bank history of making all of the payments over the last three years.  I have had her on my insurance and have statements of paying the insurance for both of us and the car in full from my account.  The car is registered to NYS in my name.  I have attempted to get the car back and she will not respond or return the car.  Am I screwed since we are both on the title?  Can I report the car stolen since it is registered to me, I pay for it, and I pay for the insurance?  I am assuming I am screwed and will have to go to court... Please advise me.  And yes.... I know it was stupid to put her in the title.  Buy hey, at least its not a house or kid right...?  Please offer any advice you can.  My step-dad is a partner in a law firm so I have that going for me if that's my only option but I would love to be able to call the police and have them help me recover the vehicle or report it stolen.  I am afraid to cancel the insurance figuring I will still be liable if she hits someone.  I also assume I cannot cancel the registration without being able to turn in the plates.  I do know her current address which is where the car is parked.  Can I just show up there with a key and take it?  Apparently chivalry is dead....Thanks guys and girls!!!

Answer:
 >Am I screwed since we are both on the title?

More or less.

>Can I just show up there with a key and take it?

Yes, but take a copy of the title with you to show the cop that pulls you over after she reports it stolen.


Title: My brother took his life less than 24 hours from being released from the hospital.

Question:
My brother had been suffering with schizophrenia for several years. Going in and out of hospitals, sometimes committing himself and other times being forced in. He has attempted to take his life in the past multiple times. He recently took his own life within a 24 hour period of being released from the latest hospital.

I do not know if my family and I want to take legal action against the hospital. But I was not sure if we had a case or how long we have before we would lose the ability to do anything. No amount of money we sue for will bring him back, but they should be held responsible if they were proven to have done anything wrong. Hopefully to prevent this from happening again to another family.

I am trying to keep this very vague and using an alt account. I will say his home, and the hospital is in Massachusetts. Any help is appreciated.

Answer: I’m sorry for your loss. It’s exceedingly unlikely that the hospital will bear liability for this, but if you’re determined to pursue this avenue, consult with an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice.


Title: Legality of dashcams in California

Question:
Apologies if this has been asked before. I did a search on the Internet and I got a whole bunch of conflicting info.

Basically I wanna get a dash for my car. I want to put it somewhere behind my rear view (a clip on? Hopefully also able to put my parking placard as well)

I want it to record with no audio by default whenever I am driving.

I want it to be as inconspicuous as possible since shit gets stolen here.

Is this legal? I kept reading that I can only record 30s (how is this useful?), can record audio, cannot record audio, must have notice that I am recording, must make the camera visible, etc. It's really confusing all the conflicting advice.

Basically I want the dash cam for two purposes. To cover my ass and to sometimes make beautiful videos on drives.

Thanks!

Edit: Bay Area to be exact if municipal laws matter.

Answer:
 California is a "two party consent" state.

That means that you cannot record audio of anyone unless you have their permission.  Video in public places is legal and allowed.


Title: [North Carolina] Latest developments with apartment fire saga

Question:
Link to the last thread: https://np.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/6e7o4c/north_carolina_my_apartment_complex_burned_down/

Like you guys said in the last thread, our renters insurance eventually came through to help with claims. They hired ServPro to handle moving what was salvageable and cleaning various items (furniture, clothing, books, etc.). We have filed a claim with State Farm for the items that are not salvageable and they reimbursed us a couple weeks ago.

So here is where we are now:

- ServPro returned furniture that was "cleaned" that had dirt and soot all over it. It's obvious that no one ever touched it.
- ServPro returned furniture and items that did not belong to us. When we told them about this, they seemed baffled by who it could belong to and took it back.
- ServPro returned almost every piece of furniture damaged (including antiques). This isn't cheap Ikea furniture, this is high quality furniture that survived half a dozen moves across the country with no problems. One of the beds won't even assemble anymore. Parts to the bookcases are missing. Every dresser has at least one handle missing.
- When we called them to let them know about the damage, they sent someone to take pictures of the dressers and take sample handles so they could have one of their people make matching pieces. It's been a month since they took those and haven't returned them.
- Two months after the fire, they finally delivered the suits and dry cleaning. There are at least two $500 jackets missing that were supposed to be included in the dry cleaning.
- They still haven't delivered other missing items we have told them about, and don't seem to have an explanation of where they are.

We've tried being reasonable with ServPro, letting them know about all of the issues as they come up, but this level of incompetence isn't something that can be reasoned with apparently. I'm at the end of my rope in terms of dealing with them. They don't return phone calls, never have answers, and take weeks to get back to us. We called State Farm to see if we could claim the damaged/missing items, but they told us that was an issue we needed to take up with ServPro.

My questions are:

- What are my rights when dealing with this company? Is there any way to move this process along and make them take this issue seriously?
- If renters insurance will not cover items missing/damaged via ServPro, and ServPro won't even return basic phone calls, who is responsible? They're both saying that the other has to pay for the items, not them.
- It is time to hire a lawyer, and if so, what kind?

Answer:
 > What are my rights when dealing with this company? Is there any way to move this process along and make them take this issue seriously?

Rights as any. Try sending a demand letter. Letters are better than phone calls sometimes

> If renters insurance will not cover items missing/damaged via ServPro, and ServPro won't even return basic phone calls, who is responsible? They're both saying that the other has to pay for the items, not them.

ServPro is. This is a seperate claim. You might be able to file a claim with your insurer but I don't this is covered.

>It is time to hire a lawyer, and if so, what kind?

Thats on you. General contracts lawyer. Answer #2: If the insurance company provided ServPro, isn't ServPro working for the Insurance company? Even though the insurance company has subcontracted this work to ServPro, they are still on the hook to make you whole.

I would keep on the insurance company. Keep after them and keep telling them that *their* contractor has not made you whole and has in addition caused additional damages.Answer #3: It depends on exactly what's wrong with the items. If ServPro just screwed them up, then your fight is with them and insurance isn't involved. If the items weren't returned because they ultimately were too damaged from the fire, then you would need to add them to your claim against insurance, _but_ you'd need ServPro's help to document that.

So either way you gotta start with them. Figure out some potential damages and evaluate whether Small Claims is a good fit. If not, then look into a torts lawyer.


Title: Couldn't the Texas shooter's wife authorize Apple to unlock his phone?

Question:
Presuming he doesn't have a will:  since the Texas shooter is deceased, shouldn't his phone, and other property, now belong to his next of kin, which is normally the spouse.     As the lawful, undisputed, owner of the phone, shouldn't his wife be able to authorize Apple to unlock the phone?

It's different from the San Bernardino shooters, as they were alive, and willfully not cooperating.

Answer:
 To expand on what u/thepatman said:

From what I understand at this point Apple does not have a tool that they can use to unlock and decrypt a customer's phone.

Reading between the lines in their announcements about it, it sounds like this is a deliberate choice, as if a tool existed they could be compelled by the government in some legal fashion (IANAL) to utilize it.  However, as the tool does not exist, the government cannot compel them to create one.

It's a small distinction and Apple has stated that it would only take a month or two to develop such a tool, but as long as it doesn't exist it can't be used to compromise the privacy and security of their users.

Apple has already announced that they have the ability to turn over the contents of a user's iCloud account.  As the majority of data on the phone syncs to iCloud that should be a viable option, and I'm not quite sure why they haven't already done so for the Texas shooter.  It's unlikely but possible that he had disabled syncing.

Personally I think that Apple's decision to not develop a tool to break into a user's phone is the right thing to do.  There is no way to absolutely guarantee that the tool will only be used for proper and ethical purposes, and there's no way to guarantee that the tool will not get stolen or leaked.  Every black hat hacker in the world would give their favorite organs to get their hands on that tool.


Title: Repo Man Stole Our Rent Money

Question:
Im incredibly furious right now so I'll try to keep this short. Im in Tampa, FL

I gave my roommate my half of the rent money last night, and he put it in the center console. This morning we go out to the car and its repo'd. Called the repo place and they claim theres $900 out of the original $1200 there. We had the money in a labeled ziplock bag with the amounts on it. Any chance I can do something about this? Or am I just out $300?

They claim they were on camera, but obviously there isn't a camera inside his car. Now theyre threatening to press false allegation charges.

What are my options guys?

Answer:
 I'm confused why the "stolen" $300 would come out of your portion of the rent rather than your roommates when he was the one in possession of the rent money, it was his responsibility to keep it safe, he failed to pay his car payment which resulted in this happening. At the very least, why aren't you splitting it so you each pitch in another $150 to meet the rent this month? I personally think he should be the one responsible but if you feel like being nice, splitting it $150 each would be the most I would do. No way should you cover the full $300.Answer #2: The reality is you’re probably out of luck. There’s really no way to prove who stole the money.

Some advice though - never EVER pay your rent (or any large payment) in cash. It leaves no paper trail. What if your landlord claims you missed a rent payment. There’s no way you can prove he’s wrong. If you pay electronically or by check, everything will have a record and it’ll be very easy to prove. This entire situation, for instance, could never have happened.


Title: Can my boss require a doctors note for an appointment if it is not company policy? [NH]

Question:
I've had a few doctors appointments lately, for things I do not wish to discuss with my employer. Company policy in the handbook they give out to all employees states that a note is required only if you have been absent for three consecutive full days. I was out early afternoon Friday and had another appointment this morning. The company is not open weekends. I got a text from my supervisor saying that I needed to bring doctors notes for Friday and today if I want to return to work. Nobody else must submit doctors notes for appointments. Can he do this, and fire me if I don't?
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 >Can he do this, and fire me if I don't?

Yes and yes.

Your manager obviously suspects that you are lying about seeing doctors and are using the time off to get a really long weekend.

The company policy states that doctors notes are required for 3 days+ absences, not that they are never required for shorter absences.

The manager has the right to exercise their discretion and ask for documentation is cases like yours.

As other posters said, the doctor's note does not need to say anything about your medical problem, just that you had a medical appointment at a given time, so your privacy is protected.

If you want to keep your job, get those doctor's notes.Answer #2: You didn't provide a location but in the US this is legal. The note does't have to say why you saw a doctor just that you saw the doctor.


Title: [NJ] Being laid off at a convenient time

Question:
Ok, so I am a high school Junior, and my mom was laid off today. Her workplace was a community college, who was laying off ~20 people because of the lack of students recently. Since she has worked there (9.5 years or so) she has put away money from each paycheck, which the college will double if she works there for 10 years. I was also planning on going there free of charge in 2 years, because of her position. She is the only one in her workplace that does what she does, and the only one that knows how to fill that essential role. I do not know whether or not any laws are being broken or anything, or it just shitty practice by the college or what, but I figured that you guys would know.

Thanks for reading

Answer:
 > she has put away money from each paycheck, which the college will double if she works there for 10 years

Forget about the Union Rep, complain all the way up to the union management about her severance 6 months from a trigger like that.


Title: [New York] Few questions on rights in a divorce after having only been married 9 months. Getting kicked out of house.

Question:
So this is for my mom. She was married for 9 months and served with divorce papers 2 months ago. They have no children together. The house was his to begin with prior to marriage.

1. He is trying to convince her that they should use the same lawyer because he states that she is not entitled to anything anyways and it would just cost her more money. What is the validity to this statement?

2. Would she have to leave the house prior to signing any divorce papers because he is trying to tell her she has to leave? For example, if he was to sell the house before they actually got divorced, would she be kicked out or have a right of anything that is sold while still married.

3. Likewise, can he sell the house if she hasn't signed divorce papers? She is not listed on the mortgage.

4. Is she entitled to anything? Or do you have any more questions that I would need to answer.

Thank you so much, this is much appreciated.

Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 New York is an equitable division state now, not community property.  That means it's up to the judge to determine what is fair in the distribution of assets. The general factors they'll look at:

- The income and property of each spouse at the date of marriage and the date of the divorce filing.

- The age and health of each spouse.

- The domestic requirements of the custodial parent.

- Whether alimony has been awarded.

- Likely future financial needs of each spouse. -

 See more at: http://statelaws.findlaw.com/new-york-law/new-york-marital-property-laws.html#sthash.svJ0gYE2.dpuf

Your mother needs to get her own lawyer to represent her. Your stepfather may be very we entitled to keep the house, but it's in his best interest to try and get her to agree with whatever he wants. She should be hearing all of that from an unbiased source.


Title: Can my family be evicted for having a crying baby? (Santa Clara County, California)

Question:
My husband and I have been living on the bottom floor of a 2 story apartment building for about 5 years. We’ve never had any complaints from our neighbors regarding noise. Around late July, we had a new neighbor move in above us. Her bedroom is directly above our master bedroom where my husband, 16 month old son, and I sleep. Our son, for the most part, sleep well at night. Sometimes he’ll stir, yelp a bit, and puts himself back to sleep. Other times he’ll wake up crying, my husband would warm up a bottle (2-3 minutes), and he’ll stop crying as soon as the bottle hits his mouth and then passes out.

However, lately, he’s been catching back-to-back colds along with teething. He's congested and has trouble breathing. Our new neighbor would purposely pound on our ceiling (her floor) as soon as our baby starts to cry. This made things worse because it scares our baby and it takes even longer to put him back to sleep. She’ll pound our ceiling about 4 or 5 times and stop. The last straw was when she went ape shit one night and kept pounding continuously as I’m holding and trying to comfort and soothe my son to stop crying. I’d take two steps in one direction and she’ll follow his cries and would pound furiously. I take a few steps back and she’ll follow me and pound like crazy. Finally, my husband rushes in with a bottle, my son takes it, and he stops crying. However, she didn’t stop and kept pounding our ceiling. My son falls back asleep and she’s still pounding away for about a minute. I can hear her stomping/pacing back and forth as she’s doing it. My husband was angry and wanted to confront her, but I stopped him and told him to take it up with our landlady.

He wrote her an email (as she prefers complaints in writing) and I spoke with her on the phone. A few days ago, our landlady stops by and says our neighbor unloaded her grievances on her and later emailed her a 3 page log of the times our son cried in the middle of the night which dated back to early August. Some incidences she allegedly claimed he cried for 45 mins, an hour, an hour and half, etc. Our son would never cry for that long, but it’s obviously her words against ours. Our landlady consulted a lawyer and hinted to us that if this doesn’t get better, than she’ll have to evict both us AND the neighbor.

She also spoke with the another upstairs neighbor whose bedroom is slightly above our master bedroom. This neighbor is aware of our baby cries and has a white noise machine set up and wears earplugs to sleep, but she said she doesn't complain because "neighbor noises are a part of apartment living". Our landlady suggested that we move our son to our living room to sleep as a remedy.

My son and I have been sleeping on a fold out mat on the floor of our living room for the past two days and it’s been hell. He isn’t sleeping through the night and is waking up more frequently than usual. I’ve had a total of 7 hours of combined sleep in the past two days. The bottle will put him out, but he’ll immediately get agitated and wake up crying minutes later. His sense of security in our bedroom is obviously not present. He refuses to sleep in our portable crib. He actually cries even louder when we lay him in it. My husband and I can’t function at work and we can’t get any proper sleep. Our son went from waking up once a night to over ten times a night and sleep is critical at his age.

My questions are… What rights do we have as tenants in terms of having a crying baby? Should we move out? Can we get evicted if we keep our son in our room? Should we consult a lawyer? What other options do we have left? Thank you for reading.

Answer:
 I'd start keeping my own log. Document what she is doing. Pounding the ceiling does not help settling a baby back to sleep.
Especially if she maliciously continues for minutes after he stopped. Try filming your son when he just settled back, preferably next to a clock, while she continues pounding.

IANAL, but this might give you some proof, that she is being for the lack of a better term a b****. I have a 17 month old myself and I've went off on people before for waking up my teething and sick child. Poor jehovas witnesses, but you don't ring the doorbell for a minutes straight when there's a sign on the door telling you to knock because the baby is napping. Answer #2: Is there a noise provision in your lease agreement?

If not, there is still a *right to peaceful enjoyment.* I know you aren't intentionally trying to make noise, but usually in general if there is a verifiable nuisance or noise that is bothering a neighboring tenant to the degree that they might move, the landlord may have an obligation to deal with it.


Title: [Netherlands] Sexual harassment before even signing a work contract (as in, during job interview) with international company: do I have any rights? I'm angry and pretty much in shock.

Question:
A summary I feel comfortable sharing:

During my first interview my interviewer, the owner of the small company (my boss-to-be), touched me very inappropriately. I brushed his hand away, but otherwise pretended nothing happened because I was in shock and really didn't know what else to do.

Then I was soon offered the job and had to meet up with the guy again to iron out some details, at which point I decided to talk about the issue instead of walking away from the job I really wanted - I figured everyone makes mistakes, and maybe it was something that could be sorted out.

Well, seems I was wrong, wrong, wrong. Boss-to-be touched me very, VERY inappropriately, told me he loves me and when I point blank told him I had absolutely no interest in him he criticized my body.

If I had a contract with the company I could sue for sexual harassment, I guess, but since I don't, do I have any legal rights to sue or report him to anyone, and if so, to whom (the company has no HR department)? Do I have any rights, and if so, what rights, in this case? Or is my only option to walk away, leaving him to put someone else through the same horrible experience?

Thanks!

UPDATE: in the Netherlands what happened in my case is indeed assault and it's a criminal, not a legal, case so I cannot sue but I can press charges (which could result in the guy's arrest).

Btw, those who go through this awful ordeal (it's affected me more than I could ever have imagined) can call the Centrum Seksueel Geweld (http://www.centrumseksueelgeweld.nl/) for support - they speak English and the lady on the phone was an absolute angel.

Answer:
 I know nothing of Netherlands law, but you should probably not take the job and send an email to his bosses saying "I did not take this job because I was assaulted during the interview."

The bosses might make it right and offer you a better deal while firing that guy.  If they don't, you definitely don't wanna work there anyway.

Also, call the police. Answer #2: You can contact [het Juridisch Loket](https://www.juridischloket.nl/) (website in Dutch) for free legal advice.

You could also walk by a police station or call the non-emergency number (0900 8844) to ask for advice, they will probably be able to tell you whether they can press charges for you or if it's purely a civil matter. Answer #3: You need to provide a summary of the situation and ask a clear legal question.


Title: (NV) My employers wants to take tax payments for every cash tip I receive from my paycheck

Question: Like the title says, my employers recently told all of the bartenders that we have to report all of our cash tips and they will deduct the taxes from our paychecks. They said it’s about $0.40 per $1 of tax. Meaning if I get about $50 they’ll take $20 from my paycheck as tax payment. Is that allowed? It doesn’t sit right with me. I know the law says employers aren’t allowed to deduct or do anything to the employees paycheck. I also get paid hourly but having about $80 taking from my paycheck every two weeks sucks. I know we’re supposed to report tips but I don’t think it’s allowed for them to take tax payments for OUR cash tips; only on credit card tips which we don’t have anyways. I need advice because this new rule is really hurting my paycheck and it’s making me just decline all cash tips which also sucks.

Answer:
 It is legal and they should be doing it. Otherwise, if you are honest on your taxes, you're underwithheld and end up owing money.  This is so you won't.

If, after a full year, you find they are withholding too much (e.g. you are getting big refunds) you can adjust your withholding accordingly.


Title: [Las Vegas, NV] Can a 14 year-old start an online business?

Question:
Throwaway for reasons.

I'm 14, and I'm a writer. I just finished writing a book, and I'd like to sell it on my website, but I need to know a few things.

1) Could/should I start a business-grade Paypal account, or should I stick with a student account? If the latter, could I receive payment via my website?

2) Are there any legal documents I need to file to begin selling on my site?

3) Do I need my parents to sign any of these documents?

4) Do I need to pay income taxes at the start of the next fiscal year? If so, what percentage of my revenue should I expect to lose?

5) How much would the process of filing the required documents cost, from start to finish?

6) Is it illegal to proceed without doing any of the above steps? If so, felony or misdemeanor? I will assume it's fraud, so a felony.

7) Provided all the above conditions are met (except the felony, of course), how long could I expect this process to take? A month or more?

8) If I am actually approved to start this business, what should I expect from the authorities every year? Taxes, audits, etc.?

Bonus round: 9) If I can't start my own business, could I sell on Amazon?

Answer:
 This is not legal advice, more personal advice.

You are going to have a hard time selling your work. When it comes to authors, name recognition is key. It would be more beneficial for you to attempt to try to submit your work to publishers instead of trying to sell it yourself.

Not trying to crush your dreams, just telling you how it is.

Have you talked to your parents?


Title: FL - Is there any type of medical aid that can be received for migraine headaches?

Question: Sorry if this is the wrong sub for this question, if there's a better sub for it just let me know. All my life I have suffered from migraines. I will randomly get the worst pain in one eye or the other and be unable to do anything but sit in a completely dark and quiet room until the pain subsides. The migraines are really starting to affect my work. When I first got the job, I told them about my problem and they were very understanding and have been until a few days ago. I had to call out due to waking up with a terrible migraine, and I understand why they are getting tired of it. It probably happens once every month. They told me that if I don't figure something out soon, I will be fired. I'm sure I could find another job, but I know that this cycle will just happen again. So I'm starting to wonder if there is any aid I can get because I am unable to sustain I job with this problem. I'm really at the end of my rope and feeling really down about everything. It feels like I'm never going to be able to do anything at all as long as I get migraines. And most people don't understand how terrible the pain is. They think I'm just having a normal headache that I can work through. I have medication that I take for the migraines, and sometimes they do work. But other times they have no effect at all. Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer: You should probably talk to a neurologist, not an attorney.  If it is so debilitating that you can't work you can apply for social security disability income.


Title: [IA] Can I work for free voluntarily when I'm off the clock?

Question: My place of work has lots of employees who are there off the clock and will occasionally (of their own free will) help with things that need to be done. Is this legal? I personally sometimes do this and want to know if me volunteering working off the clock will be legal.

Answer:
 If the employer suffers you to work (allows you to work), they need to pay you.  Minimum wage and overtime also apply.  This is to avoid various exploitative situations where employers push people to do work off the clock.

The employer should not permit people to "volunteer" to work off the clock.  The employer is liable regardless of whether they're "volunteering" or not.


Title: A face mask gave me a chemical burn- what can I do?

Question: The other day I tried a skin Illuminating peel off mask, 10 minutes later (suggested time to dry) it started burning really badly. I took it off and my face was extremely red and had multiple red bumps on it- when my skin usually is about 90% clear. It’s been two days and now parts of my face are still extremely red and bumpy, and had some blisters. It also feels like sand paper on some parts. I contacted the company and have only emailed me back once in 3 days (I emailed them the day it happened). Is there anything else I can do?

Answer: You can consult with a personal injury attorney.   That's likely only worth it if the injury turns out to leave permanent scarring or requires expensive medical treatment.   But that's the next step if both asking politely and asking less than politely fail.


Title: Was chased by mall security with a taser today because I supposedly stole a jacket

Question:
I have pretty bad anxiety, to the point where It gets physical, breathing, heart rate, state of mind, trembling etc. just leading up to anxiety inducing events. I’m also 17 and have visitation time with my dad every weekend, who I had a restraining order against in the past for basically holding me hostage in my room, and physically guiding me where he wanted me to walk.

Today, I was supposed to meet him for dinner at the specific restaurant that we meet at every weekend and my mom dropped me off, I walked in and heard him call my name and lost it. I had a panic attack and just kept walking, straight out the back door and then broke out sprinting. He started running after me, yelling, “why are you running away” and filming me with his phone. I kept freaking out and went into the Parkin garage, ran up the stairs and up to the top floor, I ran past mall security, and almost stopped to ask for help, but I just couldn’t stop running, so I ran past them and to the stairwell, when I hear “STOP” in a super loud, foreign voice, I froze and freaked out, mall security was running at me full speed with a taser, way faster than Ive ever seen someone run. I stopped in the middle of the stairwell and put my hands up, having a panic attack, couldn’t breathe, he told me that I stole the jacket I was holding in my hand, it was the one I had brought with me in case it got cold, so I dropped the jacket and ran. I got back in the car with my mom and explained what happened as my dad pulled up in his car, he started following us around the parking lot, so I called the police and told them what was going on, so they boxed him in and talked to both of us, and let me go and held him back so he didn’t follow us. Do I have grounds for a restraining order? I can’t take it anymore, it’s the only way to stop visitation, because I’m 17 and my parents can’t get a court date until after I turn 18 because of how long it takes to actually get a date.

Answer:
 >I can’t take it anymore, it’s the only way to stop visitation, because I’m 17 and my parents can’t get a court date until after I turn 18 because of how long it takes to actually get a date.

Tell your mom you no longer want to have visitation with your dad. If your dad takes her to court over it you are old enough to offer your input to be taking into consideration. Going by how you described this past incident there not enough to warrant a restraining order.


Title: Can I get into legal trouble at work for this prank?(I'm quitting)

Question:
I am leaving my job and the past few years have been hell. I want to print up a thousand photos of random dicks from the internet and post them around the store in the office and warehouse where customers are unlikely to see. It is still possible they can, but not likely. I want to make it so they are still finding dicks years from now. Is there any chance I get into legal trouble from this?

PS I have been harassed, berated, yelled at, etc. at this job. There is no excuse for my immaturity except that I want to leave this place getting innocent-ish revenge.

If I can get into trouble, what any additional ideas for pranks would be great :D

I live in California if that matters.

Answer: Posting pictures of penises is verging into sexual harrasment territory. It depends on the workplace as to what kind of action they'd take, but I probably wouldn't risk it. Answer #2: You could fake being an adult.  That should surprise everybody...


Title: Paypal Fraud

Question: So, My wife let another individual use our Paypal account to run that individuals business out of. That individual for a time ran it legit and there were no issues. The Individual attached their home address and bank account to the Paypal as well. Then in one month sold 1600$ worth of merchandise and never shipped it and withdrew the money and removed their bank information and addresses. Leaving my wife owning 1600$ to Paypal. My address California, Individuals address is in Tennessee. What exactly should I be planning to do Small Claims in TN or CA? And/Or what should I be charging them with? Theft? Larceny? Embezzlement? Any help would be appreciated.

Answer: Why didn't they just make their own PayPal account?


Title: Abducted and trafficked over the Mexican border 10 years ago by serial sexual predator, three years later he took a 25-year plea agreement for capital murder and sexual assault. He will be eligible for parole in four years. Is there anything more I can do to keep him in Prison?

Question:
I"m from Texas. A man made a habit of taking young boys to Mexico and keeping them there as his sex slaves, I've known two of these boys, not including myself. He was only charged with one count of sexual assault that took place on US soil (on me) and capital murder. Since he had pled guilty to the murder, the other two counts of sexual assault where dropped and he received 25 years for the murder, and 20 years for my sexual assault (to be served concurrently). The trial focused mostly on the murder and not the child abductions. He's eligible for parole in 2021. Is there anyway he could be charged with trafficking of a minor, or for any of the abuse that took place on Mexican territory?

My question is really if there is anyway he could be charged with any additional charges that could lengthen his sentence? He abducted me and held me in Mexico City for about three months. He did this to two other boys that I know of, there may be more, and all within a year of each other. During this time I was raped endlessly and he used forms of psychological warfare to force me into submission. The emotional scarring from his compliance tactics was the worst of it and still sticks with me today. This is a very dangerous man who I know will never stop raping young boys.

A side note: His family was aware of where I was the entire time even as my parents searched relentlessly for me. His mother actually came to visit him and I in Mexico. Is there anyway she could be charged 10 years after the fact? Thank you.

Edit: I'm not really understanding all the down votes, but whatever.

Edit 2: [np.reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/5q9rsf/comment/dcxl29u?st=IYKT7OD7&sh=57fa4adc)  <<<<Context

Answer: You can try to get him labelled as a [sexually violent person](https://www.dshs.texas.gov/csot/csot_ccact.shtm). In Massachusetts, if you are labelled as a sexually dangerous person, you are pretty much never getting out. I am not familiar with Texas procedure.Answer #2: Because of the countless times he was able to cross back into the United States under a different name to commit the same offense I'm not sure how comfortable the government would be in releasing him into Mexican custody.


Title: My son can't renew his drivers license because of unpaid fine when he was 14. How is this possible?

Question: My son was in a school yard altercation when he was 14 which resulted in him serving some time doing community service.  I don't recall there being any other consequences.  Now he is 21 and trying to renew his drivers license and he can't until he pays a fine in Colorado for an offense that he was clearly a minor when it occurred.  Why wouldn't they inform me if he had an unpaid fine and how can they hold him responsible for something like this when he was a minor?

Answer:
 >Why wouldn't they inform me if he had an unpaid fine

Why would they? He's an adult.

>how can they hold him responsible for something like this when he was a minor?

He/you didn't pay it.Answer #2: These fines would be pretty pointless if there were no consequences to not paying them. Answer #3: > how can they hold him responsible

Easily, he's responsible. Tell him to pay his fine or give him the money to pay it.


Title: Gender No Match Letters (recommended xpost from asktrans)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > However, with no work history or education, I cannot find work. I don't get called back, EVER.

That's probably because you have no work history or education, rather than a hypothetical blacklist.  Any chance you can go back to school to learn a trade?
Answer #2: If your state prohibits employment discrimination against trans people, you could bring action against an employer who refused to hire you on that basis. that would be very hard, though, and I don't think a lot of states _do_ prohibit that kind of discrimination.  and that's what your legal recourse would boil down to.

it seems unlikely that an employer (esp a large one) would keep red flags on employee files if they suspected someone was trans. that would be a huge scandal if it got out.

do you have lgbt advocates in your area?  they can help you with job searching. though I'm sure you know that.


Title: Received out-of-state speeding ticket that will result in suspension, but am not able to fight it

Question:
Posted a similar post a few weeks ago:

Basically, I received a speeding ticket for 81 in a 70 on a primary highway in Laramie, Wyoming.  This speeding ticket isn't a big deal in Wyoming, as they have very high maximum limits so the fine is very minimal.  However, I found out that in my home state (North Carolina) any kind of speeding 80 mph+ is a big deal and results in an automatic suspension, more than likely due to the lower maximum speed limits in NC.

I called the DA's office and it's "their policy" that they won't handle any speeding tickets over the phone and will only talk to me about it at 9 am on the morning of the court date.  I'm currently in northern Glacier National Park, a 12.5 hour one-way drive to the Laramie courthouse and working 50+ hours a week so not really able to have enough time to make a 25-30 hour round trip down there.  But, if my license gets suspended I will be effectively trapped here, as I live about 15 miles (25 minutes) away from anyone, so I will have no way to work or to get back home once my money runs out (as I'm just working for the summer plus a couple months).

It seems my only option now is to possibly hire an attorney to show up to court for me and ask them to lower 2 mph off the citation (which I believe they would easily do over the phone if it wasn't "policy"), but that's going to be fairly expensive on top of the fine.  Does anyone have any other advice?  Should I keep trying to get through the DA's office and see if they'll budge on their policy and negotiate it over the phone?  Is there someone more specific I should try to get in touch with?  Thanks!

Also, already called the circuit courts, and they weren't much help.

Answer: The offence isn't driving 81, it's driving 11 faster than you should've been. Get your lawyer to clarify that much for you over the phone, then go from there. Answer #2: You're going to just have to bite the bullet and hire an attorney. You can't force them to negotiate over the phone if they don't want to. Typically court sessions for traffic offenses are very high volume and the DAs don't even look at the tickets until they show up to the courtroom.


Title: Once you give your job notice..

Question: Is it legal in TX for your current employer to bully you into telling them where you are going to work?

Answer: Define "bully."


Title: [Georgia] Can i get child support adjusted in < 3 years if she didnt have a job but now she does plus i have two more kids?

Question:
Been just over a year since DCSS determined my child support amount. At the time she was unemployed and I was making $67k/yr. Now I think she's making probably $15 to $20/hr as a senior care nurse. To further complicate matters I did have three biological children in my custody and now I have two more kids plus legal guardianship with financial responsibility of another. I have a total of 7 kids, 5 biological + 1 guardianship, in my house under my care/custody. She has 5 kids, all biological, under her roof.

The support was high (in my opinion) considering how many others I had to support at over $700/month. I've been underemployed/unemployed most of the year making things extremely hard for the kids in my house much less her house. They have two incomes, I'm the only source of income in my home.

I just can't sustain that high of support any more. Do I have reasonable grounds to request am adjustment be made considering both of our circumstances have changed?

Answer:
 > Do I have reasonable grounds to request am adjustment be made considering both of our circumstances have changed?

Yes.

Also Jesus Christ learn to use a condom.


Title: Is my father entitled to 20 years of overtime pay?

Question:
My father started working for a company roughly 35 years ago in NJ. When he started at that company, he was a salaried employee. Around 20 years ago, his original company got bought out by a competitor, and everyone got switched to the competitor's system. My father continued to work on a salaried payroll. During his time working for both companies, he routinely worked 47-50 hours per week. Recently (within the last two months) he noticed getting overtime pay on his paycheck. He was concerned this was a mix up from his employer, and the extra pay would be taken from his next paycheck, so he called them up. When he reached the HR department, he was told that it was no mistake, and that while his position at his original company was salaried, that same position at the second company was considered to be an hourly position. They found this mix up during a routine check of their systems. He will continue to get overtime pay from here on out. My question is, is my father entitled to the overtime pay he did not receive over the last 20 years, when by the companies own admission he should have been paid hourly since his transition? If he is entitled to the overtime, what should his next course of action be?

Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 It's not nearly that cut and dry. It's possible the second company erred on the side of caution and your father's position was exempt all along and they just decided to pay overtime because they were very risk averse. What are his job duties? Have they changed in the last 20 years? Has he been promoted?

At the end of the day though a Federal overtime claim can only go back 2 years. You didn't provide your state but no state lets you go back 20.


Title: Seeking Rights as a graduate student for tuition coverage as a result of committee negligence

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 TL:DR I'm capable of completing graduate level work but unable to manage my own schedule or act like an adult.

I'm sorry, but there isn't a program in the world that will accept responsibility for something like this. See if there are organizations on campus (reslife, summer events) that are hiring TAs/RAs if you need the tuition waiver.Answer #2: I'm curious why you think it's the job of your advisor to tell you about due dates and remind you to fill out paperwork.


Title: My dad was married for 3 months then died. What do I have a right to? California

Question:
My dad passed away early September with no will. He apparently (didnt mention it to us) married a girl he knew for 6 months and was married for 3 months. My Aunt and the wife (let's call her Jill) excluded my brother and I from the funeral and now my dads things. All my brother and I want are a few things to remember him by. But My aunt and Jill think I have no claim to anything. Legally what am I entitled to? How do I fight this? I dont care about ruining my relationship with my aunt because the last thing she said to me was to F*** off.
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 In CA, here is how it works when someone dies intestate with a spouse and two or more children:

* spouse inherits all of their community property and 1/3 of their separate property
* children inherit 2/3 of their separate property

Property is considered separate when it is: acquired prior to marriage. You and your brother should be entitled to 2/3 of his property acquired before marriage. See a probate attorney ASAP. Time is of the essence.


Title: [AZ] "pre signed" parts of a new apartment lease. Now we need to get out of it.

Question:
We reserved an apartment in a large complex a couple of weeks ago for 99$ down. It will be ready Nov 12.

They asked us to pre sign the lease, so we went in to do so when the apartment became available. It's about an hour from where we live and move in day was going to be hectic so, why not?

I guess this is why not. Now my husband got a better job offer in another city. I called the complex today to tell them that we'll eat the application and $99 fee but that we weren't going to be able to move in.

We haven't even seen the apartment yet and for that reason did not sign a lot of the lease regarding the apartment itself and its condition. Now they are telling us that we have to break the lease and give a 60 day notice with a  $1798 fee plus the remainder of rent.

So basically my question is, if the lease isn't completed with our signatures, we didn't get a copy of the lease, and the manager hasn't signed it, is it still legally binding?

Answer:
 I think you can successfully fight it.  But you will lose by default if you just move out of state and leave it behind you.

You should send letters certified stating your position and the fact that you didn't fully execute the lease.  Provide them with your new contact information.   Let multiple office managers be sent the same letter.  That way if they pursue, you can provide proof positive that they had accurate contact information if they try to get a default judgement.

If you provided any banking information or complete credit card numbers, definitely change banks (not just accounts) and get new cc number.


Title: Making out with an under-age girl

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Without more, merely kissing an underage girl on the mouth is not a crime anywhere in the country.  You're fine.


Title: My “boss” used my mental health as a reason not to hire me full time.

Question:
Hello r/legaladvice. I'm a freelance journalist in California and working for a startup news outlet. I've been having other issues with my boss working me like a full time employee as an independent contractor. However, she had promised me a few weeks back that she had the money to finally hire me full time. Today, she pulled that offer and listed some reasons that I feel were really unfair.

The first was me being uncomfortable to report on homeless individuals and go into encampments to talk to people for stories. I have told her that 1) I don't feel safe and 2) I have a diagnosed and documented OCD that putting me in these situations would probably send me into sheer panic and anxiety. She told me that she didn't feel like it was unsafe if I was with another person and therefore should be able to do it and that it's a part of the job. She then went on to say that she would have to reconsider hiring me on as a full time employee even in the future because I have anxiety and that she needs full time people who can do their jobs without accommodations.

We then continued on to talking about increased pay. When I'm covering a council meeting I'm expected to tweet live updates. My contract says that my flat rate fee of $145 covers things that go into producing an article (interviews, photos etc). Live tweeting doesn't include that. I asked her to pay me an hourly fee for the time I spend at meetings live tweeting. She said that I'm not required to tweet (even though she expresses this all the time that it's a part of the job). She then said if I don't tweet (which is essentially me working for free) then she will replace me with someone who will do it.

Any thoughts? I feel really insulted and backstabbed right now from a boss that I thought had my best interest and was rooting for me to be a full time employee. Now I feel like she's using my mental health as ammo for not hiring me.

Answer:
 > I feel really insulted and backstabbed right now from a boss that I thought had my best interest and was rooting for me to be a full time employee.

I feel really insulted by the fact that you attempted to use your OCD as an excuse to avoid interacting with homeless people.  I don't believe that is a reasonable accommodation, and apparently your boss didn't either.  She's under no obligation to offer full time employment to someone who is unable to do their job.


Title: Man broke into our house

Question:
A man kicked in our door on Saturday night, he was obviously intoxicated. We managed to scare him off and no one got hurt. We called the cops during the whole ordeal and they came out and asked around. Neighbors (who were having a party) said they didn't know him. Next day we showed the homeowners and they said they did know him and would have him pay for our door to get fixed. They have paid, the man is going home out of state and I consider the matter dropped.

My question is; when the detectives call me can I just tell them I want the matter dropped and I don't plan on pressing charges? Will they try to pursue this anyways?

If this question belongs in a different sub please let me know.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer: Although the police are still allowed to pursue the matter from a criminal perspective, if you say the matter has been resolved to your satisfaction, it's likely they will let it go too.Answer #2: The DA decides whether or not to press criminal charges -- you can inform the police that everything is taken care of and express your wishes, and they may or may not elect to drop the charges (if any).


Title: Ex may have violated my privacy, federally

Question:
Massachusetts-In the span of a very bad year, I have gotten divorced AND have sought treatment for mental health issues related to my military service.  Initially I had a minimal disability rating due to hearing damage; my veterans service rep streamlined an application for an increase due to my continuing issues.

My ex left me a voicemail that stated she "wants increased child support when you get that bump up in your monthly check."

I never told her about any disability monies that I receive, nor did she know I was seeking assistance for my issues.

It's a horrible, extremely non-amicable divorce.  We do not interact.

I went to the VA and asked the advocacy rep if she could have gotten this information due to the fact that she still has a yet-to expire dependent ID; *he said he recognized her and had been in the hospital last week*.

My medical issues are my issues alone.  What do I do from here?

Answer:
 You can [file a complaint for a HIPAA violation](https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html). HIPAA is regulated at a federal level, which leaves no recourse available to you, other than the complaint.Answer #2: When was the last time you changed your passwords and voicemail pin?   Answer #3: Do you have any proof the VA or she did anything illegal or against HIPAA to acquire that notice?Answer #4: Side question, does any increased money OP receives specifically for medical treatment factor into child support?Answer #5: It seems far more likely she is monitoring you another way (has your email or VM password, etc) or someone you told then told her.  File the report, as some have suggested, but also maybe bump up your personal security.  Look in to 2 factor authentication for your email (everyone should do this anyway) and chance your VM pin.Answer #6: You can also file a complaint with the [VA OIG](https://www.va.gov/oig/contact/default.asp).

(deleted original reply)


Title: In criminal trial, the defense successfully fakes exculpatory evidence and gets an acquittal, but is eventually found out. Double Jeopardy still applies?

Question:
Let's say we have a criminal trial, jury is empaneled and sworn and jeopardy has attached. The defendant or a suicidality corrupt defense attorney manages to fabricate some kind of convincing exculpatory evidence, and is difficult to disprove. How? I dunno, alien space bats maybe. The jury either acquits or the prosecution is convinced and moves to dismiss the charges. Then, some amount of time after, it comes to light that the exculpatory evidence was completely fake, and the defendant was in all likelihood guilty.

My assumption is that double jeopardy still applies and retrial by the same sovereign cannot be done, since as far as I can tell nothing would be relevant to invalidate jeopardy, and the exculpatory evidence should have been proven fake before acquittal. One thing that gives me pause is there may have been an unreasonably low amount of time to investigate the new evidence, but then again trials can go on a long time anyway. If the prosecution had asked to dismiss the charges themselves, they were certainly misled based on false reasons, but I guess nothing could be done other than new charges for the fabricated evidence, which then I suppose moves onto deciding who was responsible or in on the scheme.

Answer:
 If the prosecution dismisses before the jury is seated, jeopardy would not have attached, and they would likely be able to recharge him as long as the statute of limitations hadn't passed.

But, if the jury acquitted, that would be the end of the prosecution. Everyone involved could be charged with forgery, perjury, falsification of evidence, or the like.


Title: [VA/SC] Possible lawsuit for involuntary psychiatric hold

Question:
Four years ago, in SC, I called the police on my ex-girlfriend (still roommates/friends at the time) because she was suicidal and trying to kill herself in her car. She was placed in a 72 hour hold. I got in touch with her parents, who lived overseas, and walked away from everything, including moving states and dropping out of college, did not contact her for years when she got out and reached out to me.

We started talking again on Facebook this year, normal stuff. She has moved back in with her parents overseas (she is a dual citizen, holds American citizenship as one of those) and a week ago she messaged me about the "harm" she suffered while committed, how it disrupted her life, and said that her parents have been talking to her about filing civil charges against me for calling the police on her and "causing" this. I have not answered her message.

I live in VA now. When this happened, I talked to the police at the scene and they assured me I was doing the right thing and would not get in trouble for this, even if she was mad at me. I assume they're right, and nothing would come of this ultimately, but I don't have the money to tie up in any kind of expensive legal battle (her parents are very well-off and could possibly afford it if their finances are as good as they were four years ago -- from what I see on Facebook, that's probably still true.) even if it did end up being resolved in my favor. Could this go anywhere like that, or would they be laughed out of court before I went bankrupt?

Answer:
 You are not responsible for what the police do. You reported a suicidal person, they responded in a way they felt appropriate. Police don't have to commit people to a hold if they don't think it's warranted (bad example, but here goes: calling the police and saying your friend is suicidal as a joke, when your friend is just fine. The police wouldn't hold them unless they thought the person was at serious risk of self-harm).Answer #2: > We started talking again on Facebook this year, normal stuff.

This was a mistake

> a week ago she messaged me about the "harm" she suffered while committed, how it disrupted her life, and said that her parents have been talking to her about filing civil charges against me for calling the police on her and "causing" this

When I dream I want a pony.

> I don't have the money to tie up in any kind of expensive legal battle

This would not be a battle. She was placed on a 3 day hold because of what trained professionals determined after your report. There is no universe in which your call would not be seen as warranted.

You didn't cause shit, anymore than I cause water damage if I call and report a house on fire.


Title: [NY] Help me convince my dad he has no chance of winning his DWI case using other similar cases

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Blowing zero is not, on its own, a defence to a DUI. A breathalyzer checks alcohol levels on the breath, not intoxication. If he told the officer he was on an opioid painkiller, his breathalyzer results aren't going to be relevant.

Your father should seriously consider taking the plea, but should not make any decisions without consulting with a lawyer.

Searching this sub for "DUI," "DWI," "OUI," "intoxicated," and similar terms will turn up lots of related discussions.


Title: Post Lasik Complications.

Question:
Hi, I had lasik surgery done in 2011. I have essentially made my eyes worse especially at night time where I can see double or quadruple apparitions of certain light sources.

I made a post here at an casual AMA about my condition
https://www.reddit.com/r/casualiama/comments/3mh4fq/i_have_ruined_eyes_due_to_laser_eye_surgery_ama/

I know you are required to sign something before a surgery or procedure. But this thing has decreased my quality of life more than anything and 4 years later i haven't gotten accustomed to it.

Can any legal involvement compensate me? This isn't even going to help my eyes get fixed. I wish to find something that can more than anything. I was told all this would go away in time but did not. I don't know what to do anymore.

Answer: These are known risks of the surgery and you surely signed something acknowledging that beforehand. So, no, unless your doctor was negligent, you probably have no case. Have you gone for a follow up to see if there's anything they can do to correct the problem? Answer #2: You were specifically warned of these risks before surgery.


Title: [KS] Did Ma and Pa Kent adopt Superman in way that is legally legitimate?

Question: If someone just finds a baby orphan and wants to adopt it is the process as simple as taking it home and declaring in your own? I suspect not but don't know what the actual process would entail. How does one go about adopting a stray orphan baby?

Answer: Piggybacking on that. How do home births work? Do you just take the baby to the courthouse and say, "we had dis. It's name is Eric. Give it a number."


Title: What happens if you let someone borrow your car when they do not have a driver's license?

Question:
And they get pulled over for some reason?

Why I'm asking: My sister keeps letting this piece of scum guy borrow her car. They're like hookup buddies or whatever (I really hate him, can you tell?). He's in his mid/late-20s and doesn't have a driver's license. I'm not entirely sure WHY he doesn't have one, but I KNOW that he had one AT SOME POINT and now no longer does (leading me to believe it was revoked or suspended) **edit**: just found out it's because he has a DUI. I keep telling her that she should not be letting him borrow her car (for this reason and because he's completely uninsured) but haven't been able to give her concrete reasons.

I live in Delaware, USA. What would the consequences be if he got pulled over, doesn't have a license, isn't insured, and my sister (the insured owner of the car) is not in the car with him? What would happen if there was a car accident with all of the same situational elements?

**TL;DR** What would happen in an un-licensed (had a license, got a DUI) driver was pulled over in a borrowed car?

Answer:
 Delaware recognizes the theory of [negligent entrustment](https://casetext.com/case/perez-melchor-v-balakhani-c-a-no-04c-05-269-rrc-de-9212005), which permits the automobile owner who gives the vehicle to someone they know to be a poor or careless driver to be sued by anyone injured by that driver in a subsequent accident. So say she knew his license was suspended for a DUI, but she gave him the car anyway. He then drives drink and kills someone. The family of the dead person can sue him AND her, even if she wasn't in the car at the time, because her negligence in giving him the car enabled him to cause the harm.

Interestingly, the linked case also appears to say that if she gave him the money to buy his own car, she could still be held liable, even if she was never in control of it. Which is a bit unusual, but interesting nonetheless.


Title: [canada] my ex step mother failed to file a police report or tell family that my father was missing for 9 days, he was later found dead. Are there any laws broken for failing to do this?

Question: So the main part of the story Is my half brother (who my father has primary custody of) came home from school and couldn’t find my dad. He called his mother and she came to get him. She made no attempt to look for him or notify anyone. Just took my brother and went to her place and assumed he ran off which is completely out of character. From January 15th to the 24th she didn’t file a police report, did not tell any family and did not try to look for him. On the 24th my grandma found out (only because she needed a babysitter) and told my ex step mom to call the police (she said she would) and later my grandma called to make sure she would (she didn’t call police) my grandma immediately filed a missing person report, and police found him almost immediately (he was in upstairs apartment that him and my brother were moving into, ex step mom knew about this). Time of death revealed that he had been dead for 7-8 hours and that COD was he went into diabetic shock. He was alive upstairs unable to move for 9 days and slowly died. nobody knew because my ex step mom didn’t tell anyone or look for anything. Are there any laws this breaks or repercussions she can face for failing to do anything?

Answer:
 She had no responsibility to look for a full-grown adult only to care for the child Answer #2: She thought he ran off. She had no reason to go look for him because she had her answer.

Try not to blame her for this. She didn't do anything wrong and isn't responsible for checking up on her ex and his private life. If she was right and stuck her nose in his business, that could have caused trouble, too. Especially calling the police on him. It could look like she was being petty.

I know I would hesitate to get involved if I thought my ex might have run off, let alone call the police on him. These kinds of things are delicate situations and seem to work the best in the child's interest when everyone stays in their own lane.

Im sorry about your father, though. Answer #3: It doesn't look like she had any legal obligation to find out what happened. Morally, ethically? not the topics of this sub. Sorry for you loss, one that seems to have been preventable.


Title: Probation

Question: Anybody have advice for revocation hearing?

Answer: If you can't follow instructions to post your location, I'm not surprised you're having trouble following probation restrictions either.


Title: PLEASE HELP! I took my car to auto shop and it was smashed in. Who is responsible for the damage?

Question:
Location: New York

I took my car to an auto shop. When I was given the keys back 35 minutes later I found my car's bumper and grill smashed in. According to the shop's insurance, they got a video of a customer who backed in to my car.

Who is responsible for the damage to my car? The car and keys were in the auto shop's possession while damaged was caused. So is the shop or the customer responsible for the damage to my car? I don't know that's why I am asking on here.
I don't have access to the video

I also asked this question on yahoo answers, you can check out the damage in the picture from this link:

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20170722210831AATTlOf

Answer: The guy that hit your car is responsible.


Title: [NYC] - Employer switched status of all Salary exempt workers making under threshold to hourly employees.

Question: I've gone through as much of the Labor law as I could and I could find no mention of this being an option. From everything I've inferred that if you were salary exempt you would now be salary non- exempt.

Answer: So long as the change is made prospectively rather than retrospectively, it's legal.


Title: [SF, CA] Who is responsible for a leased car's damage resulting from repossession agency negligence?

Question:
About a year ago, I went on a long international trip and forgot to make payments on my car. Eventually, it got reclaimed by the leasing company.

Before the vehicle was redeemed from the repossession agency, the agency suspected the battery was dead and charged me for a replacement, keeping the original battery. (This was unexpected because the car was only a few months old, and its battery was new.)

Little did I know that the battery they installed was a large aftermarket battery, which blocked the AC hose, preventing moisture from exiting the car. Over the last year, the blocked hose caused the car's floor to accumulate moisture. Last month, the electronics suddenly became fried and the car would no longer leave the first gear.

Repairing this damage is estimated to cost 90-95% of the car's cash value.

When I asked the leasing company about this, they said that the damage was my responsibility, given that almost a year had passed and that I had already signed off for the vehicle upon pickup.

While I understand their argument, I believe the repossession agency ought to be responsible, provided that they installed the large battery, leading to major problems.

I don't understand why the leasing company isn't going after the repossession agency. Is it my job to do hire a lawyer to do that? I don't know where to start. For some reason, the repossession agency won't give me records on service and maintenance performed on the car, only to the leasing company. Also, my insurance is not going to cover the damage because I do not have comprehensive coverage.

In the end, I think the following parties could be held liable:

* me
* leasing company
* repossession agency

Ultimately, when a car is repossessed by a leasing company, the debtor is no longer the owner, correct? So if damage happens under the possession of the leasing company, shouldn't they be responsible for getting the repossession agency to pay? Is the underlying issue the fact that it's hard to prove who caused the damage, even if records are eventually obtained showing the installation of an oversized battery?

Answer: You are going to be held responsible. Also I'm sure you are violating your lease by not having comprehensive insurance.


Title: I paid someone to fix my car and he broke it even more. [Idaho]

Question:
Yes, I am dumb for doing this. I paid a guy $180 for a part to fix on my vehicle. He "worked on it" for over 3 months before leaving town and telling me he couldn't fix it. The car is even more broken with a few missing parts that I think he took.

Can I take him to small claims? I have to have it towed from his house as its now undriveable. It turns out he's actually on parole for embezzlement as well.

Any and all advice appreciated.

EDIT: I should add this. He does not own any type of shop. He just does work out of his backyard. He's been doing it for at least a year now. I also happen to know he's ripped off several others, including my uncle and others. No one else is interested in pursuing charges or getting their money back though.

Answer:
 You should actually file a police report. The prosecutor is likely to go after him, and they'll either send him up for violating parole or just prosecute him for fraud or something.

Getting money out of him after a small-claims judgment will be wildly impractical unless he has a relative who will pay it for him, so you might as well just go the criminal route.

You can also report this directly to his parole officer. They'll be really interested to know about the parts he took with him.Answer #2: Yes, you can sue him in small claims court for the amount of money it costs you to repair the damage, plus court costs.

Not sure about the $180.  I'd try for that, too.


Title: [AL] - Just received a personal injury settlement offer. Is this a good offer?

Question:
Hey everyone,

I'm an international student in the U.S. At the beginning of the year, I was rear-ended on the highway while I was on my way to pick up a friend from the airport in Atlanta (going about 60 mph as well mind you!), and since I'm not very familiar with the legal system here, I got a friend's attorney to help me. I already received a good settlement offer for my car which got totaled, and today the insurance company offered $2000 for the injuries.

Is this a fair offer? I can't say for sure how bad everything was because I didn't go see the doctor to check as I'm an foreigner with no medical insurance outside of my campus, so I can't say for sure. I was worried that the other guy might not have any insurance on him, so I played it safe and didn't risk incurring medical costs that I couldn't pay in a million years. By the time I started talking to the other insurance company, a month and a half had passed already so I figured it was too late to go for a check-up. I was a little banged up - I'm assuming whiplash - but I don't feel like anything serious has happened to me. I did take a week off athletic activity for my school because my back and neck were strained but that's about it.

What's the smart thing to do? Is this a good offer? Should I try and go see a doctor just to be safe or is it pointless now?

Answer: Their offer is in the ballpark of what I was offered when I was in the same situation. The big x-factor here is that back/neck/spinal injuries can sometimes not appear for years after the initial trauma, so I would strongly suggest that you see a doctor (on their dime) and get yourself checked out. And by a doctor, I mean NOT a chiropractor...an actual doctor who went to real medical school.


Title: Is it illegal to kill someone even if they ask you to do it and leave behind enough evidence to prove that they wanted you to do it?

Question: Don't worry. I'm not asking anyone to kill me.

Answer: In most countries yes. Certainly in the US. You aren't allowed to commit crimes just because someone asked you to, or the victim was willing.


Title: Can I expunge my arrest record myself? MARYLAND

Question: I was arrested for grand theft auto, but I didn't get convicted. The case was dropped on the first day by Nolle Prosequi. I want to erase the arrest record. Lawyer asked me for $130 for doing it. If it's just filling some forms out, I think I can do that myself without a need of lawyer. Do you guys think I can fill the form out without the guidance of a lawyer or should I go to the lawyer? Thanks

Answer: LOL, well this is a surprisingly loaded question. I personally think that yes a reasonably intelligent person can file an expungement on their own....now do I think can **YOU** do this? Let me check your posting history and I will let you know.


Question:
[Michigan] My high school teacher makes us use hand sanitizer after we sneeze in his class and says a doctor's note saying we're allergic is the only exception. Is he legally able to force us to do this?While we did sign rules for his class, this was not one of them.

Edit as per comment request: Its not like I have a problem doing it, I just figured that he couldn't make us. It seems illegal to force someone to clean themself.

Answer:
 Yes, your teacher can require you to use reasonable personal hygiene techniques to prevent the spread of disease in the school.Answer #2: Why do you object?

On a very slightly related note... at my son's school, I thought it was absolutely brilliant.

They made the bathroom passes bottles of hand sanitizer.Answer #3: Can he punish you for not following the rules? Yes.


Title: Co-worker who is also my ex-girlfriend called HR saying I threatened one of them now I am getting demoted.

Question: Two weeks ago I was told to go home by a higher up of mine and that we would have a meeting the following week. When I went in for my meeting he said that home office recommends that I be demoted since they have no proof other that claim but they do have documentation of my cash handling not being accurate sometimes. They are using this as grounds to demote me. I have never gotten a write up nor have I ever threatened anyone. This can't be legal that they are making such claims against me and that the company that I work for looked for something that they can use as grounds to demote me. Is there anything I can do?

Answer: Sure. You can share where you are and you can look for another job.


Title: Missed a rule 600 dismissal hearing in Pennsylvania due to my public deffender never alerting me in time.

Question: It's kind of a long story, but back in 2011 I got arrested with a marijuana pipe and was with a friend who was underage, so I also got corrupting the morals of a minor as well. This was in another county that I do not reside in. I was being sentenced in my county for a marijuana charge and was told by my public deffender that all charges would be transferred to my home county and charges ran concurrent. So fast forward 5 years later and I wind up in jail on a probation violation. Upon entering the jail I discovered my case was never closed and there is a warrant for my arrest. I go to a hearing for my bench warrant and I am ready to get the issue resolved. A few weeks ago, I recieved a call from an investigator at the courthouse, who shares a voicemail/desk with my pupblic deffender. She stated they would file a motion to dismiss the charges under rule 600, and would keep me informed before having to appear in court. After returning home from work, I recieved a letter postmarked from October 6th that I was to appear in court and yesterday October 10th at 10 am. My public deffender never gave me notice of this hearing. Do I have a bench warrant for my arrest due to the neglegence of my public deffender? If you need anymore details, please ask and I will do my best to provide information. Sorry I'm a little shaken up right now and I can't even think straight.

Answer:
 Who sent the letter?

Call your PD.


Title: [North Carolina] Got a ticket for running a stop sign that resulted in a collision.

Question: Should I hire a lawyer to argue my case in court?  It happened in the dead of night, on an unlit road, and in a dense fog.  I didn't even notice the sign before it was too late.  I don't want the points on my record to increase my insurance premiums.

Answer:
 >I didn't even notice the sign before it was too late.

Meaning you were driving too fast for conditions.

But if you want to fight it an attorney is the best way


Title: Was sued and case was thrown out but I'm out serious legal fees. Can I sue in small claims to get my legal fees back?

Question:
Oregon:

I was sued by an investor in a family business that I worked at. The case was thrown out by the judge but I had to spend over $5k to fight it. Because the case was thrown out I'm not getting my legal fees back but considering I am a broke as hell college student, I have no money. I had to use part of my student loans to pay the upfront retainer and I now owe the rest to my attorney. The family member has agreed to help pay as much as they can but they are also broke considering the downfall of the business.

Would it be wise to sue the person who sued me to get my legal fees back? Is there precedent for winning cases like this?

Answer:
 Why were you sued by the investor? On a contract? If so, check for a "prevailing party attorney fee" clause. I suspect your attorney already did. If you can establish that investor had no reasonable basis for suing you (you say the case was tossed; how?), and did it out of "malice" (express or implied by conduct), you could sue for malicious prosecution. Your attorney probably considered this, and decided it was pointless. But you could ask the attorney. Your damages would be the attorneys fees.

If you have a case, you might consider small claims court.


Title: My car was towed and I was charged $45 a night for weeks without being told, can they do this?

Question: I was in a car crash, and my first call was to 911. I have triple A, but when the state patrol officer got there he told me that triple A would take too long to arrive since my car was blocking the highway, so it had to get towed by a private towing company nearby that the state patrol officer called. The truck driver that towed my car brought me to the empty lot where my car was dumped, then got my contact info and took my car keys.  He gave me the towing company's card, which had the address of the lot and the company's phone number. I live several hours away from where the crash happened, so I wasn't able to go back to the town for nearly three weeks. The next time I was in the town I called the number on the card, and asked if I would be able to get my things out of my car later that day. It was then that the owner of the company told me that I owed nearly $1,000 to the towing company because they were charging me $45 a night for my car being there. When my car was being dumped I was not made aware of any fees, and even though the company had my phone number and I never got a phone call telling me that I was being charged. So in essence, they had been charging me for weeks and I had no idea about it. Are they legally allowed to do this?

Answer: Did you think they towed and stored your car for free?Answer #2: Do you think the tow companies offer this as a free public service? This is their business. I'm not trying to insult you but I'm honestly befuddled why you think there would not be a charge to store your car.


Title: [IL] GE oven defective and has been releasing carbon monoxide in our home ever since they performed a simple repair last year. should we sue?

Question:
we have a 3 year old dual oven GE appliance.  About june of 2016 the lower oven stopped heating (faulty ignition and damaged heat shield). we had it repaired and ever since then, use of the lower oven will cause the carbon monoxide detectors in the house to go off.  We air out the house and it stops.  At first, the GE repairman refused to believe us claiming that he's never seen their devices cause a CO problem.  He then suggests that it's because the oven is dirty that we're getting CO warnings and says we should run the clean cycle.  We do that and i take it further and hand scrub it clean as a brand new device.  No luck.  He finally believes us about the CO detector and  orders in a CO detector of their own and finally (finally) agrees that the oven is the source of the CO.  He replaces additional parts (manifold and nozzles i think?) but the problem remains.  GE has now declared our oven un-repairable and wants us to purchase another at a low discount.

Considering that their device has potentially lethal health consequences, i don't feel this is sufficient.  I also need to add that in all our conversations with GE corporate, they can't seem to get their act together.  they have told us multiple times that because the oven isn't showing high enough levels (which they have stated is 800 ppm) all they can do is offer the discount.  I should point out that 800ppm of CO will KILL YOU in 2-3 hours.  Their device showed it was generatign 130ppm, our detector has registered up to 200ppm when it goes off.  Should I attempt to sue GE?  What would you do?

TLDR: GE trying to kill my family with a faulty appliance, should i sue them?

Answer: if oven is still under warranty and they cant repair it, shouldn't they replace free of charge. escalate with customer service until you get a resolution.


Title: Hi I'm a 17 year old guy and might have been caught up in an undercover pedophile sting

Question: Hi this is already really personal so I'll just keep it going. I have an extreme problem with porn. I watch porn at least 5 times a day. I eventually got bored of it and sought out new material for myself and was swiftly arrested for attempt to solicit naked pictures of a minor from some girls at my school. (This was when I was 15 ) I was charged with the crime and got 6 months probation since I'm normally a really good kid and I had no prior record. I got through it with fine colors but I couldnt help myself. I found a sexting website and have been visiting it for a few months. I'm a pussy and have posed as a hot guy and a girl since I'm Bisexual and there is no way any body would sext with the fat ugly beast that I am. Anyway earlier today I found a post from a "14 year old girl" and I jumped on it. (Yes a 17 and a 14 but I did only turn 17 fours days ago) I went back and forth with "her" for a while and eventually asked for nudes (I'm posing as a girl at this point) and "she" sent a nude picture and it looked like the 14 year old girl in profile pic. I then sent a nude of the girl I was pretending to be (over 18) and she asked for another one. It was the only one that I had of this girl i was impersonating so I decided to come clean and admit that I'm a 17 year old guy with hopes that we could have a normal conversation. She then said exactly this: "Hi, my name is officer Carson and we're dealing with pedophiles on the internet, how are you today?" After I asked if it was a joke "she" said "This is not a joke, we are able to tell that you are using a desktop with bluestacks running." I am not on a desktop and I had never even heard of bluestacks, which is one point in the column that they could just be fucking with me hard. I then proceeded to extremely freak out despite the fact that they were wrong about something. I tried explaining that I'm just a 17 year old kid whose really stupid and he said it didn't matter. I am in no way joking when I say that I'm considering suicide. When i told "Officer Carson" that i was considering suicide he simply said "Do it" there is no way that an FBI agent would tell a 17 year old kid to kill himself right? That's another point that it could be a joke. I really don't want to die at all but its honestly the best solution in my eyes right now. I'm a repeat offender and will be charged this time with a federal offense which means I'll be going to jail for a few years so I'll miss my senior year, I won't get my diploma and likely will not be able to go to college so my life will litterally be worthless. So I ask you, if this is a legit police operation and I am arrested being a repeat offender, how long will I go to jail for? And also do the things that "Officer Carson" said match up? Is this how a sting would normally go? Do they tell the person that it's a sting? If I was a 40 year old man I could be out of the country by now, so that doesn't seem like its normal. Please any thoughts would be really greatly appreciated, I can't talk to my parents about it so I'm craving a conversation right now. Call me a freak, say I deserve it, I sadly don't care :(

Answer:
 It's a scam, but you should really seek the help of a counselor to deal with your sex obsession issues before you get yourself in even more trouble. Answer #2: Go see a psychiatrist and deal with your problem before you end up in the federal pen.

No, you didn't run into an undercover operation. You ran into what is either someone trolling you on the internet or an incredibly common scam.


Title: I rear ended someone two weeks ago, but did no visible damage to their car (bounced off their spare tire). Now two weeks later, their claiming damages are above $2k and they filed a police report. I am suspicious about this. What are my options?

Question:
I live in Canada. I don't want to go into too much detail about the crash as it is an ongoing matter.     This is my first accident and I was so shaken up/stressed that the exact events are kinda fuzzy. However, we were merging and as I was shoulder checking I think she slammed on her brakes. Next thing I knew I hit her. There was absolutely no visible damage to their car, I bounced off their spare tire on the back.
She was really nice and her boyfriend (passenger) looked at cars and said there's no way its above $2k so it's not worth calling the cops. I agreed, we traded info, she said she doubted she's gonna go through insurance since everything looked fine. I took a bunch of pictures of each car.

We tried to go to the police station later that night just to see if a report needed to be filed, but they were closed and the person on the intercom didn't seem like they wanted to come out and said we can't file a report. The next day we reported it to our insurance company, just doing our due diligence. They got a statement from me and then informed us that they have to call the other party.

This is where I got concerned. If my insurance is calling her and asking if she's gonna file a claim, why wouldn't she? She presumably wouldn't have to pay any deductible, it's easy cash that she can pocket. A few days later we get a call from the insurance telling us that she's filing a claim and also had whiplash. Maybe she did maybe she didn't, but it's not uncommon for people to claim that either way. Yesterday (15 days post accident) we spoke on the phone and she informed me she took her car in to get an estimate. She claims that there was frame damage and that she'll send me details soon (still don't have them) and that the damage is >$2k so she's going to file a police report and I should to. There's no way I was going fast enough to do frame damage (not entirely sure of the speed but definitely under 30km/h. The spare tire isnt connected to the frame and how can the frame be bent if the bumper isn't damaged? She even told me that she's been in a few accidents like this before and it's always been ok.

Here's where my suspicion really comes from. We goto the cop shop and she's just finishing up her report. When she saw me she went beet fucking red and looked kinda ancy.

What are my options from here? I was gonna file a police report tonight. I don't exactly wanna say on the report that the details are fuzzy but I'm also not gonna lie. Can I request a third party to inspect the car? I'm concerned that if the frame really is bent, it could've been from another accident and she's using this as a cash grab. Is there any way to prove it?

Thanks

Answer:
 > There's no way I was going fast enough to do frame damage

Unless you're a qualified mechanic who has inspected the vehicle in question, you have absolutely no cause to say that.

Your insurance company will almost assuredly handle things like inspections and negotiation of settlements.  Inasmuch as this accident is your fault, the only real question is how much damage has been caused.


Title: Is it worth it to sue my aunt for slander after she told several family members that I have been stealing drugs from my workplace?

Question:
So I have recently been made aware from some of my family members that one of my aunts has been telling the family that I am stealing drugs from my workplace. I work at fairly large hospital in a pretty populated area in the US, and she works for a home health agency in the same area. I have no idea how she could have possibly came to this conclusion, or she possibly completely fabricated it. Regardless, I would be willing to do whatever it takes to clear my name from this rumor.

My first instinct was to completely ignore the whole thing, but the fact that I worked so hard in my career to get to where I am, coupled with the fact that she has a history of spreading false rumors and gossiping about various family members is making me seriously consider taking legal action. I have yet to reach out to her, but several family members have told me they heard about it.  I’m not sure if it’s worth the emotional and financial burden to take legal action, but I am simply fed up with this bullshit and would like to make a serious message to her about the legal ramifications of accusing someone of something very serious.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: This is in Florida
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: How about getting a lawyer to write a scary cease and desist?  It doesn't have any way to enforce it, but It won't cost you very much and it may give her the scare she needs.