Title: Exaggerated speeding ticket. I think I can disprove this with a dash cam. How do I win this case? [AL]

Question:
I got pulled over this morning and was treated horribly. When I was pulled over I was accused of two things. First, improper passing/lane change. A van had almost hit me so I slowed and sort of swerved to the other lane because a van came into my lane and almost hit me (I was in their blind spot). I then returned into my lane after they had passed, basically I avoided an accident, and so I hadn't used a blinker when avoiding being hit by a giant van. I did not get a ticket for this, but it may be used in his case.

The second thing he brought up, and the reason for this post, is he accused me of going 60 in 40! 20 over is ridiculous and we both knew it. I looked down when I saw the lights and I was not speeding. I have a few points to prove how ridiculous this was. I was stopped at a red light, the cop a few cars behind in the other lane (didn't see him, so assuming this, all I know is he was behind me but not the car behind me, that was the van who tried to take my car out). So the light turns green after being at a full stop for a minute, and I take off. I go about .1 miles before I see cop lights behind me. I pull over at .17 miles in a parking lot.  He says I am going 60. Now, I am an engineer so I used some basic physics equations and online data about my car to find out that for my car to get from 0 to 60 mph it takes .18 miles in perfect conditions.

So obviously I could not have been going 60, seeing as I slowed down and stopped in less distance than that. I plan on fighting this in court, since it is obviously impossible. The data I used for my cars 0 to 60 second speed is test track data from when the car was brand new. My car is 11 years old so obviously it is not even going to perform as well, so saying it takes .18 miles to reach 60 is still being generous as with my car it is probably over .2 miles.

Since I can easily disprove the speed with basic physics I think I have a decent case. I plan on requesting the dash cam footage for even more accurate timing and distance to further prove my case that this speed was made up. I should note, I asked how he came up with 60 and he refused to tell me or show me any proof of my speed.

I also want to file a complaint about this officer due to the way I was treated. He would not allow me to speak or ask questions. He did not explain to me my rights or how to go about mediating this ticket. He never ran my license, insurance, or registration. He constantly screamed over me and every time I attempted to talk told me to stop talking. From some basic research online he has had past complaints filed against him due to his behavior and illegal actions in the past.

Basically, how good are my chances? What steps do I take next? How do I use the physics to my advantage? Do I wait to request the dash cam footage or do I request it as soon as possible? Should I file a complaint? If so, should I wait until after the court date? I would love further action to be taken on him for making up and falsifying information so he doesn't do this in the future. Is there a way to have this happen? Do I need a lawyer for this or is it something I can fight on my own in court?

Thank you everyone for your help.

Answer:
 > Do I need a lawyer for this or is it something I can fight on my own in court

**If** there is a way to beat this, 99 times out of a hundred you won't make it without a lawyer (unless this judge is some kind of physics nut-no offense physics nuts). We do love a good David/Goliath story around here, but you're going into a gunfight with a plastic spoon. The complaints against the officer aren't worth much if they only left online complaints, or their complaints were found without merit.

> due to his behavior and illegal actions

Amateur tip, I would not use the phrase "illegal actions" in front of a judge unless you've at a bare minimum have a graduate degree in a criminal justice-related field from an accredited university.


Title: SO and I are separating. We had a car loan of about $40k. There is still about $20k left on the loan. When we split things do I have to pay half the loan off? He seems to think that he should be able to just take over the payments and that's it. How does it work?

Question: (In Australia)

Answer:
 you guys can agree to anything you want, however if you want additional security you can have a lawyer draft an agreement and both of you sign it.

if you trust he will pay the loan off, you can just let him take over payments, however if he doesn't pay then your credit will be affected.

alternatively you could have him go to a different bank and try to refinance the loan in only his name.Answer #2: Is the loan in his name or both?
If it's in his name it's not an issue, if it's in both names it needs to be refinanced as part of your agreement so that if he defaults the finance company does not hold you liable for the loan.

Also try to do your agreement as Orders by Consent, you can have a solicitor do it or you can do it yourselves.Answer #3: Not Australian. Not a lawyer. I did go through a pro se divorce.

We had a mostly amicable split and we divided our debts and assets out between ourselves that we both agreed on. She hired an attorney after that to dot the Ts and cross the Is. After her attorney wrote up the settlement agreement I read it to make sure it said what we had agreed on. Then I paid a local attorney $100 for a half hour of her time to read over the legalese just to make sure I wasn't misunderstanding something.


Title: Must Appear question

Question:
Hello. State is MD.

I'm currently tentatively scheduled to ship for Army basic training in March, however my recruiter recently told me that I may be able to quick ship within two weeks. I have two tickets to pay off regarding this case but I also have a Must Appear court case where the date has not be set yet.

The tickets and court appearance are due to driving without insurance, though that has since been rectified. Is a public defender able to appear on my behalf for a Must Appear or is it just that, set in stone, I have to appear. I'm not sure why my recruiter would have told me about this quick ship opportunity knowing that I have a must appear, even though the date has not been set yet, but I'm trying to find out if: A) A public defender or someone with power of attorney can appear on my behalf, as I have the documentation showing the issue (driving without insurance) was fixed or B) have you ever heard of someone calling the court to set a date sometime within the week, as I was told this really is just a matter of showing the judge that the situation has been rectified (like if you'd had illegal tints and were ordered to prove you had them removed.)

Answer:
 Former Navy here.

You cannot ship while you have outstanding legal obligations, such as pending court dates. It probably slipped your recruiter's mind that you had this. If you ship anyway, you will get yourself kicked out of boot for an integrity violation.


Title: I'm being asked to sign a severance agreement, but I quit.

Question:
I live in Washington State.

I recently submitted my resignation to my employer. In my line of work, it is polite to give two weeks notice, but it is typical for the employee to be able to separate from the company at any time within those two weeks, if not immediately. I separated two days after my resignation.

On my separation date, my manager told me that the company sometimes offers severance to people who quit, and to make sure to sign the severance agreement or I wouldn't get the money. This was news to me. As far as I knew, only people that were fired or laid off were offered severance. During my exit interview at HR, I was told that I was indeed being offered severance benefits of two-weeks pay.

On its face, I thought this was odd. I've never heard of anyone getting severance when they quit. Then I read the actual agreement. Some things that I would be agreeing to if I sign include:

- A total and complete release of claims against the company and the forfeiture of my ability to seek personal recovery, damage, or relief for any claims against the company

- I will not make any "disparaging or derogatory" comments to third parties. It does not define those terms, but includes as third parties current employees, prospective employees, the press, the internet, social media, and more.

- I can not direct future employers to this employer to validate employment. Instead, I have to make an account with a third party vendor that they list and direct future employers there. I also cannot use employees as professional references.

Finally, it says that I cannot share terms or conditions of the agreement. If asked about matters that led to the agreement, I'm supposed to say that the matter was resolved. This reads like it is intended for someone who was fired.

I have not clue why I'm being asked to agree to all of this. Also, this seems like a lot of legal rights and protections to be giving up in exchange for two-weeks pay, and I don't really need the money. The disparagement clause seems especially weird. How do I know what they consider disparaging, and why would I give up speech rights?

I want to stress that I did not quit under duress, and I didn't quit because of a problem at work. I just found a better job.

This is the first time I've quit a job from a large corporation. I was self-employed previously. My gut tells me to refuse to sign the severance agreement and to decline the money, but I want to make sure I'm not overthinking something that's completely normal.

Answer: It's perfectly normal for a company to offer severance when someone quits. Basically, they are paying you to agree to those clauses. You can choose to sign or not sign. But I've offered many severance packages to people that have quit.


Title: (CA) My father is threatening to divorce my mother and take all her money if I don't quit my job and go to business school

Question:
I'm 19 and just graduated. My dad just gave my this ultimatum. Help me

My mom is scared and is telling me to do what he says.

Answer: This isn't really a legal question. If he leaves your mom she should hire a divorce lawyer immediately (or hire one now and beat him to it).


Title: How realistic is it to file a complain to the police about people insulting me online?

Question:
Sup
so im playing this onlinegame, whose community is commonly insulting each other. i dont really bother that much, but some just take it too far. there was one guy spamming me with stuff like "get fucking cancer" "im going to kill your mother" and similar. i̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶ ̶a̶s̶k̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶p̶a̶n̶y̶ ̶d̶e̶v̶e̶l̶o̶p̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶g̶a̶m̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶c̶k̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶I̶P̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶e̶l̶l̶ ̶m̶e̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶a̶d̶d̶r̶e̶s̶s̶ ,̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶i̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶c̶o̶m̶p̶l̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶p̶o̶l̶i̶c̶e̶. the company is likely to give that guys IP the police (or whatever authority deals with that sitiuation) so he can be tracked and fine. they did this in the past in a similar situation so its likely that they do it again. in theory this is totally possible and people have done it before, but how likely is it to "succeed" in a sense of the guy insulting me getting a fine etc? it doesnt matter wheter i get anyone out of that, even though i would prefer not to PAY anything; i just want the guy to learn his lesson. im from germany and he is probably somewhere from europe, if that matters. thanks in advance :)

edit: its intresting how many of you simply mock me for asking a question, instead of either trying to help or being quiet. i did not provoke anyone, and still a lot of you just post stupid comments for no reason. do you really think the internet is a place without any kind of law, where deaththreats are nothing? and once someone actually gets killed everyone wonders why nobody did anything :)
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 You have zero chance of getting the IP from the company. They have zero incentive to give it to you. Why not just block them or report them like you're suppose to?

Realistically? You have a better chance at getting HIV from a blind seagull accidentally flying up your ass.Answer #2: This is like the 2nd post this week I've read about someone in Germany trying to get someone arrested or fined for being mean to them on the internet.

What the shit, Germany? When did you turn into a country of whiny little titty-babies?


Title: Hit and run in VA on parked car

Question:
Months ago, I dinged a parked car while parking. I freaked out and left without leaving any info. I checked the other car and thought it was okay.

Everything I did was dumb and cowardly.

Recently, my parents got a call from an insurance company asking about the hit and run. I told my father it was me. I haven't heard back from him yet.

I am no longer living with parents or under their car insurance. I also made the decision to no longer drive (bikes and buses only), as I am clearly not capable.

What happens now?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 Your father's rates may go up. They may tell you you can't be covered under the policy.

Driving lessons might help you be a better driver.


Title: (Illinois) I got recently married to a girl I knocked up, and I've decided it's a shitty decision

Question:
Hi guys, title says it all, you can check my post history if you're curious about the details.

But we will be married for about 1 year as of March 2018. Baby is due around October.

Currently she has NOT yet taken my last name, we have NOT yet opened up a joint back account. She makes double my salary, I have no savings.

I expect my salary to increase significantly in 6 years. However, how do I go about divorce and/or protecting myself financially from her? And what are my best options for divorce? I was thinking wait for a few months after the child is born

Answer: Get divorced now, no one owes the other spousal support.  Work out custody; depending on the arrangement, you may or may not be on the hook for child support (same with her)


Title: Issues with student loans. Going to the press?

Question: I'm currently having some serious issues with my student loans. Things seem to be moving in the right direction now, and people above the school are on the job fixing the issue as we speak. Is it ok to go to the press, just to sort of get the word out to what happened, or would that in some way make things worse? I don't want to stir up trouble so much as I want others to know what happened. Should I sit on it until it's resolved? Talk to them now? Just let it go?

Answer: It is against this sub's rules to recommend publicly disclosing details of a legal dispute.


Title: Exploiting a company's mistake

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Should you stop stealing from your transit agency? Yes.Answer #2: Course they could sue, possibly criminal if its a quasi-governmental company.

> it's a replacement ticket in case someone had a faulty purchase or something and did not receive their tickets

aw, so you are fully aware you this is NOT a promotion. This knowledge will be important for your trial.


Title: Landlady defaulted on her mortgage, did not destroy and instead cashed the post-dated cheque she has from us, refuses to give us our money back.

Question:
Hello everyone, this is in Ontario, Canada. We are a group of students renting out a house from a landlady. On February 26th we received notice from the bank that our landlady had defaulted on her mortgage and we must now pay rent to the bank's rental management company (we have this in writing and contract). The landlady has post-dated cheques from us that she cashes on the first of every month. After she defaulted on her mortgage we asked the landlady to destroy the post-dated cheques she still had from us.

To pay rent for March we deposited the same amount of rent we always pay and gave new cheques to the bank's rental management company. However, our (former) landlady cashed the cheques still had from us and did not destroy them as we had asked, and the new cheque to the management company bounced. Now the rental management company has filed for evicting us. As students it's hard for us to immediately pay our rent again. Our landlady has refused to respond to us in giving our money back. We have talked to Ontario's Landlord and Tenant board and they advised us to fill out an application for a hearing. However, we also feel that we should file a police charge of theft (under $5000). Any advice and approach would be much appreciated.

We have also consulted with a lawyer and he has also advised filing for a landlord and tenant board hearing, and taking her to small claims court.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: You really should have contacted your bank and ordered a stop payment on those checks, instead of telling the landlady to destroy them. Only needed to contact her to tell her that the checks would no longer work.Answer #2: IMMEDIATELY PLACE A STOP PAYMENT ON ALL THE CHECKS...OR CLOSE THE ACCOUNT. IMMEDIATELY Answer #3: And this is why providing post-dated checks is a bad idea in most situations.Answer #4: Call the cops.


Title: Oakland, CA - Caught between our landlord and the county because of our daughter's lead levels. What are my responsibilities?

Question:
So, my daughter tested with "elevated" levels of lead 3-4 months after moving here to Oakland, CA. The safe amount is less than 5 ug/dl. My daughter tested at 6.9. We are renting an apartment in an old Victorian. My daughter doesn't leave teeth marks anywhere and I keep a really good eye on her. So, I don't think she is getting it from chewing on stuff. She could have gotten lead in her system from our former house in another state or she could have gotten it from her former daycare. And finally, the lab test could have just been incorrect. My wife and I wanted to wait and see before doing anything like changing her diet or wiping everything down everyday.

Unbeknownst to us, the Doctor's office sent our daughter's lead levels to the county. The county came and did an "inspection" which was basically just a woman testing a windowsill with exposed layers of paint. It came up positive for lead. She was going to work with the landlord to get the windows replaced. This was all about 6 months or so ago.

Fast forward to the present. Our daughter's re-administered lead test came back at 3. So, her lead levels are going down. The woman from the county is still trying to get the landlord to change out the windows. Since her levels are trending downward without us changing anything, I wanted to leave things as they are. If they change out the windows, it will simply introduce lead into the air. If my daughter didn't get lead from the apartment, she probably will when they start ripping things apart for abatement.

So, now I am kinda stuck. What are my responsibilities in this whole deal? The landlady and the county should be talking with each other correct? I want to make sure I only do those things which help my child, but I don't want to get in between my landlord and the county.

Answer: I have cousins who live in a very old house. When the older was a toddler, someone from the city/county came by to test the paint. They were told that if the paint has lead, they would have to remedy the situation. The child was never tested for lead. The paint came back negative so it never became an issue, but our understanding (based on the fact that they weren't even testing the child) was that the paint cannot contain lead even if the child is ok. This could be totally wrong, but that's how we understood the situation (that we would have to fix the paint even if the child was ok)


Title: I'm in a pretty bad situation regarding a car wreck

Question: So let's start off with some context, I just graduated high school and started a new job working full time. My car is in the shop at the moment so that being said, I had no fixed way of getting to work. So I asked a friend of mine who bought a new car so his old one is just sitting in his drive way. I asked if I could borrow his old car while my car gets fixed up. He says sure, only the car is uninsured. I took my chances as it was either this, or begging for rides and having to Uber. With my job being 45 minutes away, it would have been very difficult for me financially ubering everyday to and from work. Now, I had only planned on borrowing his car for a few days. But unfortunately the mechanic pushed the date back. I just started this job so I'm still unfamiliar with how to get there so I use the gps on my phone to direct me. So now to the car accident, it was in the middle of traffic and me being dumb, checked the gps while traffic was moving but I did not realize that it had stopped so I ended up rear ending a lady going under 10mph. I do not blame anyone or anything for this, it was my fault for not paying attention. Now, this is my first ever accident involving another car. We pulled off to the side and by the time I got out of the car she was already on the phone with the police. While she was on the phone I examined the damage and there was no damage to her car other than a few scratches that is not really noticeable. My friends car on the other hand had a bent hood. It's an old car that he was planning on getting rid of so he is not worried about the car at all. Cop came and asked for our info in which I told him that the car was uninsured. However, in his system he had the car as insured which really save my ass. But the cop asked for the policy number in which I didn't have so I called up my friend and had him give him one....but he gave him an expired policy number. Now, this lady was not bitchy at all and only called the police because she's had tons of issues with car accidents and wanted a report written up for this. Her husband showed up and again, he didn't express a vulgar attitude. Surprisingly, because the car still had the dealer tags, which made me feel even more bad about the accident. Thankfully, the cop gave me no ticket and I was good to go. So here is where I am in desperate need of advise, I have no idea if they're going to make an insurance claim, if they do, how do I go about this so that I am in the least amount of trouble? I am freaking out a bit because I can just see my premiums skyrocketing. I should note that I do have insurance, I'm not sure what it covers but I can look into it if this information is vital to helping me. I apologize for the formatting, I'm on mobile. Thank you!

Answer:
 > the car is uninsured. I took my chances

Such chances could end up in a $50,000 or $100,000 judgment, or the equivalent of 3000 to 6000 average-cost Uber rides.

> it was either this, or begging for rides and having to Uber

Begging is free, Uber average rides are $16.

> I ended up rear ending a lady going under 10mph

A rear-end accident is almost always the fault of the rear-ender.

> in his system he had the car as insured which really save my ass

Hopefully.

> I have no idea if they're going to make an insurance claim, if they do, how do I go about this so that I am in the least amount of trouble?

They have several years to make a claim against you, depending on your state. In many states it's two years. If the car was indeed insured then that insurance would presumably cover you, as you were permitted to drive the vehicle. If the car was not in fact insured, then you could personally be liable for repair costs and medical costs.


Title: PA - I want to help my friend who was taken to jail during his arraignment

Question:
I've seen people get and give really good advice and I was hoping to never need it but here I am.

Currently my friend is sitting in county jail after getting arraigned this morning on a 25,000 straight cash bail.

Charges :

18 § 2705              M2 Recklessly Endangering Another Person
18 § 3302 §§ B      F3 Risking Catastrophe
18 § 5503 §§ A4* M3 Disorder Conduct Hazardous/Physi Off
18 § 901 §§ A      F1 Criminal Attempt - Arson - Danger of Death or Bodily Inj

What had happen was:

One night at the bar Joe (my friend *not real name) got into an argument with his girlfriend while they were out with another couple. He left by himself on his bike and his girlfriend was going to follow him home with the other couple in a car. She decides to not come home right away and Joe starts sending text messages saying hes going to dump gas in her house and burn it down. When the girlfriend and friends come back they find Joe passed out on the couch with an empty gas can on the floor. The one friend (not her boyfriend, and not her house) who was never in the house called the cops and said he was trying to burn the house down. There was no gas spilled in the house, there was no gas in the can. He goes to jail

He spent 2 weeks in jail immediately following the incident when his court hearing came up, all charges were dropped and he was released and he went home. The following day he found out the DA was refiling the charges.

He waited never got anything in the mail but knew he had to go to a preliminary hearing on July 9th because we looked in up online. His certified summons was returned as Certified Summons Undeliverable and they are saying he was avoiding them but he just never got the papers. Now it looks like he will sit there for 2 more weeks unless I can think of something. The woman that called the cops is summoned to testify but what she wrote in her statement she never saw because she never went inside it was all based on his threats to do so.

Can he get his bond revisited?

Why would they refile the charges?

Any advice really, we are working on getting him a lawyer now.

Answer: He needs an attorney badly. He made threats then made affirmative action to carry out those threats.


Title: How to act at a traffic stop regarding alcohol

Question:
I did a quick search about what to do if pulled over after having a drink sometime that day. One example from my past was having a beer and driving home two hours later. If asked about drinking, do you say no or "I won't answer any questions" (that was the advise in the other thread)?

Correct me if I'm wrong but it feels like not answering questions is more likely to lead to a drawn out situation as now you are actin suspicious.

I also am curious about if "no" would be appropriate. It has been two hours. However that could certainly be construed as misleading as I could have taken five shots two hours ago which would likely mean I am rather impaired. At the same time saying "yes but it was a beer two hours ago" seems like an excuse cops hear all the time.

Finally, are you required to take fjeld sobriety tests? Another thread said that if an ofiver wishes to give you one then you are pretty much already getting arrested. It would seem that the logical thing to do is make them take a blood test instead.

If anyone had any thoughts on this I am interested in hearing them.

Thanks
Topic:
Alcohol Related Other than DUI

Answer:
 Two people in this thread have said that lying to the police is not a crime. I am unfamiliar with MN law, so maybe that's the case there, but it is a crime in AZ and probably lots of other places. It also practically destroys any chance you have of winning your case at trial, since the jury sees it as evidence of guilt.Answer #2: you can say whatever you want or keep silent. you're not under oath. you can lie. I agree that trying to stay silent like you were a badass from The Wire would probably cause more trouble than it's worth.

as to tests: just like refusing to speak, you can refuse all pre-arrest tests. once arrested most states have special penalties for people who refuse to blow or give a blood sample.


Title: Can an online store change the price between the customer "adding to a cart" and actually paying for the service?

Question:
I occasionally use an specific online game store and i noticed a game on sale, so i added it to the cart. I was distracted from my online shopping and forgot about it until 24 hours later where it had gone off sale. I bought it anyway and was pleasantly surprised when it still had the price that it had during the sale.

So i was curious as to whether this was simply a case of the website being generous or whether this is actually required by law.

I live in the EU, but i think the site is based in the US.

Edit: Since a bot screamed at me for a location (i guess "EU" wasn't specific enough), ill add that i live in Denmark.

Answer: The answer to your title is yes. You waited to purchase and the price can change in that time.


Title: Girlfriend bought car from a neighbor, today bank showed up and seized her car because the person her neighbor bought it from leased it and didnt pay the full lease. What can she do to get it back or get money for it that she rightfully paid. Alberta, Canada.

Answer:
 She can file a police report for fraud, and sue him for what she paid-- but good luck getting blood from that stone.Answer #2: so they bought a motor vehicle without a title??...Answer #3: I’m not a lawyer but I’ve always been told to check to see if used vehicles have any liens on them before you buy for this very reason. You might be SOL. http://www.amvic.org/buying-used-check-liens/Answer #4: Could OPs gf pay to get the car back and then sue for what she had to pay?

If you want the car, and have the money to afford it, and this is legal, I'd do this. You can sue for the additional money you paid. This could be a very long process, but at least you have a car in the meantime.


Title: Offensive Name

Question:
Edit: This took place in Oskosh, Wisconsin

I placed an order at a food place online and when they asked for a name I put down "Dicks Enormous". I then got a call a few minutes later from a worker who threatened to go to the police and report me.

I've learned my lesson and I will never do something this stupid again, but what are the legal consequences? Can this come back to haunt me in the future?

Answer: I prefer Hugh Janus myself.


Title: Had surgery (installation of a screw in my foot) that cost $4600, now I'm being told I need to remove the screw for $5000

Question:
I had an operation on my foot on December 2017 because I was experiencing pain in my foot. The doctor installed a screw in my foot and told me the pain would subside. Not too long after, the pain resurfaced, so I went to another doctor to get it checked out, who is now telling me that I need to get the screw removed. I spent $4600 out of pocket for the installation of the screw and now I'm being told I need to spend around $5000 to get it removed. I called the doctor who did the operation telling him about what happened and he told me "it's normal" and wasn't of help at all. I'm now $4600 down the drain, my foot still hurting, and wondering what to do next.

Can anyone help me please?

Answer: Before I spent $5000, I would get a third opinion from another doctor than either of those two.


Title: Signed apartment lease based on incorrect information

Question:
I wanted to move away from my previous apartment in part due to noise. My current apartment complex has concretete separating each apartment for noise insulation, as well as a strict noise policy for tenants, which I was very happy to hear when signing my lease.

When choosing between available apartments in the complex, I was shown a map with circled areas on each building where a vacancy was. The circles were placed where the window would be, so you can clearly see which side of the building you look out and roughly where in the building that room is.

Long story short, I chose an apartment that was shown as being on the west-facing side of a building. I signed the lease months ago and when I came to pick up the key today I learned that it is actually on the east-facing side, and it overlooks the patio of a bar. It's 2:30am on the first night and I can't sleep due to drunk people shouting. I know I signed a lease but do I have any leverage in asking management for any other open rooms in the complex? I'm not even sure if I still have that map with the circled apartment.

Answer:
 Surely the lease states a specific unit. You are likely stuck in this one unless the unit number on your lease is different from the one you currently inhabit.
Still no harm in requesting a change from management.Answer #2: Without that piece of paper, and assuming your lease covers the unit you're in, you have very little leverage.  You are obviously still free to try to negotiate.


Title: [CA] Concealing Information from Spouse Before Marriage & Prenuptual

Question:
California, San Mateo County

Is it illegal, fraudulent, or acting in bad faith to conceal a bankruptcy from a spouse before marriage and while negotiating a prenuptial agreement?

Answer: Illegal, no. Fraudulent, probably. Bad faith, almost certainly.


Title: [UPDATE] Are renters responsible for external graffiti?

Question:
My original post was small, but I wanted to give you an update because you guys helped a lot and because you guys like updates :)

Recap of the issue: during our lease, the apartment complex decided to pour new concrete for our front stairs. Multiple people write their initials in the concrete. The landlord decided this was a $600 repair to fix the small slab of concrete and deducted it from our security deposit. Given other people walking by wrote their initials in the concrete, we wanted to dispute the deduction.

Using the state law links and sample letters on the tenant resource center website (Madison, WI has great resources!), we drafted a letter to the landlord. The logic of our argument was that we couldn't be held "reasonably responsible" (wording of the state law) for the damage on the steps since it wasn't caused my us or our guests. We asked for our deposit back within a week or we would pursue further legal action.

The landlord sent back an email stating since they had no evidence (video or photo, I'm assuming that's the level of proof required for small claims) that we did it, so they would return the $600. Their letter mentioned that since one of the initial sets (out of 6 sets) matched that of a roommate (4 of us lived there), they assumed we all did the damage. Yeah, that logic isn't too solid.

Last week I got my portion of that $600 back, so I'd say we were successful!!!

Morals of the story:

-- Tenant Resource Centers can be helpful and full of good resources

-- Always pay attention and question the reasoning for security deposit deductions! Just because they justified the deductions in their mind doesn't mean it was right or would hold up in small claims court. Sometimes a clearly worded letter is all it takes.

Thanks for all the help!!

Original:
https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3keb93/are_renters_responsible_for_external_graffiti/

Answer:
 Fair play to the landlord for not being a complete ass about it after you sent the letter.

However I can't help but feel landlords just try to charge for every little thing in the hopes that people will just pay it without question, so they get effectively free money. That in itself is morally objectionable.Answer #2: The Tenant Resource Center is having its funding reduced, so if you are able, maybe donate $20 from what you got back to help them keep doing what they are doing.  [Link to their donations page](https://tenantresourcecenter.nationbuilder.com/donate)Answer #3: Damn, $600 to fix a concrete slab? I replaced my entire walkway with concrete for probably $100 bucksAnswer #4: Nice update.  Enjoy your time in Madison.
Answer #5: Just out of curiosity, did your roommate put their initials in it, or was it just coincidence?


Title: TX - UPDATE Starter interrupt device found on my car.

Question:
OP - https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/47r19g/tx_found_a_starter_interrupt_device_installed_on/

So I found some things out. The financial dept for my bank, wells fargo, is closed on weekends. However I was able to call back the number that  called me complaining about my removal of the device. This company is open on the weekends. They are a sort of collections company that is authorized by my first bank to collect payments and repossess the car.

Apparently this has been one giant misunderstand that could have some consequences for the company involved. A year after I got my car, I refinanced it. It took some time to track down but according to the original loan contract, it required the device on the car. The new loan contract makes no mention of the device and has no requirement for it to be there. I read over it again and again to make sure. But it looks like I am clear there.

The original lender was a seedy walmart type bank. They only operate in the metroplex and are very much into predatory lending.

I had to dump this bank after they would repeatedly refuse to refund overdraft charges on things that were double charged and immediately refunded. IE I would pay a bill, it would show in my bank records as being paid twice but one instance immediately refunded. They would try to slap a 25 dollar overdraft on that unless I specifically complained. They were kind of well known for doing this and have many complaints with the BBB for these practices. So that gives you an idea of the people I was working with.

Once my credit was much better thanks to some smart decisions on my part, I got with wells fargo. The company that does the GPS monitoring and repossessing was not informed by that bank that the car was refinanced. While on the phone with them I was able to determine that they have comprehensive logs of where I go. They have been tracking my every movement for the last 4 years. They keep logs so that if the device is ever removed their repomen have a list of my top visited places so they can snatch the car.

Even if I were still under the original loan contract would this type of monitoring be legal? They still have repo men out looking for my car. Its locked up and at my work they require a badge to get on the parking lot. Also my work does not let repo men on the lot unless they are accompanied by law enforcement with a lawful order. Which never happens. So the car is safe for now. I drive another car when I want to run errands so I am covered on that front.

The company that is trying to repo my car refuses to listen to me until I show them the new loan agreement. But they don't have any offices open on the weekend and it looks like I am going to have to take a day off of work, or at least a late start to handle this.

So the question is this. IS this kind of monitoring they have been doing legal? They have every single stop my car has made for more than 10 minutes in the last 4 years recorded in their logs. This is a massive invasion of privacy.

Answer:
 OP, there's a lot of VERY bad advice here. Call a consumer attorney in your state. You may have an action available against the sleazy bank, depending on the facts. Source: I'm a consumer attorney in a different state.

EDIT: Check the National Association of Consumer Advocates at www.naca.net (yes, too damn lazy to format a link).Answer #2: > Even if I were still under the original loan contract would this type of monitoring be legal?

Yep.  It's contractual.  You agreed to it.

Answer #3: > The company that is trying to repo my car refuses to listen to me until I show them the new loan agreement. But they don't have any offices open on the weekend and it looks like I am going to have to take a day off of work, or at least a late start to handle this.

Why can't you just fax them a copy of the new loan agreement?

> This is a massive invasion of privacy.

No, it's not.  You agreed to it when you took out the original loan.  It's not an invasion when you invite them in.Answer #4: For what it's worth, I wholeheartedly support the fact you're pursuing this.  I hope it works out; I'd love to hear this was another case like the guy who sued BoA and could have closed their branch.  I'm envisioning tracking devices as a standard part of these contracts, and of course when one company is successful at it then every other will adopt the same practices which leaves us consumers with no options.


Title: [AK] Failure to report now someone dead

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 This is a pretty good discussion thread that should answer your question:

https://www.quora.com/Is-it-illegal-to-not-report-a-crime


Title: [WV] Received a paycheck for a job I no longer have.

Question:
Hi all,

I would like to start by saying that I do not want this money I did not earn it.  I worked for the state university system in West Virginia.  Today I received a paycheck from the state auditor's office for the position I no longer have.

My main question is what steps should I take to make sure I am safe while trying to get this money back to the right place?  I just don't want to be accused of theft or anything like that.

Thanks you

Answer:
 When you worked there, was it the State Auditor's office who sent you your checks?

The most likely explanation is that there was an audit of the state university system (or, at least, the part you worked for) that discovered you had been underpaid -- maybe they owed you your last paycheck or something.

That said, before spending it, you'll want to check to see why you received it.Answer #2: It's the time of year where wage errors in your favor often get discovered. That may be all this is. A simple phone call and you should have the answer.

It's a check. If you determine it's not yours, don't cash it and you won't be accused of theft.


Title: Someone bleached our laundry. Total loss.

Question:
Chicago, IL

This is the final straw in escalation from what we assume is our upstairs neighbors. We both (partner and I) do our laundry at somewhat odd hours since our work schedules are retail. But most of the time we do laundry around 6pm, maybe as late as 8pm.

Some times I go to change over or grab clean laundry and find the units opened, still soapy or still soaking wet. Forcing me to use more money to restart them. This wasn't too big of an issue, just petty, and I know other neighbors have had this happen too.

Well on Friday my parter was doing his laundry in the evening, later than usual (9pm) and came back to the door closed and the washing machine open. He just started it up again. Well, turns out someone had bleached his cloths. Every bit of it was damaged. Work clothes, socks, underwear. Luckily none of my things otherwise it would be a lot more money in damaged clothing. As it is, only $200 or so but still my partner has to buy more work clothes.

Landord can't do anything. We assume it's the people directly above us, we are on the first floor and they are right above and one of their rooms is directly above the laundry room. There is nothing in the lease about quiet hours, yet we are quiet nerds who sometimes (once a month?) have people over for wine and board games and don't play loud music or movies. We do stay up late, but we are not loud.

Questions:

1) Landord has given permission to set up a camera/recording device next time we do laundry. The laundry room is part of the complex. Is this legal? Any suggestions on a (cheap) device to use?

2) If we find out who's doing this, can we pursue monetary damages for the stuff already damaged?

3) If cameras are not OK, any suggestions on how to get justice?

I really don't want to have to go back to using a laundromat. Or move.

Answer: Cameras would likely be fine in a common area with the landlord's permission. Illinois is a 2 party consent state for audio recording so to be safe you should probably record video only. Wyze makes good inexpensive cameras - you can find them on Amazon (you'd also need an SD card to record continuously or without WiFi). The recordings could be used as evidence if you needed to sue the other tenant for damages.Answer #2: I’d suggest staying with your laundry while it’s being washed and see who comes in. This is probably the easiest way to get a handle on the situation. If that’s not an option for whatever reason, you could alternatively get a camera that backs up to the cloud when it detects motion (such as a $25 Wyze camera) so that even if the camera is physically destroyed you still have a record of who did it. If they’re willing to destroy a load of clothes they’re probably willing to destroy any camera you leave there.


Title: Bankruptcy and Divorce... is there anything I can do to protect myself from his bad decisions? [WI]

Question:
Long story short, my spouse took out multiple cash store loans. When I found out about them, I paid them off. Then he took out more without my knowledge. Now he has so many loans, the weekly minimum payments are more than his entire salary.

We are days from filing bankruptcy. It seems like I am pretty much just fucked for the things he did without my knowledge. I am assuming in a divorce, I will be saddled with half of his debt?

At this point divorce is inevitable.

I understand that Wisconsin is a "no fault" state. Is there any benefit to me filing divorce now? Should I file separation papers before bankruptcy?

Answer:
 Since you are days away from filing BK, you wont be saddled with any of the debt, and neither will he. All the debts (if its discharged) will go away.

If you file together, there is one bk filing fee, one attorney, and one case and you both get out of the debt together. He wont be able to get new debt because you are in the bk process.

You can then file for divorce (during the bk process) and debts are not a factor because you dont have any.

If you dont want (or need) to file BK except for his bad financial decisions, you can file for divorce now. During the divorce process, you can have your dissolution agreement state that all of his debts are his own and you are not responsible for any of them. He can still get them discharged in bk but the creditors will not be able to come after you because of your dissolution agreement (and because they are not your debts that you did not sign up for).

If you think that bk is the end of the world, read this article on my website. http://www.bcraiglaw.com/bankruptcy/chapter-7-bankruptcy-life-goes-on/

Source: I am a BK attorney in CA and IL. Answer #2: You should talk to your own bankruptcy lawyer and divorce lawyer. Wisconsin is a community property state for marriage, so you could be stuck with the bills also.


Title: Dear Law Afficionados of Reddit, I've heard that ANY legal debt can be excused via birth certificate.(US)

Question: Holy grail of Life Pro Tips, or straight up fiction?? I'm based in Ohio and student loans are a bitch. There are many youtube videos on this subject, but it seems to good to be true.

Answer:
 It's true!  If you don't pay your bills and get calls from collectors you simply have to say "birth certificate."

They'll understand the code and all debt will be forgiven. Answer #2: If it were true, lenders would go out of business more or less instantly. There is no treasury account associated with your SSN or with your birth certificate, and you have no way to compel a lender to discharge your debt without payment or to transfer that obligation to any other party without both their and the lender's consent.

Stop palling around with sovereign citizen/freeman on the land/tax protestor types. There's a lot of bad info floating around, and their sense of outraged entitlement is contagious if you're not careful.Answer #3: I'm assuming this is some sovereign citizen nonsense.  No, you can't get out of a debt by sending someone your birth certificate.


Title: [B.C, Canada] 177 players receiving unjustified bans (14 permanent) from mobile game

Question: Not what I had hoped to hear, but I had a feeling there was no recourse available. Thanks for the help /r/legaladvice

Answer: The bans are almost certainly legal. Read the game's terms of service.


Title: My cousin was supposed to turn herself in last night but jail refused to hold her

Question:
Hi! Sorry if there is any confusion in this post, I'm trying to explain as best as i can.

my cousin was supposed to go to jail for 14 days and she turned herself on time  which is at about 8 pm..she was held for 20 minutes, and then the jail told her that she was really really late so they couldn't hold her. I don't know what its called but my cousin has 2 records that each state 14 days, they are 2 different county's..

her court judge even told her, to avoid going to jail for 28 days, she could go to county C and serve 14 days and that would count for her other 14 days. So she went in the jail to turn herself in and they told her they couldn't take her and to go to county H.

Now she called the office in county H and they even said to don't turn herself in to avoid a 30 day sentence. I don't know what's going to happen, if she will have a warrant or not. Should she consult a lawyer?

Her judge sent her for 2 weeks in jail due to not having insurance in her car and she has one now btw but current sentence is 6 months and she can't do that. This is in Idaho

Answer:
 Did she have a lawyer in court? She should contact them immediately. If not she needs one and she needs to inform the court that she was refused at the jail.Answer #2: >Should she consult a lawyer?

Yes.


Title: Fired a band member, emailed our manager to tell them why, ex member now suing for defamation

Question:
Making a long story short, we are a USA based band, we fired a band member, emailed our manager to tell them why, and this ex member now suing for defamation. Everything we told our manager was either true or our opinion, so we aren't really worried about that.

The email to our manager was sent between two states that the plaintiff does not live in. He is attempting to sue us in a completely different state, where he lives. My question is, does he even have the jurisdiction to do that in his state? Or would he technically have to sue us in the states in which the email was sent / received?

Thanks for any and all advice

Answer: If you're being sued, get a lawyer. If he's only making noise, ignore him. Really that's all that there's to it, because even if he's in the wrong jurisdiction, you don't want to risk a default judgement by not having someone make the argument that it's the wrong jurisdiction to the court.


Title: Manager threatening spouse with job loss for trip to emergency room [Virginia]

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Virginia is an at will employment state.  He could be fired for saying the sun rises in the east.  Your husband is not being discriminated against as a member of a protected class, and thus can be fired for almost any reason.

Answer #2: If it was that serious, you should call an ambulance. She can fire him, legally.


Title: [BC, Canada] I'm certain my brother stole the contents of a piece of mail that was addressed to me, but I think all I have is circumstantial evidence.

Question:
The contents of the mail was a tablet.

The tablet was something granted by my bank for signing up for a specific chequing account and setting it up to meet specific requirements. My brother has no job and no income. This is important because the account is a paid account, it automatically grants a debit card, and tablet qualifications required direct payroll deposit from your employer, a minimum amount ($50, iirc) automatic monthly withdrawal for a recurring bill, and a bill to be paid online (no automatic withdrawal, just online payment).

Mid/late August, my brother suddenly had one of the same brand and model of tablet that I was supposed to receive. I asked him where he got it and he said through a promotion with his bank, the same bank as me. How did he qualify for this tablet with zero income to supplement the cost of the account and the requirements to qualify for the tablet? I've also seen the contents of his wallet - there is *nothing* in there from our supposed shared bank.

Throughout the last few months, I've been working with my bank to find out what happened to the tablet, and I've also asked my brother a couple times if he's absolutely sure the tablet is his. I found out yesterday that delivery was confirmed to my address on August 21 of this year, and was signed for by someone who claimed their name was Dale. There is no Dale at my residence, and this delivery took place around the same time that my brother magically had "his" tablet show up.

All of this tells me that he signed for a package with my name on it, gave a fake name to the UPS driver, tossed the packaging addressed to me, and claimed the tablet for himself. His last girlfriend signed up with the same bank a couple months prior and received the same tablet, and she was living here at the time it would have arrived, so it's safe to say he knew what the packaging looked like and what it contained.

I think it's important to note that he has a very long history with theft and has stolen countless things from me in the past and has a criminal record for petty theft/evading his PO. He also has *zero* control over his anger. I'm absolutely certain he would sooner attack me, or "lose"/break the tablet before giving it to me if I prove it's mine.

I'm *really* tired of letting him get away with stealing from me, and now I'm paranoid that he's rifling through my mail. Do I have any recourse?

Edit: Clarity and formatting.

Answer:
 You can report your suspicions to the bank, and to the police. The bank will know if they sent your brother a tablet.

In the meanwhile, get a PO box.


Title: [PA] Legal responsibility for wasting a salesperson's time

Question:
Pennsylvania.

A local business has outsourced their telemarketing to an unknown firm. The telemarketing firm is likely outside the US and is ignoring my presence on the "do not call" list, is placing about 30 automated calls (not an exaggeration) to my cell phone daily (47 USC 227) with no business relationship, and has ignored my requests to stop calling.

Today I played dumb and answered all the telemarketer's screening questions. I was transferred to a sales agent selling a local company's services. I plan on accepting the agent's offer to send one of their representatives to my home (about a 45 minute drive each way) to discuss their offerings.

When he arrives, I'll listen to his sales pitch and maybe ask a few questions. When he's finished, I'll weigh their obnoxious telemarketing against their product, and may decide not to purchase. If this is the case I'll tell the agent why.

Since this is a sales process initiated by the business, and since there's no contract in place, would the business be able to hold me responsible for what they'll no doubt consider "wasting" their time?

TL/DR: if I accept a salesperson's offer for an in-person appointment at my location with the intention of not buying what they're selling, could I be held liable for wasting the salesperson's time?

Answer:
 No.  But this sounds like a tremendous waste of your time, and it likely hurts a relatively innocent sales person more than the company that has chosen to flout the law.

Wouldn't it be more satisfying to bring a lawsuit against the company for their violations of the do not call list?

Edit:  correct flout/flaunt per comment below.Answer #2: As long as you don't agree to pay for their time then they can not make you pay them.


Title: [PA] Ex's Landlord hindering visitation

Question: Long story short, friend has visitation with a child. The custody order states that on visits, he and his ex take turns picking up and/or dropping off. He has never been to his ex's residence, anx has always picked up from his ex's parents' house, due to his ex's schedule. On more than one occasion, her schedule and weather conditions make it so that she can't bring the child to her parents' house. He was then unable to pickup the child at his ex's residence because her landlord, a person with whom he has had zero interaction, never met, etc. doesn't want him on the property. There is no criminal history, no history of violence, just a difficult divorce and what appears to be bad mouthing by his ex. Are there any legal issues here? Can a landlord ban him from entering the property to pickup his child, interfering with custody? Does his ex have to look into moving, since she's (and their child) reside somewhere the father (who has joint legal custody) can not access? Are there any issues at hand I'm not thinking of? My buxdy's in a tough situation, and I'm seeing what can be done to help him out.

Answer:
 He doesn't have to go on the property to pick her up.

He can drive there and the exchange can occur on the public sidewalk or street in front of the house.

Has he heard this from the landlord himself, or just from the ex?

There is absolutely more to this story.  Smart money says it's the ex who doesn't want him there and she lied.


Title: Oldest of five suffering from educational neglect (Texas)

Question:
I want to apologize at the start for this long post. I need this sub’s help. I really am at a loss of what to do.

I am the oldest of five. I have 4 little sisters that range from 18 to 5 years old. I myself am 20. I’m the only boy. All four of my sisters will now be “homeschooled” by our mother who did not teach me anything in the last four of the five years I was homeschooled.

A little background on my family:

My mother was verbally and emotionally abused by her step-dad, my dad was as well by his step-dad. My mom’s mother, always let it happen and told my mom to let it in one ear and out the other. Anytime my mom threatened to tell outside help how bad it was she was always accused of being the reason he was so bad.

My dad’s mother was the opposite, she was very overbearing on my dad and decided every decision in every facet of his life. Thusly, my parents have both decided to be the exact opposite - my mom is now like my dad’s mom, my dad is like my mom’s mom.

I was pulled out of school in the third grade for “bullying” - Something I wish never happened. I can’t explain how far this put me back. My now-18 year old sister was pulled out of school at the same time.

My mom homeschooled us well for the first year, but after that, she always told us to wait for dad to get home. My mom is unemployed, a SAHM. My dad works an 8-5, comes home, fixes dinner, cleans the dishes, takes care of the kids and puts them to bed. Then he goes and works OT from home in his office until 2 or 3am every night.

Obviously, my dad has no time to sit down and help us with school. He would yell at us for “not making mom help us.” And then my mom would yell at us for “not making dad do it.” This cycle continued to the point where my sister and I would hide our textbooks, lie to our parents about doing work (on the rare occasion my mom would ask) and generally feel pretty shitty about ourselves and what we were doing. I dealt strongly with depression & suicidal thoughts during this time. (Beginning at 8-9 years old.)

Eventually, our mom finally stopped buying us textbooks and school just didn’t happen. Anytime family would ask, it would be lies detailing how good we were doing. What strikes me most as odd is she would always have us in a co-op or a homeschool group and we would always attend and be involved. We would work on school there, that one day a week, but never the rest of the week.

(Side note - my mom is the kind of lady who posts everything about her life on Facebook. She’s also the kind of person who is ALWAYS sick.)

Fast forward a few years and non-stop begging of my parents to let me get back into public school, I’ve graduated high school early, moved out on my 18th birthday, worked 50-60+ hours/wk between multiple jobs for two years and I am a week away from moving into a university an hour away as a freshman.

My 18 year old sister has had no desire to get back into public school. She had a brief moment where she wanted to, for her freshman year, and my mom told her in a fight that “people don’t like people like you.” (My sister listens to heavy metal, pop-punk genre of music and has bright red hair) This terrified my sister and destroyed any shred of self-esteem she held. She now keeps by herself in her room for 18-20 hours of the day and doesn’t talk to anyone in the family. My parents make stupid comments about it but don’t do a thing to help her. She held a couple jobs for a few months and seemed to be on the come-up, but quit them because “she was working too much.” And my parents aren’t pushing her to do a thing so she is currently unemployed with the education of a kindergartener at 18. She is well-written and well spoken but has not been educated in any subject.

My ten year old sister was doing great, has been in private school/then public school for the last three years. As recently as today, I assumed she was loving her new intermediate school. She told me today she is dropping out of the public school at Christmas break to join her 8 year old and 5 year old sister at a local co-op where they meet once a week. This devastated me. I LOVE my sisters and I don’t believe they are getting any form of education through this.

From what they tell me, they sing songs to learn each subject and they don’t have any textbooks/workbooks they go through at home. They are supposed to, but the 8 year-old tells me that “mom forgets to do school every day, and that’s ok with me because I don’t like school.”

Obviously my two youngest sisters are too young to understand the damage that this is causing to their lives. I need your help, reddit, because I am at a loss on what to do. I thought my ten year old sister was doing so well in school. She refused to sit down and talk to me about her decision on school, telling me it is “mine and mom’s decision only, not yours.”

My 18 year old sister has depression, anxiety and little to no social skills. She has no education, and can’t hold down a job. This is the path my three other sisters are taking and my parents are OKAY with this. I just don’t understand.

We have no other family near us, although it wouldn’t be much help if we did. All of our grandparents know our situation but my mom is so controlling that if they disagree with her on any decision they lose contact to their grandkids for months at a time. No one wants to do anything to rock the boat. Their hands are tied.

I’m a week from moving away into university and my Mamaw told me the best thing I can do is to move, wash my hands of this and just pray for them. But they are my sisters, and I feel so much like I have raised them as much/more as my parents. I don’t want to ruin my future by staying behind, but I don’t want them to not even have a chance of a future.

I’ve considered contacting authorities but I’m scared of what lies behind opening that can of worms - I couldn’t imagine them taking my sisters away. We also live in a state that has no requirements on homeschooling - they don’t have to update the state or take any sort of testing.

I don’t know what to do.

TL;DR

I am the oldest of 5 and I am concerned about the future and welfare of 4 younger siblings that are being neglected educationally and also emotionally.
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 A) the 18 year old should work towards the GED test. As you probably know, the “homeschooled diploma” isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. If your mom even bothered to print one out.

B) Texas homeschools aren’t regulated too much. They must have a curriculum and teach the basic subjects. That’s about it.

Contact CPS and ask if they have any resources or enforcement of “substandard” or “fraudulent” homeschool. Your local school district may also have some resources. Answer #2: I am a child protective services investigator.

Texas state statute does not provide much oversight for homeschooling. There are only three requirements: the curriculum must be bonafide, it must be visual (text, video, audio) and it must include the five basic subjects.

There are no agencies that oversee homeschoolers and there are no testing requirements. A parent can simply not enroll their child in school or, if they choose to take their child out of school to homeschool, they can sign off on a form called “Intent To Homeschool”.

If this is the only issue you are concerned about, I do not think CPS can do anything to remedy the situation. In fact, the report would likely be screened at the hotline level.


Title: Broken leg at alumni soccer game

Question:
I recently played in an alumni soccer game at my former college and sustained a broken tibia, due to a reckless tackle from a current player while I was dribbling. They didn’t have me sign a liability waiver or anything before the game, and now I have thousands of dollars in medical bills not to mention being stuck on crutches and using up sick and vacation time at work.

I don’t really want to sue the school but it was suggested to me to at least write a letter to the athletic department listing the damages and requesting some compensation. Would a school even bat an eye at a letter like that?

It’s a private college, and the injury obviously happened on school grounds, if that changes anything.

Thank you for any help!
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer:
 There was a presumption of risk you agreed to when you participated in a sporting event.

Liabilty waivers are useless and your only course is to seek restitution from the offending party.  The burden of proof is on you to prove gross negligence as well as a few other factors to establish liabilty.

The school is not responsible.

Seek a consult with a personal injury attorney to see if it is worth it to you to pursue.


Title: Teacher terrified kids into donating to a religious establishment. Any grounds to get their money back? (KY)

Question:
My children attend a public school in a rural, heavily religious area of the state.

I recently learned my kids donated all their money (son, over 200 bucks/ daughter, over 100) to a local church because one of their teachers went around telling the school kids those who don't donate will burn in hell, suffer great pain, and surely die soon. I found out because my kids came crying to me after doing so wanting to know if they were still going to die because the teacher said they hadn't donated "enough."

I'm absolutely furious. We're an atheistic household and while I respect the teacher's choice to partake in religion, I'm outraged she's been saying these things to my kids and extorting them out of their hard-earned chore money.

I've talked to the school, but I don't think there is a single person in administration who isn't religious. No one is taking this seriously and when I went to complain, they praised the teacher and informed be (bragged) that she forces kids to listen to her read the bible aloud in the lunchroom during lunch breaks.

What can I do to stop this? This is a public school, I don't want my kids to have to listen to the bible, pray, or practice any other parts of organized religion.

Can I get my kids' their money back? Who would I sue to do this?

Answer:
 Possible "fire and brimstone" response:

There's no paperwork on the donation, and clearly no adult consent.

Go to the police and file charges of theft by deception.  Assume that the teacher lied to the children and pocketed the money.  Make the teacher at least prove that she donated the money to the church somehow.

(People who actually know something about the law and law enforcement are encouraged to explain why this won't work.)Answer #2: Call the police, the teacher can be easily charged with extortion and theft.  Answer #3: How sure are you there money went to the church? My guess is the teacher has it. I'd call the police in addition to the school board and ACLU.Answer #4: Also contact the Freedom from Religion Foundation here: https://ffrf.org/legal/reportAnswer #5: http://www.educationrights.com/teacherrights.php
http://www.educationrights.com/contact_education_rights.php

if the public school is not responsive probably best to talk to a lawyer at this point
Answer #6: IANAL, but please contact the FFRF or the ACLU in addition to what these fine people suggest.


Title: (MD) A former employer is trying to charge my wife $740. Can they do this?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Sorry no, my answer has changed since you posted this 10 minutes ago. Something about your story doesn't add up. But if your wife signed the document, yes, it can be used as a basis to collect a judgment. They could still refer the matter to the police, because she did admit to committing a crime.


Title: Are laws regarding cars/car loans in a divorce really this silly?

Question:
My wife and I bought a car just before our divorce. She travelled out of state to pick up the car from a friend that was selling it so the title was signed to her. I took out a loan from my bank with which she paid.

She got the car in the divorce.

Car payment is about $250/mo. I was ordered to pay $700 in child support.

For the last few years, I've been paying $450 directly to her and $250 comes out of my bank for the car loan on her car. She had no problem with this arrangement.

She talked with her friend in law school recently and now she is accusing me of stiffing her $250 each month. She is suing for all of the child support that I have "stiffed" her on and demanding $700 to be given directly to her from now on.

I cannot afford to be out $950/mo. I can definitely not afford to pay her the $3000+ that she says I owe her. What should I do?

California.

Answer:
 You should talk to a lawyer.

If you weren't ordered to make the car payment in the divorce, stop paying the car payment- let her take care of that.  Pay all the money directly to her for child support and let her figure the car out.

Note:  Tell her in an email that you are doing this so there is a record and she doesn't come after you if the car gets repossessed.Answer #2: The $250 that was coming out of your bank -- was it coming out of your bank account directly to the lender?   Unfortunately, in most places child support can not be done "in kind" _unless_ there have been certain conditions met (in my experience, allowable "in kind" payments must be (1) written into the child support order and approved by the court (this often will be things like the non-custodial parent paying the mortgage), or (2) a written in-kind agreement between the parties (and often filed with the court).

Do you have any correspondence (e-mails or texts) between the two of you where she acknowledges this was an agree-upon in-kind payment?  Considering this has been going on for several years without complaint from her, you _might_ get a sympathetic judge.

You say she got the car in the divorce -- was there anything in the agreement that says she got the car but you had to pay the loan?


Title: Parents are divorcing and my mom may lose everything due to father's underhanded tactics (CA, US)

Question:
Hi everybody. I guess I’m just going to get to the heart of my question, and try to only give as much backstory as necessary so this doesn’t go on forever. There will be a TL;DR at the end as this got way longer than I thought.

&nbsp;

Basically, my parents started divorce proceedings a couple years ago, at which time my father moved out of the house. These proceedings have lasted quite a long while, though about maybe 9ish months ago, they signed a stipulation in court (both sides signed, as well as the presiding family law court judge), where my mom received both houses and my father received his businesses (two of them). However, after the stipulation was signed, my father refused to sign the paperwork required to transfer the houses into my mom’s name, and because my mom owed her attorney money, he refused to force the execution of these documents because “he couldn’t afford to if [she] didn’t pay [him] what she owed.” A little background there: my mom has been a stay at home mom for almost 40 years, her last job being a waitress at Denny’s in her late teens. My father made roughly 300K+ per year in construction, and had essentially been “preparing” for the divorce for years prior (writing checks out to himself – over 1 million dollars – that just disappeared, falsifying accounting records, “cooking the books” for his businesses, etc.), and now all of the sudden makes 0 dollars per year and refusing to pay spousal support. Unfortunately, my mother was far too trusting and was blindsided by all of this, and therefore didn’t have the funds or resources to fight this all very well. That said, she really is amazing; she has a job now, has kept her head up, and is remaining positive despite how life-changing these events have been recently.

&nbsp;

Anyway, fast forward to maybe 6 months ago, my father filed bankruptcy. He listed both houses as his property (even though he hasn’t lived in them for 2 years, hasn’t paid a cent in mortgage, property taxes, anything for those two years, AND signed them away in the stipulation), and therefore, the bankruptcy trustee has been trying to force my mom to sell them to pay off his debts, INCLUDING those he received after the divorce. Obviously, considering the signed stipulation, my mom tried to fight this, saying that she owned the houses now. So, the first thing the trustee did was try and say the stipulation was fraudulent, and that it was planned so they wouldn’t lose their assets. When they realized that that most definitely wasn’t the case, they said that because my father technically hadn’t signed over the houses (like the deed) officially at the time of bankruptcy declaration, he did technically own them and therefore they are a part of the bankruptcy estate. I’ve come to terms that even though this is absolute bullshit, and they got her on a ridiculous black and white technicality (if this is even allowed), this is the current predicament that she is in and has to navigate.

&nbsp;

As far as how monetary figures add up, one house is worth 250K (with 100K owed for mortgage), and the other worth probably 1.2-1.5 million (with 600K owed for mortgage), and the bankruptcy trustee is saying that they need 240K to pay off his debts, 75K to pay off associated attorney fees with this, and, as I’m sure wouldn’t surprise you by this point, 175K for a homestead exemption my father is trying to claim through his bankruptcy; oh, and I forgot to mention, his business are protected from the bankruptcy as they are corporations, not part of his personal assets of course. Similarly, his corporation owns his car, so that’s safe too. The trustee and his attorney are filing a motion to hopefully dismiss his homestead exemption claim, as he does not, and has not for 2 years, live in that house and does not pay for its upkeep. So, my mom either has to come up with potentially ~315-490K to pay the trustee so she can keep the houses (I can’t see any possible way to do this), or sell both houses and start over.

&nbsp;

Some of you may think “well, she gets a few hundred thousand dollars from the whole deal, that’s not that bad.”  it is that bad. She is almost 60, works now as an office manager for ~15-16$/hr, has no savings or retirement savings, would not have a home, probably has terrible credit now as a result of all of this so getting a mortgage would be hard I’m assuming, not to mention owning those homes and being able to rent them (smaller one permanently and larger one for weekends) for a sizable amount of money was invaluable for someone in her position. Now that she will no longer have that ability and will have to survive on her very small income at her advanced age, I’m just really concerned about what her life is going to be like from now on. Add to that how incredibly heinous it is that the law helps creeps who can lie and connive their way to destroying another person’s life, it just makes me sick.

&nbsp;

TL;DR: Parents are divorcing; mom was awarded homes that my father hasn’t lived in or paid a cent toward in 2 years in the settlement and my p.o.s. father, his businesses. Father refuses to sign over the deeds to the houses after he signed a court-ordered stipulation, and claims them as his possessions when he files bankruptcy a few months later. Due to this, the trustee of the bankruptcy estate claims they count in the bankruptcy, and my mom either has to give him the sum total of his debts owed and the attorney fees generated, or sell her houses to pay that amount. Mom needs the houses as her largest source of income and would be generally screwed financially if she lost them.

&nbsp;

So reddit, could you please see if I’m missing anything here that my mom can do to keep her home(s)?

Answer:
 She needs to back to the divorce court ASAP and force him to sign the documents.  She should have done so immediately when he didn't sign the deeds.

I don't think the bankruptcy trustee is correct in saying that because he didn't complete paperwork these assets are his.  In any case, I am willing to bet that the divorce court judge is not going to be amused, so it's time to head back to court ASAP, with a competent lawyer.


Title: Landlord asking for over 14k in damages - Atlanta, GA

Question:
So this house has been leased for 4 years and I moved in the last 9 months as I just moved to Atlanta and needed a place to stay. Honestly, all of us worked all week so we never had parties or did anything crazy, just used the house for sleeping and eating.

Upon moving out, anything remaining in the house was thrown out front (as we agreed with the landlord). So 2 weeks later he is claiming all this damage that happened in the house, asking for over 15k in damages including his 2 weeks pay in his current job. So he sent us about 300 receipts that mostly consisted for food. We also noticed he did a lot of cash back withdraws from Lowes numerous times for $100-$200 and bought liquor in some cases - he even made a $3,000 and $300 withdraw from his bank account.  He complained we did take care of his lawn, when his roses bushes die in the winter and bloom in April, and the fact that the front yard was all gravel.

I'm not even on the lease but I would like to help my roommates out because this all seems very shady to me, he was late on property taxes recently so I'm not sure what his angle is.

Edit: I should also mention he put the house on the market 2 weeks after we left, he has been trying to sell it for a while now.

Edit: He also took control of the house on the 27th, 2 days before our lease was up.

Edit: Found his brokerage page and he has several disclosures for fraud with previous tenants.

I can provide more information.

Thanks!

EDIT: After going through his receipts, this is what I found:

This is not including $1,850.00 from his cash back at Lowes, Grocery Store, Sams Club, and Home Depot.

Alcohol	 $53.49
Bank 	 $5,300.00
Carpet Clean	 $100.00
CVS	 $4.53
Floor & Décor	 $80.35
Food	 $661.91
Garbage	 $100.00
Garden	 $1,462.98
Gas	 $251.63
Home Depot	 $105.28
Lowes	 $3,676.51
Oil	 $19.24
Sams Club	 $55.19
Grand Total	 $11,871.11

Answer: Tell him no, the charges are BS, and he can sue and explain the charges to a judge. Answer #2: If you or your roomate don't need to interact with him anymore, ignore him.  He can try and sue, in which case your roomate and you need to show up in court, where the judge will laugh and laugh.


Title: Four people on lease. One of the four decides to just up and leave. What can we do?

Question:
Myself, my SO, my SO's friend, and my sister decide to live together at an apartment complex. My SO's friend (we'll call her Felicia) three months into the lease decides we are no longer "good" roommates. She made this decision because she felt uncomfortable because we were enforcing mutually agreed upon rules. Things like cleaning procedures, house Ac, etc. We were never rude or mean at any time.

A few days ago she brought it to our attention how she felt and said if we didn't "relax" (with the mutually agreed upon rules we initially made at move in) that she would be forced to break the lease using her uncle who is a lawyer. Our leasing complex made an error at move in, and Felicia signed all paper work (addendum's and such) except for the actual lease. She wasn't in town when the actual lease was being signed and didn't sign the eSignature like the rest of us.

She told me last night that she already has a new lease at another complex. I don't think she will be pursuing breaking the lease anymore. She is ok with the lease defaulting and all four of our records being tarnished.

My question is what can we do, as fellow lessee's to hold her to 1/4 of the lease amount which she committed to? I already know the lessor could care less if one person leaves because they're entitled to the full amount regardless.

Edit: We are located in Florida.

Answer: You will have to pay the full rent and then sue her for her share after all is said and done.


Title: IRS sent me a letter saying I owe $600 in taxes and must pay by July 23rd. I already paid, and have proof. What do I do?

Question: Today is saturday so I can't even call them until Monday. This is a mistake, I paid for it and even made sure before posting here. The error is with them. I am located in Minnesota.

Answer: Call the IRS and discuss it with them.  They basically pulled the same shit with me this year. It took about an hour in the phone,  but it got straightened out (that is if you don't actually owe the money).


Title: Landlord stopped providing internet with no notice

Question: I received a notification via email today that stated I owed charter $256.94. This was surprising as my normal bill was around $28. The landlord/rental company that pays for our internet stipulates that we only need to pay for add-ons and increases (movie channels or faster internet). I am curious if there is any recourse that I may take. I will post a copy of  our "internet agreement" that was part of our lease.

Answer: What's the bill for? I would start by calling charter and seeing if there was a mistake on their end, then calling your LL in the morning.Answer #2: I neglected to stipulate that there was no agreed on change of service. They simply sent me the bill for the total amount.


Title: I copied a photo from google, now I'm being infringed with copyright..

Question:
Hello everyone,

A few months ago I copied a Google image for my website, and now a lawyer sent me an email telling me I've violated the copyright of a photo company, and they demand a composition for it because I used it without there permission, and neither did I put the name of the photographer under the photo.

In the mail, the photographer made a screenshot of the photo in his "directory" from his website and an another screenshot of my website, that I stole his image (as proof). The thing is, I did not use the photo from his website, and the actual photo is linked to some newspaper company and neither did they put the name of who made the photo in it. I've contacted the newspaper company so
they could give me the photographers name, but they said they don't know, and gave me a few sources from which they could have gotten the picture from, and neither of those sources traces back to the actual photographers company. I've send the lawyer an email telling him I didn't know it was copyrighted and I've deleted the image instantly after I've read his letter. Of course he told me because I used it without permission, I've made damage to the photographer .... u know the usual stuff they tell.
The thing that is unusual is, the lawyer said that the photographer charges lets say 200 euros per 3 months for his photo's and I've only used it like ~ 1 month, and he charges me almost twice the amount of money.

I have checked both the lawyers company and the photographers company, and they seem to be legit, a co-worker who also used the same photo has gotten the same mail.

Basically, I'm kinda clueless on how to approach this situation, and what the best thing is to do. Since I can't still find the actual source of the photo, I'm not on planning on paying, but at the same time I don't want stand before a Judge and pay much more money because of that. ANY ADVICE IS WELCOME! Thanks for reading :)

Edit: spelling

Answer:
 Just because you found the image on google or other websites doesn't mean that YOU have permission to use it. You have several options:

* Make a deal with the photographer to pay to continue to use the image.
* Take the image down and pay them to go away.
* Take the image down and don't pay them. They might sue you.
* Don't take the image down and don't pay them. They might sue you. Answer #2: For future reference, this website allows you to choose imagery that is public domain, creative commons licenced (can be used if you credit the photographer).
[Creative Commons Search](http://search.creativecommons.org/)Answer #3: For the future- pictures don't just poof into existence. Someone made it. Dig up all the information you can on who made something before you just steal it.

It's like- say you took a photograph and posted it online. You're proud of the photograph and wanting to share it with others/sell items using the photo. Some people start taking it with no link back to your site, and people therefore no longer buy stuff with it from your shop/see your name attached to it. You'd be ticked right?

That's kinda the situation. I know a lot of people just rip stuff off google images thinking there's no issue or "I can't find the original creator", but it is usually a lot more complicated than that.


Title: [IN] Wife and I want to get divorced. No contesting and we both agree on what is split. What do we still need to do legally to file for divorce?

Question:
Long story short we both agree we are better off as friends and we both need to focus on ourselves. Relationship went for 10 years and started when we were both <18.

What can we do to start/finalize the divorce as cheaply as possible? Do we still need to talk with a lawyer to do the divorce and go to court?

Thanks in advance

Answer:
 Take a look here:

https://indianalegalhelp.org/court-forms/forms-divorce/
Answer #2: You can write your own divorce papers, but it may be a good idea to have a lawyer review the paperwork. It'll be considerably cheaper than using a lawyer for the whole process.


Title: Pulled over for tailgating

Question:
Driving down a main road a car cut me off suddenly to make a left hand turn. I was also making that turn, now behind the jerk. The car proceeded to go 15 below the speed limit so I began to tailgate him out of annoyance. A cop was driving the other way and turned around to pull me over. He explained why he pulled me over and asked if I understood, then he basically said stop tailgating people and have a nice day. Do I get points on my license or would he have had to write a ticket? Will my insurance go up on account of him pulling me over? It was my first time being pulled over for anything so any advice would be appreciated

Upstate NY

Answer:
 > The car proceeded to go 15 below the speed limit so I began to tailgate him out of annoyance.

You are required by law (and by common sense; the car in front of you may have to stop abruptly for any of a variety of unpredictable reasons) to maintain safe separation. If you cannot resist the urge to drive unsafely when you feel slighted, do not drive. If it's safe, _pass_ instead; if it's not safe, slow down. It's fair that you're irritated, but not that you retaliated.

If you weren't cited on the spot, odds are good you won't be cited at all, but keep an eye on your mail for the next couple of weeks just in case. Your insurance will not hear about you being pulled over, unless you are cited or charged with a crime.


Title: Could I be in trouble for accessing a pornography site

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer: No, you did nothing wrong, you won't be hearing from any law enforcement, good job helping the internet be a little less terrible.


Title: Ex-gf attempts suicide using my car

Question:
Hi,

I am a resident of Lowell in MA.  A year ago, I made the fatal mistake of financing my ex-gf's car because she had bad credit and needed a new car.  We agreed that she would send me the monthly payments for the car, and I would pay off the loan that way.  The car was registered to my name, and she was added to my insurance plan as a driver.  Not too long after that, we broke up.  She continued sending me payments, until two months ago, she starting falling behind on the payments.  A few weeks ago, she decided to attempt suicide by driving my car into a telephone pole.  In the last second, she decided she didn't want to do that, so she slammed the brakes and only hit the pole lightly.  Knowing her, I'm convinced she did this for attention and had no intention of actually killing herself.  There was some minor damage to the bumper and license plate, but nothing serious.  She was taken to the hospital for psychiatric observation, then calls me 7 days later to let me know what happened. She was not hurt.  By then, the car had been sitting at a tow lot for 7 days, so I had to pay $400 to get it out of there, which she told me she would pay back after leaving the hospital.  She is now out, but wants me to give her the car back before giving me the tow money.  I don't think this is a good idea because if I were to give her the car, and she were to try this again and actually does it, wouldn't I be liable for the damages to the car (and maybe even her bodily damage) because its under my insurance?  Would it even be considered an accident? The car was bought new and has been very poorly taken care of, is nasty with stains on the seats and grime everywhere.  It rattles, and has a big crack in the trunk as well as the damage she did to the front.  I am considering selling the car to cut my losses short, but I need to spend more money on it to fix what she messed up.  Is it worth it for me to press charges to recover any of that money back, or will it cost more in legal fees than it is worth?  The car is a 2016 smart that was bought new for 18k and is now worth 8k blue book value.  Remaining balance is 12k, so I would lose at least 4k selling it off.

Thank you for your advice.

Answer:
 > wouldn't I be liable for the damages to the car (and maybe even her bodily damage) because its under my insurance?

Not sure I understand. It's not getting fixed for free. Your insurance may pay to fix it and once they find out what happened may kick her off your policy and say she can't drive the car again.  You're best off just taking it back and cutting ties with her. Even if you sued her and won you would still have to collect.Answer #2: Press charges for what? You can sue her for the damage to the car, but there's nothing here to "press charges" over.

This is, of course, assuming the car title is in your name.


Title: My Public (Missouri) High School Won't Let You Graduate Unless You Pay Senior Dues- Is This Legal?

Question:
First, some background: I go to a public magnet school. From [https://www.niche.com/blog/what-is-a-magnet-school/](https://www.niche.com/blog/what-is-a-magnet-school/): "A **magnet school** is a **public school** that offers a particular academic focus alongside the standard curriculum."

All schools in the district require senior dues of $150 to participate in prom, the graduation ceremony, etc. This, I understand, is legal. However I have now been told that anyone who has not paid senior dues (regardless of weather or not they participated in any activities) will have their diploma withheld until payment is given.

I have not paid my senior dues, and do not plan to walk at graduation. They have said that you do not have to walk even if you've paid the $150. Which means they are asking us to pay for our diploma.

Is this legal? If not, what actions should I take? And what guidelines (state or federal) protect me from having to pay this?

&#x200B;

Thank you

Answer:
 They can’t stop you from graduating.  They can stop you from receiving a piece of paper that says you graduated.

If you’re going to a college, they already have your transcript.  They have already admitted you. They aren’t going to ask to see your diploma.


Title: [Massachusetts] Unequal wages for equal labor

Question:
I started working at a medical device company in August of 2011.  I applied to the position through craigslist.  The same day I was hired, Jim was hired to do the same job as well.  Jim interviewed as I did, but a key difference is that he is a friend of a friend of the Vice President.  He did not know the Vice President before being hired, but knew a friend of the Vice President.  He started at 52k a year and I started at 37k a year.  We are both still employed there and do exactly the same position.  From wage raises I now make 42k a year and Jim makes 54k a year.  I provided salary requirements when I applied to the position which were based on the national average for the position.  If I requested a salary over 50k a year I strongly doubt I would even got an interview.   It's worth noting that my highest level of education is a bachelor's degree while Jim's highest level of education is a high school diploma.  I am 32 years old now and Jim is 49 years old, so he technically does have more previous working experience.  The reason I am aware of the wage discrepancy between myself and Jim is because a former worker in payroll informed me of the wage discrepancy and even provided printed documentation of it.  I did not snoop or even request the salary information from that worker.  She resigned maybe 6 months after she told me for her own personal reasons.  I find it inherently unethical that management has gone along and paid Jim drastically more than myself for so long day after day.  I would have substantial guilt doing this to somebody who I know does exactly the same job.  I believe this could be considered illegal based on The Equal Pay Act Of 1963 which prevents any discrepancies in pay between people within the same field within the same company.  Should I seek litigation?  **I believe that advising me to simply find another job is letting management off the hook**
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer:
 > I believe this could be considered illegal based on The Equal Pay Act Of 1963 which prevents any discrepancies in pay between people within the same field within the same company.

No, it doesn't.  That prevents *discriminatory* differences in pay.  Discriminatory, legally speaking, means making decisions based solely on being a member of a protected class - race, gender, et cetera.

If they pay Jim more because he has more experience, no problem.  If they pay him more because they like him more, no problem.  If they pay him more because he asked for more, no problem.  Only if they pay him more **because** he's a man, or something similiar, is there a problem.


Title: [CA]Power company wont turn on power until past due balance is paid from PREVIOUS tenants.

Question: I moved out of my previous residence 2 weeks ago and had a past due balance on bill. New tenants come in and say power company wont turn on power until bill is paid. New tenant has NO connection too me. Can they legally do this? I feel bad for new tenants but I dont have the money to pay past due balance in full. Just wondering what my options are.

Answer:
 I am sure the landlord will most likely pay this amount and take out what is owed from the security deposit or sue you for what is owed in small claims. Answer #2: There's a reason the electric company and others do this. Someone can't pay their bill. Power is turned off. They turn it on under a roommate's name, claiming these are brand new tenants. The power companies had been burned too many times by this One Small Trick and so they started implementing these policies.

Regardless, SnuggleBear2 is probably right.Answer #3: Well, you'll be sued for the amount of the bill. You're just refusing to pay your bill. Pay for the power you used.

You could call the power company and work out your payment plan with them.


Title: Annoying Neighbors

Question:
So my neighbor is in a 3 bedroom house that she rents. She lets so many of these people live in this house. I seen some of them move mattresses into the garage. My issue and along with other of my neighbors is that house has so many cars park on the street, like 10-12 cars. Is there anything we can do?

I live in San Jose, CA.

Answer: Call zoning and/or the fire marshall.


Title: Bank Fraud Case, Pennsylvania

Question:
I live in Philadelphia, PA. My grandparents sent me a personal check for $2000 to help me pay off my student loans. My roommate went through my mail, took the check, signed his own name, and deposited the check into a TD ATM.
Here's the nuts part: 1) The check was made out to me (my name was printed on the front in pen) and my roommate did not scratch out my name or anything, he simply signed his own name. 2) My roommate, in his infinite wisdom, deposited the check into his own personal TD account. 3) I have two separate checking accounts with TD bank in my name, and they still let this happen. 4) This is the part that will probably confuse a lot of you, but I do not wish to press charges against my roommate; it is a long story, but I have forgiven him.

My grandfather's bank (Bank of America) has filed a fraud claim, and will supposedly reimburse my grandfather entirely for this incident. My roommate will likely face federal fraud charges. I am sitting here unhappy and betrayed.

My question is likely a silly one, but here it is: what is the best option (if any) for me to go after TD bank for negligence? Thanks for reading!

Answer:
 There is no negligence on TD bank’s part, really. Checks aren’t individually reviewed and validated by a human unless a fraud complaint is lodged.

Roommate’s gonna cop some charges though, whether you’ve forgiven him or not.


Title: HI-I(18) may have gotten my girlfriend(16) pregnant and I wanted to know that if that if I might be in for some legal trouble.

Question:
I am unsure about the laws regard age of consent
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Not criminal trouble... it appears the [Age of Consent](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_consent_in_North_America#Hawaii) in Hawaii is 16.

But civilly, you will be responsible for supporting a child for the next 18 or so years...