Title: Parents divorced, Mom refuses to pay for college and settlement papers says she has to.

Question:
Hello reddit,
  (I live in the state of virginia)
    My mom will not pay for my college. During the divorce settlement papers, it said explicitly for each parent to pay half of all college costs until I graduate college. However, my mother is blatantly not paying for my college and breaking the legal divorce agreement. What are the consequence of this and what can I do to make her pay? (She makes more than my dad)

Answer: Your father can go back to the court that issued the divorce decree and file a contempt motion.Answer #2: It's up to your father to take her to court for violating the divorce decree. You aren't the one to take her to court because you aren't a party to the original order. Answer #3: Your dad would have to take her to court for violation of the divorce decree. The judge would then order your mom to pay it or just go straight to something like wage garnishment.


Title: Does the legal system ever update itself?

Question: The National Registry of Exonerations reports over 2,215 exonerations with more than 19,470 year lost- is there any work or changes being done to improve and fix the flaws/weaknesses/vulnerabilities in the system that allowed innocents to be wrongly convicted?

Answer: The system is in a constant state of updating and change.  New laws are passed.  New technology comes into play.  New court decisions are added to precedent and case law.


Title: I'm a student working as a pizza delivery driver part time, I torrented a movie and got caught. They want me to pay a $3800 settlement fee which goes to $4800 if not paid by 9/26. Help?

Question:
Okay, as I said before, I downloaded a movie (Dallas Buyers Club) and I got caught. I now understand why it's stupid and who I took from. My problem now is this case.

I have $150 to my name and a paycheck of around $250 every two weeks. I can't raise this money in time. My parents know about this but I am not going to put this burden on them. A - it was my mistake and it is  my responsibility and B - they aren't in the best financial situation either.

Is there anything I can do to ease this burden so my case doesn't go to court? I'd happily pay more if it means I have more time raising the money.

[Here](http://imgur.com/ydz8D0X) is page one of the letter they sent me and [here](http://imgur.com/dOMoqvi) is page two.

 I understand where I went wrong and I know who I took from. Please help me figure this out.

 Thanks in advance for your help.

EDIT - Wow, thanks for all your help! I was busy at work and school today and only had so much time to respond. I will begin copious hours of redditting/researching for this case.

Thank you all for all your help. This is why I love, Reddit.

Thanks again!

Answer:
 Dallas Buyers Club, LLC is a copyright troll. Google them and see for yourself. Don't settle, don't panic, do talk to an attorney.Answer #2: You're not yet required to pay anything.  This letter is an offer of a settlement.  You can still go to court, if you want, and present a defense.

If, however, you've decided to simply pay out, then contact the law firm and negotiate the settlement.  You may be able to get them to knock a big chunk of the total off, and/or you can negotiate a payment plan.Answer #3: Before you take any action I would recommend doing some research on Dallas Buyers Club, LLC and some of their recently filed cases that are exactly like this one.  You can also reach out to a lawyer who has experience with these and similar cases and get their opinion as well, and I would urge you to do that before moving forward with anything.

You still have options.

Negotiating a settlement with them right now is one of those options, but not the only one.


Title: My store manager just fired me for taking care of my mom

Question:
USA/California

Part time retailer job

I was wondering if there are laws that protects me from being fired for taking care of my mom? My mom went to the ER on Wednesday due to stomach pain and I had to leave 30 minutes before the end of my shift (I had permission to leave from my manager). I told my manager I needed the day off on Thursday to care for my mother because I am the only who can care for her since my father is in another country.

My mom needed surgery as soon as possible when she feels better so I told the doctor that Monday is a good day since it SHOULD be my day off. Doctor even explicitly told me that she needs to be care for for the next 24 hours. Apparently the store is having a huge restocking day and needed all employees to work that day (Monday). Told my manager that I may or may not be able to show up on Monday since I was the only one who can drive her to the hospital and back home. I couldn't show up to work. This morning, right before I was about to start my shift, I got a text from my manager saying the STORE MANAGER has fired me for failure to show up to work on Monday and having an unscheduled day off on Thursday even though my manager has explained the situation to the store manager before firing me.

The question is... were they allow to fire me even due to an emergency?

-Edit- Minor edits for clarity
Topic:
Labor Law (Unions)

Answer:
 You're not eligible for FMLA as a part-time employee. You have no protection.

You can be terminated for missing work.Answer #2: Although California does have protected sick leave that covers sick family members, employers may have a 90 day waiting period before employees may use it.

Other folks commenting should remember that protected sick leave is starting to catch on, and it varies in the states that have it.


Title: Employer taking advantage of young employees?

Question:
So I started working as a zipline guide September2017. Job payed better than anything around and also seemed like much more fun than any kind of retail where I had previously worked. Seemed like a great idea, put in application, show up and sign a basic waiver saying I'm an adult and making my own decision to zipline. Do a few training tours and they decide to hire me. Didn't sign anything else, just the initial application and waiver everyone has to sign. Fast forward to December and we have 2 days of first aid and CPR training, along with rescue and retrieval training. We sign a booklet that says we'll follow their training and follow they're employment guidelines.(wording in this document specifically says, Employee/employer relationship)Around this time an employee fell while trying to climb up a ladder backward(as they require us to do so because we have to lock a gate covering the front of the ladder). Anyways he goes to the hospital with a fractured ankle and his insurance denies paying, saying he needs to file workers comp. Shows back up to work and tells management, management tell him if he even attempts to file workers comp, he'll be fired immediately. Raises red flags but, was not about me and I liked the job. Fast forward a few more months and  tax season comes around. I ask my manager when I will be receiving my W-2. He says, you're not W-2, you're 1099. So now after working at said job for 5 months I'm told I'm an independent contractor and have to pay all taxes. I argued that we have to wear uniforms, show up when they tell us, follow their rules and policies and they expect us to do any job they ask. I say we're employees and should be  W-2'd. The company has about 50-70 guides, all on 1099. Most of us are 18-23 and had absolutely no clue that we were hired on as independent contractors. Fast forward to a little over a week ago and management hands us a new document to signed labeled "Independent contractor agreement" that basically said, they provide no liability and we are required to have liability insurance(first any guide had ever heard about this), we are not in any way to construe our relationship as employee/employer, any lawsuits fall on the individual guide and in no way the company, we set our own time and date at which time to fulfill our contracted duties, don't have to wear uniform, any thought or action is of my own and not of the company and a general NDA. After this, almost all guides freak out asking all kinds of questions and getting absolutely 0 answers. Manager takes form to parent company and says the guides don't want to sign it and they say we dont have to sign it, but they refuse to switch us from 1099.  Now I believe I'm an employee, not a contractor. I even got written up for "Not following employee prodecure"I do everything they tell me and because of paying all taxes I make barely minimum wage. I've asked about if we would get workers comp if we got hurt and my manager says "Hes sure we would" but he refuses to ask or push anything to upper management out of fear he will be fired.Just asking general advice on how to go about, should I find another job? Talk to an employment lawyer? Im worried if some guest slipped and filed a lawsuit or if i slipped and broke both my legs i would just be screwed. I dont want to leave the job because it is super fun and doesn't make me hate everything like retail did. Just asking for general advice.
*extra things I dont believe they're doing correctly
Anyone has access to anyone else's files at anytime including copies of they're ssn/drivers license/application.
We are told when to come in, but we are "On call". Meaning if there isn't already a tour booked for that day, there will be sets of guides "On call" meaning they have to at any point be ready to show up in 30 minutes or face termination. Also dont receive any pay for being on call.
They're also a nonprofit Christian company if that effects anything.
Thanks for the help!!

Answer: At very least you should report this to the Florida (EDIT:GEORGIA idk why i said florida) deparment of revenue, and department of labor (for potential fraud in misclassifying workers and potentially not offering workers comp). http://dpeaflcio.org/programs-publications/issue-fact-sheets/recourse-for-employees-misclassified-as-independent-contractors/ has a link to a pdf with the correct links. I would suggest also trying to talk to a lawyer or legal aid and looking for a new job (but not quitting yet). The "on-call" status may make you eligible for a wage complaint.


Title: Can a doctor fire a patient for complaining about said doctor cancelling appointments?

Question:
KY here.  I gots the obamacare, and have been seeing a resident at the local hospital for about a year now.  The clinic has cancelled appointments that I had with little to no notice.  One time they called 2 hours before and canceled, one time they called and cancelled 5 minutes before the appointment, and the last time I arrived and the receptionist informed me that the appointment was cancelled.  No phone call that time.

I did what anyone would do, and called the department in the hospital that handles complaints.  A few days later I get a certified letter in the mail stating that due to my "disruptive behavior" the clinic will no longer see me, unless it was an emergency and within 30 days of receiving the letter.

Naturally I am a little flabbergasted at the whole situation.  This is going on after two scoping procedures, and the gastro doc stressed the importance of following up with my family doctor, which is a resident at the clinic that dismissed me as a patient.  That important appointment is the one that was cancelled without calling me.  To the best of my knowledge, the only disruptive behavior I have exhibited was calling and complaining about missed appointments, and expressing dissatisfaction at being stuck with a resident student doc and not an actual doctor practicing family medicine.  That and my appointments getting cancelled with little or no notice.  Please advise.  What is my legal recourse, if any?

Answer:
 > What is my legal recourse, if any?

None.  Absent certain rare situations(emergencies and medical harm) the clinic is under no obligation to provide you medical services.

Find you a new doctor.


Title: What is enough to get on the sex offender list in Europe? I have a few questions.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Seriously?

If you're wondering if something is serious enough to put you on a sex offender registry, you probably shouldn't be doing it.

And if you can't tell the differences between normal interactions and borderline creepy interactions, you need to get offline and get some therapy.Answer #2: Stop trying to justify something you know is wrong. Answer #3: Can I recommend seeing a therapist? Your post history is full of suicidal thoughts and talking about your depression (not to mention you thinking of yourself as a sexual predator).


Title: (WA/OR) My brother was talking to an underaged girl on a dating website, and now her family is threatening him with legal action if he doesn't keep sending them money.

Question:
This morning my brother told me that the reason why he's been asking me and our parents for money (over $1500 so far) is because he was on a dating website and talking with a girl. He says when he found out she was 16 he dropped it. Then she sent some pictures, and he told her he didn't want any of that and he could get into huge trouble. Then her dad found out and was threatening to take him to court as a pedophile unless he agreed to pay for some fo the group home they were sending her to, then it would be done. Then she slit her wrists and they told him he had to pay for some of her medical bills. This would be the "final one."

Naturally he's been freaking out. He's 22 and has no record, and finally just told me. He doesn't have any more money to send them and if he doesn't, he says "bad things" will happen.

Does he need a lawyer? Does her dad have any leg to stand on? He lives on the southern border of WA state.

Thanks.

Edit: Well now that all of you have pointed out that it's a scam, it seems super obvious.  Thanks everyone. Looks like he's learned a valuable lesson the hard way.

Answer:
 It's a scam. There was never any underage girl.Answer #2: This is a scam, and one common enough that if you spend a week here you'll find one or two other people asking a similar question to you.

Don't start out from the presumption that there's a girl in need of help and an aggressive dad on the other end who needs appeasing. There's a scammer on the other end, no girl, no dad, and the scammer will not stop until the money stops. The more money your brother sends to the scammer, the more they will keep up.

Cut off contact, and they'll just fire off more empty threats until they see the well is dry.


Title: [California] Landlord raising rent by 90 dollars only informed me today Sept. 5 expecting me to pay increase on Oct. 1 now without an option to put in my 30 day notice, legal?

Question:
Got an email today at 5 claiming the my rent must be raised. On top of that, I now have no  option to leave without be held to it because, for whatever reason, I was notified 5 days into the month.

What can I do?

Answer: A landlord must give the tenant at least 30 days advance notice if the rent increase is 10 percent (or less) of the rent charged at any time during the 12 months before the rent increase takes effect. A landlord must give 60 days advance notice if the rent increase is greater than 10 percent. (Civil Code Section 827b.)


Title: HR walked in on my wife breast pumping and asked to join her.

Question: My wife works at a large company.  Today she was in the mothers room breast pumping and the HR woman unlocked the door and walked in. My wife has a sign that she puts on the door as to not be disturbed. This was completely ignored. The woman stood with the door open which opens up to a bunch of cubicles that were vacant thankfully.  She asked my wife , who at the time was completely exposed, if she could join her. My wife was speechless, she said she would rather not. Now she feels embarrassed and violated.  She has to see this woman at the office and it is now very uncomfortable for her to the point that she doesn't want to go to work. She is afraid to make a report or say anything. Does she have any right to take legal action? Would there even be a point in saying anything?

Answer:
 Can you clarify what the HR person wanted to “join” your wife in doing?  Was the HR person there to pump too?  I’m not sure it matters, just confused.Answer #2: I don't blame your wife in the least for being creeped out, but surprisingly enough it apparently rather common.  When I was pumping I asked about signing up for the private pump room, and the other women breezily announced that they all go pump together. And chat or something.  I noped right out of there.  So your wife might feel better to know its not directed at her. There are just some people with less need for privacy.

Under the ACA, if you're covered you have to be given a private space that is not a bathroom to pump.  Emphasis on private.  That means your wife can tell the HR lady that she would prefer to set up a schedule so you can all pump privately.


Title: [CA] Estranged Mom who sued someone on my behalf when I was under age:

Question:
I had no idea what to put in the title, anyway when I was in grade 1 & I was about 6-7 years old or somewhere along that time frame, I got into an accident where my leg was broken and resulted in us winning a lawsuit in which I was told I was going to be able to access when I'm an adult.

I am now an adult, who do I contact and how do I go about receiving such funds?

Answer: What do you mean by "estranged"? Do you mean that she has dropped off the face of the earth and no one knows where she is? Or, do you mean that you chose to have no contact with her? If the latter, contact her and ask. That is best and fastest (if most emotionally difficult) way to get your money.Answer #2: My SO had a very similar thing where her mother sued on her behalf but passed away while my SO was still a minor. Go to the county clerk office for where the suit occurred and ask for the records from the case. If you have any questions the people in that building should have the answers you need.


Title: (LA) Turned in a two week notice, employer wanting to let me go earlier than requested.

Question: Turned in a two week notice and in good standing with my present employer.  Management wants to let me go early.  Am I entitled to the pay for the full two weeks as well as my accrued vacation time?  I am salaried.

Answer:
 You're almost certainly not owed pay for days you didn't work.   When an employee gives notice it's generally a courtesy, not part of an employment contract.

Louisiana does have a [statute that requires employers to pay out accrued vacation time](http://www.lawandtheworkplace.com/2014/03/louisiana-court-addresses-payout-of-accrued-vacation-on-termination/), because that is part of your wages.


Title: Sprint sold my phone number to another person after I canceled my service with them even though I took my number with me to the new provider. [US]

Question:
So, about 8 months ago I switched cell phone providers. I left Sprint and went to AT&T, but I took my cell phone number with me. I confirmed all this was kosher back then, talking with both providers, and this is something that is done regularly.
Anyways, about a month after I switched I start getting calls and text messages from people I don't know. Some of the text were pictures that we obviously meant for someone else. I called Sprint and told them what was happening. They told me they accidentally gave my phone number to someone else but that they'd clear it up no problem. Okay, cool. Over the next few months I continued to get random calls, but no unknown text messages. I figured it was telemarketers since they hardly ever left a voicemail. However, I also wasn't receiving some text messages from my friends/family. I figured it was some stupid iphone/imessage/SMS error. So I messed around with the settings thinking that would fix it.. no dice.
Fast forward to yesterday when I receive another random call.. and then text message cussing me out. This person obviously thought I was someone else. I told them they had the wrong number and immediately called Sprint again. They basically told me there's nothing they can do and I need to get with *my* provider and get a new number. I've had this number for over 10 years. I am now a professional and use this number for business. There is no way I'm changing my number because someone at Sprint fucked up. I plan on going to the actually store as soon as possible to get this fixed.
 I am posting here because I would like to know if I can take any legal action due to the fact that this other person that has my number may be getting personal text messages, pictures, and calls that are meant for me. Also, the fact that my cell is used for work and this person may have received calls and misrepresented me.
I actually just received 3 calls from myself (showing my name and phone number) and two calls and one text message from a stranger around 11 pm my time (it is now 1 am and I'm sick over this, so writing this post because I can't sleep).
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am located in Florida, however my phone number is a South Carolina # (because I grew up and went to high school there but moved to Florida for school and work).
**tl;dr Sprint gave my phone number to another person, I am receiving random calls and texts for that person. I am nervous that this person is also receiving my personal and professional calls/texts. Sprint is refusing to fix the problem at this point. If fixed or not, do I have any legal recourse?**
edit: formatting
edit #2: I'm not sure why my post is getting downvoted.. should I have posted this somewhere else?

Answer: Are you (are sprint) claiming that there are two people with the same number?


Title: (Washington) I created a video game of a copyrighted board game as a learning project. Would I be legally allowed to show this off to employers?

Question: It's actually two games, Splendor and Settlers of Catan. I want to be able to put them on my website, but they will not be available to download.

Answer: When you say put them on your website, do you mean in playable form?


Title: A guy attacked me and 4 of my friends completely unprovoked. He has sent death threats to us by text and wants us to pay him £200 each. What should I do?

Question:
On Saturday me and my mates were going to the cash point to get some money out. My mate who was driving stopped and then this guy ran at his car and jumped on his bonnet.

We all got out and asked him what his problem was. He then hit each one of us. At this point, we retaliated. EDIT: He went for mate 1 so I pushed him away, then he punched me in the mouth, then he hit mate 2 and mate 3. At this point, mate 4 and 5 were angry with him, so they beat him up quite badly. Mate 4 the got hit by bonnet jumper's mate so he hit him in the tooth and split open his hand. Mate 5 hit bonnet jumped so hard that he broke his hand.

Today he sent death threats to my mates and he said he is going to get us if we don't pay him. I am not going to, but what should my next move be? EDIT: He wants £1000 total. £200 each.

EDIT: More info. I'm in the UK and we didn't report it on Saturday because we didn't think it would go any further. Me and mate 5 went to the police station but they were closed so we're going to report it tomorrow.

Answer:
 If only there were some, I don't know, government agency responsible for taking reports of crime and investigating them...

Call the police.Answer #2: > We all got out and asked him what his problem was. He then hit each one of us.

What, was it like an assembly line?


Title: Legality of a non-existent/closed business with functional website

Question:
I am in Texas. The company with the website is/was in Massachusetts.

So, a little while ago I ordered some items off of a website. It seemed like a successful internet purchase, I put things in a cart, hit check out, put my shipping info in, and paid with PayPal. The PayPal charge went through, and a page came up saying I would receive a confirmation email when the items shipped.

Days passed with no confirmation email. I called the phone numbers on the site with no answer, leaving unreturned voicemails. I tried to email the site's email address, only to get a failed-delivery response.

Then I started looking harder and found a facebook and twitter for the company, both of which had stopped updating in 2013. I found a BBB complaint from 2014 with someone who had the same problems as me, who eventually had to charge back his purchase.

I ended up looking up the whois of the company domain and  emailing the (former?) owner's personal email, forwarding my previous emails and the failure to send replies and asking what was going on and was she still sending my items and recieved a reply consisting only of "You have been issued a refund."

So at least I got my money back, but it seems pretty fucked up that someone can have a website up, run credit cards and PayPal, give no indication that the business hasn't been functioning since 2013, and then require the lengths I went to just to get an answer.

The website is still up and you can still order and pay for non-existent items from it.

So, yeah, it's kind of fucked up, but is this illegal? Is there some authority I could complain to?

I'm honestly mostly pissed because the items I ordered were some items I had been searching for for a long time, and I spent a good week very excited to have found some, only to have my hopes dashed in a pretty fucking frustrating fashion.
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 File a complaint with the Mass Atty General: http://www.mass.gov/ago/consumer-resources/filing-a-complaint-with-the-attorney-generals.html Be sure to detail what happened as well as the BBB complaints.

It's probably not illegal to maintain a website for a defunct business. However, taking a payment for an item with no intent to actually deliver the item is definitely fraud. If they took their end of the payment through a PayPal account, you can also file a complaint with PayPal. You can probably file a complaint through PayPal anyway, although if they took their payment through a different processor you would probably need to file a complaint with the processor. If it's a 3rd party processor, PayPal may or may not be interested in pursuing it or pointing you in the correct direction.Answer #2: Update: The owner has emailed me again threateningly demanding to know how I got their personal email. Never mind that the company's emails were all being returned, and my paypal was still $60 short at the time.


Title: April Showers Bring May waterbill

Question:
I live in a very quite area on the SF peninsula. Our neighborhood is very quiet and is mostly culfasacs. The streets and sidewalks are public/ it’s property.

So my a-hole neighbor has a water sprinkler attached to a motion sensor that sprays every single time anyone walks by his house.

I get it, he’s trying to avoid dogs using his lawn as a bathroom. Trouble is he has it aimed in a way that it also soaks the sidewalk.

One afternoon I saw him outside and asked if he can adjust the sprinkler so I don’t get drenched when waking down the sidewalk. This did not go over well, he had some interesting choice words for me.

A few months back my 2 nephews were staying at my house for a few weeks. I have a basketball hoop outside and moved it right infront of a hole neighbors house, in the street no where on his property. I know it’s petty but I did it to keep his sprinkler running non stop when my sisters kids were playing outside.

Through there entire trip no one ever once went o to his lawn or property.

Yesterday he comes over and tells his water bill tripled and I was going to b fitting the bill since I was the once who caused the  water to run.

Jump to today, and I get served notice he’s suing me. Is it lawyer time? Or can I save my self a few bucks and show up in court a lone?

Answer: This is a troll? No? Your neighbor hasn't a leg to stand on. Did you just get a letter, or did you actually get served? Try and find a lawyer that will do low cost consults, if so.


Title: Tenant left poop everywhere and trashed the house

Question: Well, I gave my tenants a 30 day notice to get out because they weren’t paying rent. They “moved out” a few days ago but said they needed time to get their stuff out. One of their neighbors informed me that there was a smell of shit coming from the house so I went to check it out. Nobody was at the house. I went and knocked and immediately smelled shit. I’m honestly too afraid to go in. The neighbor mentioned that they weren’t paying their water bill so I assume there was a sewage backup or maybe they were just shitting in the floor idk. I have no idea what to do to make this as painless as possible. I am in Virginia btw.

Answer:
 File a police report for vandalism, take pictures, and get it professionally cleaned.  Make sure you tell the cleaners the nature of the mess.  This is going to be expensive.

If such an act isn't illegal in your area, your only option is to sue the previous tenants.Answer #2: You are probably going to need to hire a professional cleaner who can deal with human waste. If there is human feces everywhere this isn't your typical "get a bunch of supplies and go at it for a few hours" job.


Title: [United States] Looking to make a Hot or Not type of website for my college. Scraping pics off of Facebook. Is this legal?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >Is this illegal in anyway?

Only with propper permission from said people.

>I know it's not entirely ethical,

It's also copyright infringement so not legal either.


Title: Does "finders keepers" apply to tenants?

Question:
I am currently leasing a small house in the southern USA. Several tenants have lived in this house before me, and I know this because I get mail addressed to other people at my address frequently and first discovered the house when other tenants were living here. I rent with two roommates, but I don't know if that matters in my situation. To keep from incriminating myself unintentionally, Im going to make it hypothetical from this point forward. So let's say the previous tenant left behind a curtain rod. Does that curtain rod now belong to me because the landlord (property owner) didn't install it? Can I legally take it with me when I move out? What about if I happened to find something left behind on the property worth a lot of money? Does that item now belong to me if I am certain it doesn't belong to the property owner?

Please note that this is my very first post ever, so if I did the wrong subreddit or something I'm sorry. I'm still trying to get the hang of all the rules around here.

Answer:
 "Finders Keepers" is not a legal principle.  If you know who the property belongs to, and you take it, you could be civilly or criminally liable.

And saying that it's "hypothetical" provides precisely *zero* legal protection.


Title: (Ontario) How to sue professors

Question:
What is the process?
Edit: Another question - why are legal services on campus FREE? Do they report to higher ups?

Answer:
 Please stop posting over and over

[Link to last post](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3r1cw2/ontario_is_this_ethical_for_a_prof_to_do/) and then you [just posted again a minute ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3r4csn/ontario_do_i_need_a_lawyer/) All new posts will be deleted.


Title: [Hypothetical] If you are on a jury and know that expert witness testimony is false, how does this work?

Question: Just curious after reading about all the cases where it was found out that the FBI was claiming that they could identify an individual based on hair analysis alone.  I work in a field where we do a lot of analysis that is essentially the same as what a crime lab does.  Would I be allowed to use what I know as part of deliberations?  How would this work?

Answer: Yes you may use life experiences in deliberations, however, chances are you would not make it to a jury where such expert will be testifying.


Title: Can my boss force me to do something I'm uncomfortable with?

Question:
Throwaway for obvious reasons.

I work as an editor for a small newspaper.

I had heard about the list being leaked for the Ashley Madison site, but didn't think much of it.

Tonight my boss sent me an email with the list and the names of politicians/local figures in the community (some of whom I know) on that list and is demanding that I research it and write a story exposing them.

I feel **extremely** uncomfortable with this.

I called him and told him my position and a long list of completely valid reasons why this isn't something we should pursue, and why I personally did not want to handle the story.

He is pushing back and won't accept any of my reasons. He's adamant.

I'm already looking for different jobs but haven't locked one down 100% yet and I'm scare of standing my ground ethically and morally, and also keeping my job.

What can I/should I do?

Answer:
 Political scandals have been your professions bread and butter for decades.

Off course he is adamant because if you find anything than that's a goldmine.

Answer #2: He cannot force you in any way.

You cannot force him to employ you if he does not want to based upon this.


Title: So I have a thing with messaging prostitutes on Craigslist and just asking some questions that really turn me on. Am I in danger here? (Texas)

Question: Sometimes I like going on Craigslist and talking to girls who I know are prostitutes. I ask if they are accepting donations where they are usually located and if they travel. I never reply after that and I have never met up with anyone. That's usually enough to get me off but now I'm worried I can get in trouble with this. I'm In Texas.

Answer:
 Is what you're doing traditionally seen as enough to constitute probable cause for an arrest? No, it isn't.

Does that mean that you absolutely cannot find yourself in legal jeopardy over it? No, you very well could.

Would a lawyer ever recommend that you continue what you're doing? Not a good one.


Title: Which things stay confidential between you and your lawyer?

Question:
Hi, I wanted to know which things stay confidential between my lawyer and me. If I have committed a crime and would ask my lawyer how well would I fare in trial if I reported the crime and after listening to him I decide not to report the crime, would this stay confidential between us? For example, I accidentally murdered someone, would ask my lawyer how well would I fare in trial given the circumstances, after the talk would decide to not report the crime and bury the body in the woods. Would this stay confidential between the lawyer and me?

If I asked my lawyer what would be the best way to commit a certain crime from a legal perspective, would that stay confidential between us?

Answer:
 to answer your question, no. Privilege doesn't extend to future crimes only past ones.Answer #2: > after listening to him I decide not to report the crime, would this stay confidential between us?

Generally, yes.

> and bury the body in the woods

Here you run into problems. Depending on how you word things, you'd probably cross into [the crime-fraud exception](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/the-crime-fraud-exception-the-attorney-client-privilege.html).

> If I asked my lawyer what would be the best way to commit a certain crime from a legal perspective, would that stay confidential between us?

If the lawyer thinks you're actually planning on committing a crime, no.

>  accidentally murdered someone

with a few exceptions like reckless indifference and the felony murder rule, that's generally not a thing. Accidental homicide typically is called manslaughter. Answer #3: Not every lawyer is Saul Goodman.

If you're going to commit crimes the only thing you give your attorney before hand is huge retainer.  Nothing else. Answer #4: The privilege only covers  *communications* in *furtherance of legal advise or representation.* If you're asking about what you should do about something that's happened - or even that might later happen - it's generally covered.

As other have said, though, lawyers are ethically obligated to report criminal activity or planning if there's a reasonable likelihood it will lead to crime. In other words, communications about how to commit crime aren't privileged.


Title: IL - Landlord from 8yrs ago suing in Small Claims Court

Question:
Hello /r/legaladvice,
Today I bring you a situation that my brother has brought before me and is asking my advice on. His landlord from 8 years ago, during his College years, is pursing him right now in small claims court for $3,875.00. Today he was served the papers at his place of work and is ordered to appear in front of the court on July 30th. In the files served contains his original lease agreement. According to the lease agreement each renter owed $320.00 per month @ $960 installments. Of course my brother being a college student never kept records of the payments, but he and the landlord were squared away at the end of the lease (this is what he tells me). Regardless of whether they were or not, I don't think it matters at this point as the only record proof anyone has would be the landlord himself. The remaining $995 is apparently for damages done to the property. No documents have been presented thus far showing any of the "damage" costs. I truly believe these are faked expenses as this landlord is a pretty shady person. I think this is especially true since this ALL OF THE SUDDEN surfaced over 8 years later.

Here is my question to you guys. My brother CANNOT afford a $4,000+ bill. (He is responsible for attorney and court costs according to this document. What are my options from here? I am even willing to go as far and try to settle with this guy outside of court if that is a recommended avenue, because I don't want to see my brother go through this. He has had a lot of embarrassment through his years as a college student and even some years after trying to get on his feet. He is paying the price for slacking off in his teen and young adult years and the lesson is being learned very hard. What can I do to help him out?

Much appreciated for your advice!

Answer:
 The statute of limitations on written contracts is [10 years](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/statute-of-limitations-state-laws-chart-29941.html) in IL, so the landlord is filing within the allowable time frame.

Your brother should try to get ahold of his bank statement from the applicable time period (if he paid in checks). He can ask the bank for copies of cleared checks that the landlord claims he hasn't received. His bank can pull them from archives, but there will be a fee and it may take a while.

He should attend the court hearing and bring any documentation he has. He should challenge everything the landlord says that he disputes, and make the landlord show the judge the original lease, bookkeeping logs, receipts for damages, etc. Make him for work it and hope the judge decides the landlord hasn't proven his case.Answer #2: Doing some quick searches on google, it looks like IL requires landlords to return damage deposits with itemized statement within 45 days of moving out. This may help your brother if this was never sent. Where I live, you can get 3x your deposit back if you don't get it or the itemized list within a certain time frame.


Title: Car towed because of a catch22

Question:
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Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 I don't see how your registration problems allow you to park against policy. You knowingly parked where you knew you could car towed. That is only your fault.Answer #2: There is no catch-22 here. You have questions about the requirements for their application, which you need to ask them about, but you had no parking permit and were towed legitimately. Answer #3: Don't know your location but in Va they are happy to update your registration when you change addresses. Technically here and in most states where I've lived you are required to do it when you move.

That said - most groups are willing to work with you if you reach out to them. Did the association turn down your request to get a permit previously?Answer #4: Number 2 is not a problem. In fact, I would bet your state not only allows you to update the address on your registration when you move, they require it .

The end.Answer #5: I don't know if you know what a catch-22 is.  Because this ain't it.

There will be plenty of evidence you have people living with you.  People seeing them coming and going.  Their cars being parked there illegally now since you won't have permits for them.  And what is vague about #4?  There's nothing vague at all.  $25 per permit, in a check made payable to what the "Association."  If you read the pre-amble to the application or agreement, the whole name of the "Association" will be spelled out, followed by "Association" in (parenthesis).  What that means is that the rest of the document refers to the association proper as the "Association."


Title: My 17-year-old son got behind the wheel of a car drunk and killed a pedestrian. He is facing up to 20 years in prison. What should we do?

Question:
State is Florida.

My 17-year-old son went to a party last night and had 12 beers. He then got behind the wheel of a car. He ran a stop sign and plowed into a pedestrian, who died of her injuries later that night in the hospital. He blew a .24. He is now in jail on a $250,000 bail. He is being tried as an adult and is facing up to 20 years in prison.

My son can't stop crying. He feels very sorry for what he did. Is there any way to reduce the sentence to, perhaps, 3-5 years? What should we do???

Answer: Hire a competent criminal defense attorney. Answer #2: Hire him a lawyer.


Title: My car was hit by an unlicensed and uninsured driver [NYS].

Question:
Nassau county to be exact.

Yesterday I was at a stop sign, car was in front of me, not moving at all. I honked my horn a couple of times, no response. About 10 seconds later, he decides to throw his car in reverse and drive. Slammed my horn but was too little too late. He hit my car and caused substantial damage. No injuries. Guy spoke very little English so it was hard for me to communicate.

His car had Florida plates on it. When police arrived, it was determined that the operator of the other vehicle is unlicensed. He provided insurance info to the police at the scene. They gave him a summons for driving without a license. (About a decade ago I received a much harsher punishment for unknowingly driving with a suspended license. just saying). So I called my insurance and they told
me either they would call his insurance or I can. So I decided to do it myself. When I called, they couldn't find anything with his policy number, VIN, plate # or DOB. it's a small regional insurance company down south.

So I don't have collision on my policy. so either this guys insurance, he does or I have to pay for these damages. Car is drivable but not looking good.

So, what I'd like to know is 1- if this guy disappears (he seems to be cooperative so far) he's just going to get away with this? why was he simply issues a ticket? and why don't police check insurance?
2- is suing him my only option? Can my insurance assist me? this wasn't my fault. I understand the risk of my insurance policy, if it's my fault I am liable for my cars damaged. that's why it's called liability.

Answer: always have more than the minimum, including uninsured motorist coverage. if he disappears you are out of luck unless you can track him down. if he remains easy to get to, you can sue for the damages.


Title: Can this person track me down from my license plate?

Question: So I was driving earlier and there was this huge truck parked on the curb with the back of his car sticking out in the road. I had time so I pulled over and put a clever little note on his car. It wasn’t anything mean or threatening, it just said worst parking of the century or something like that. I was walking back to my car and realized that there were people in the truck who had ducked down when they saw me. Could they do anything if they got my license plate number? I’m in Idaho if that helps.

Answer: See a counselor for the anxiety. What do you fear they could do? You left a note. Your only crime would be penmanship.


Title: Is a reality game show like American Idol obligated by law to honor the public’s vote in determining winners? If so, what is the specific law they must follow?

Question:
Hello, I’m the moderator of r/americanidol. We have recently been receiving a number of posts/comments with people opining that the votes on the show do not count, that the show’s producers pick the winners regardless of the official vote count, etc. One of the persons who said this is a former contestant on the show, who said he was told by producers that even though it had been announced by Idol that he was sometimes in the “bottom two” of vote-getters in a given week, this was not true and the producers were only saying this to make the show more dramatic.

I assume it is highly illegal for a show like American Idol to not honor the official public vote, with significant penalties for doing so, but I don’t know what the specific regulations are. Can anyone shed some light on this topic?

Thank you!

Answer:
 Even if they are legally bound by the audience vote, the producers do everything in their power to convince the audience to vote a certain way.  Certain contestants get better song choices, more flattering hair and outfit styling, and more inspirational video packages while others get songs that just don't suit them, ridiculous styling and "he's also there" clip packages.

Most of the "audience vote" reality shows have also changed from saying "you're in the bottom two vote-getters" to "you're in danger this week" to allow for the kind of shenanigans in your question.


Title: Developer locked my account on their game because I refunded their game, demanding I buy the game again.

Question:
*Note, I live in Australia*

&#x200B;

I bought Town Of Salem on Steam around the end of August. Up until that point, I had been playing the game Town of Salem on a Web Browser for free. I decided to purchase the game on Steam because it was advertised with quicker loading times. However, even having met the requirements to run the game, it had lots of frame lag, and it was almost unplayable.

&#x200B;

I refunded the game through Steam, and went back to playing the game through their website.

&#x200B;

However, a few months later, I get this notification upon attempting to log in to their website.

&#x200B;

"Your account has been frozen due to a Steam refund. If you repurchase on Steam your account will be unfrozen."

&#x200B;

I dug a little deeper, and contacted their support and discovered the reason for this was that some people where exploiting the points and tokens gained from buying the Steam game and refunding it, as the developer, Blank Media Games, did not have a protocol in place to refund the tokens.

&#x200B;

Do I have any rights to get my account back?
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 Nope.

You have no legal right to play the game.Answer #2: Unfortunately no, they can ban anyone for pretty much any reason. however, steam *might* care they're retaliating against people who refunded. Who knows, contact steam, enough complaints, they may pull the game? You could also let others know of their crappy practices.

But legally, nothing wrong.


Title: Nearly lost entire house downpayment to a scammer

Question:
I narrowly avoided being scammed out of the entire amount of my house downpayment by a fraudulent email that looked very similar to an email that my real estate lawyer would send. It looked so good, all the right details where there. I was even talking about the last closing details with the lender this morning. The scammer had gotten ahold of the closing disclosure that was sent between the paralegal and the mortgage officer, and used it to spoof an email to me with the fake wire instructions.

&#x200B;

I scheduled the wire but then realized my "something is fishy" internal alarm was going off. I called the lawyers office and confirmed that the account number on the wire transfer information was not their account, and that they hadn't sent me wire instructions. The scammer had nearly every critical detail about the house closing in the "Closing Disclosure". The right "From:" name on the email (from the paralegal), but I noticed that the email address was not from my lawyer's domain it was instead from a gmail account, easy to miss when everything else is correct. Once I confirmed that this was a scam, I had a VERY tense few minutes calling the bank to try to stop the wire transfer from completing. Thankfully I got the wire canceled before it was sent.

&#x200B;

The question I have, do I have a case for breach of personal information? Is it worth going after the lawyer's office in this case?  I'm feeling rather upset at how close I came to losing all the money for this house.  After doing some investigating, I'm pretty sure it was the lawyer's office that has been breached, and I have not been impressed with their response to me so far about this incident.

I'm in North Carolina, US.

Answer:
 I'm not a lawyer, but my understanding here is that since you caught it in time, you have no damages, so there's nothing to sue them for.

This is an incredibly common scam. The escrow company I used most recently sent multiple warnings throughout the home purchase process to watch out for these scams and to never wire money without verifying the instructions by phone first.

If you want to prove a point more than you want to buy this home now, you could maybe try to unwind everything you've done so far and request a refund of any money you've spent with them so far, but I think it'd be a long fight and it's not clear you'd prevail.Answer #2: FBI is very interested in these real estate consideration spoof email cases. Beyond alerting them by web form as you already have, you could also try working local police to also pass along info or contact your local FBI office by phone. It doesn’t sound like you have any civil recourse without damages so your only option is to help facilitate a criminal investigation.Answer #3: > I also have the scammers banking information

It's at least as likely that that bank account doesn't belong to the scammer, but to another victim who's been suckered into acting as a money mule.


Title: Hotel scam?

Question:
Me and my GF looked for a boutique hotel to stay in the weekend. We searched in Booking.com and found a small hotel, good price, good pictures and good reviews.
We booked a room without the option to get a refund(!).
After we booked the room I did some research and apparently in all the other sites the hotel has awful reviews and I noticed that all the "great" reviews in Booking.com are in the last month even though the hotel is open for 4 years.
My point is I thinking they're fake and me and my GF wanted to cancel.
We contacted the hotel and asked for it, they said they can't cancel but they can change the dates. My GF asked if the took any money yet and they said no, so she decided to block and replace her credit card.
The CC company said they can see if there was a transaction only after 48 hours, so me and my GF thought about waiting that time and if there is no transaction just to ignore the hotel.

My questions are:
Is this legal?
Can they ask for money any way?
Is there any way out?

Thanks in advance and sorry if I sound like an asshole but I really feel deceived.
Topic:
Consumer Law

Answer:
 >My questions are: Is this legal? Can they ask for money any way?

Of course, you entered into a valid contract with them. The fact that you are trying to scam them by removing your method of payment doesn't absolve you from the debt.


Title: My leasing office turned my apartment from cool air to hot air while I was gone, and it destroyed some of my electronic equipment. Is there anything I can do?

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 Best bet is to talk to your renters insurance.

While it is important to not let pipes freeze in places that can happen, 99 is a bit excessive.


Title: Is it legal to "grant yourself" certificates for a resume?

Question:
Here is the situation (I live in North Carolina):

I am a self-taught person when it comes to "alternative practices" (tarot reading, palm reading, etc.) but I do know a lot, so I decided to open an online school granting certificates of completion in various courses along those lines for a small fee to make an income on the side.

Then I found out about this place in my city that hires people to do tarot readings, but they want you to have credentials or experience. I don't have any formal credentials or formal experience.

Would it be legal for me to take one of the courses from my own school, grant myself a certificate, and list that as education (in tarot reading)?

It seems like it would be legally okay, since I actually did do the courses I'd list. The only thing is that I made the courses myself.

I just want to work in this field very badly, and I already have read just about every book on the subject, but unfortunately you can't list books as formal education/experience...

I will not do this if it is not legal for some reason.

Thanks.

Answer: I mean, you're already scamming people by pretending to read their palms and silly cards, why not scam the people who will hire you to do so?Answer #2: Wouldn't anyone hiring you as a psychic be able to tell that you're... lying? Answer #3: Why don't you look into the future, and see what you decided to do based on the advice in this thread?Answer #4: Reminds me of the guy I blacklisted because he claimed to have published something, and when I looked it up it was "published" on his own website, which he named fancifully so it sounded like a legit publication.


Title: (Alberta, Canada) Purchasing a Bus/RV conversion. Weird sellers who seem to be hiding something.

Question: Ok, so they purchased the bus in BC, transferred it to SASK where it sits for sale. They provided paperwork to prove they purchased permits for travel from BC to SASK. It was originally owned and last registered in Alberta. I verified this at the registry. I pulled a car proof which showed no liens, accidents, not stolen or anything I need to worry about. The people selling it had to "leave" Sask very quickly and are located in "BC"... They implied they Left extremely quick... so who knows...warrants? custody/Child abduction? Drug charges? who knows.. I checked the bus and we seem to be fine for right now. The sellers are pissing me off so fucking bad but there are no other buses in our price range for sale... Is there anything I can do to ensure I am not getting screwed over here? They are sketchy.

Answer: Yes, there is something you can do.  Trust your gut.  Don't buy the bus.


Title: I contracted chlamydia and the person who I believe gave it to me is threatening to "expose" me and get me arrested.

Question:
I don't want to make this longer than it needs to be. Basically, I need some advice on what to do. I am 18, he is 20.

Long story short, I had sex with a guy July 4th and 5th. I keep track of my sexual partners and the dates for several reasons; contraction of diseases or infections being one of them. The last period of time I was having sex was May 21st - June 16th with three different partners, all three one-time things. After having sex with the most recent (we'll call him L), noticed something was definitely off. I was sore, I was puffy down there, and I noticed (don't know if it's related) that his semen was extremely odd. It was gray and looked like tic tacs. Weird as hell, and really honestly gross. I didn't say anything but it definitely caught my eye.

Anyway, that same day I noticed a very uncomfortable feeling in my vagina. Not burning, not pain, just swollen and super uncomfortable. Days pass and I'm having really odd, watery, and then sometimes thick discharge that's smelly and uncomfortable. Pain during urination. I thought it was a yeast infection, but no discharge that was thick and clumpy.

I contacted him after ghosting (never said I was the most mature person) and told him why I had been ghosting and that I'm getting checked out and treated for it and that I felt uncomfortable going forward in any relationship with him because I was super turned off by the reactions my body had after we had sex. He kept contacting me like I didn't say this.

I get tested, have no sex or sexual encounters because I know something is amiss, and find out yesterday I test positive for chlamydia. I cry and freak out, never had an STD in my life, always use protection, feel like a dumb idiot, the works. I contact L as soon as I find out and warn him to get tested.

This is where things go even more haywire. At first he apologizes and says thank you for letting him know, continues to contact me throughout the day to give me google facts about chlamydia, says it's weird that I would test pos after being with him, and progressively gets more and more upset. Eventually he's saying it couldn't have been him that gave it to me, and that I gave it to him, he's disgusted, and there's no way he's ever talking to me again. I was at work while he was contacting me, so I didn't have a chance to respond, he talked himself into being extremely angry by the time I was off.

Continues to contact me and is currently threatening to tell everyone I have added on Facebook and IG that I'm a whore "infested" with chlamydia and that I sleep with everyone. He is also saying he wants me arrested for giving him chlamydia that I "knew" I had.

I was tested in February but am aware that you can contract between just one partner. I don't know how I can prove that it was him who gave me chlamydia, but I'm almost positive. I waited the two week period to get tested so it's accurate. I don't know what to do. I don't know if I should let the other partners know, or if it was for sure him, or what to do. All I know is that something was very funky and off immediately after messing with this guy. I feel like an idiot and I feel even more fucked than I already am. I got antibiotics last night and am taking them in addition to a shot. I won't be having sex or sexual encounters until I'm positive that I'm clean because this is so embarrassing and I feel disgusting. If I had known that I could have possibly had chlamydia before having sex with anyone, much less him, I wouldn't have had sex. I'm not a piece of shit and I try to be as responsible as I can be. How do I go about this situation? Do I just let him be angry? I can't prove that it was him, I don't think. I feel so stupid.

TL;DR:

Caught chlamydia from a dude I fucked on the fourth of July, can't prove it was him I don't think, he's mad and denies I caught it from him, says he caught it from me when before him I had no symptoms of anything and no pain, swelling, or strange discharge (all of which I had almost immediately after having sexual intercourse with him). I don't know how to deal with this situation or how to deal with him, I feel almost positive I didn't give it to him, but I can't be certain. He's threatening me and making my life hell right now. Do I tell previous partners? Do I lay low? I don't know how to address this or what to do. Something was immediately off after sleeping with him and I have chlamydia. I feel like a fucking idiot.

Answer:
 First off - ring an advice line or speak to your sexual health Dr or Nurse (not GP - they may not be 100%) attend make sure you have absolutely correct information about chlamydia. It's treatable with a course of antibiotics so don't freak out too much.

Second - (obligatory IANAL) don't engage with this person beyond *once*, very clearly, in text/email, telling him to stop his behavior. You do not want to give him ammunition. Anything he comes at you with could be slander (depending on how he wordsit), so screen shot/save all emails, texts, SM posts about you or this topic.

If he continues in this, contact SM providers, speak to police, and get a lawyer.

Finally - what you do with your body is your business. Sounds like you usually have everything organized to stay healthy, and shit happened. You  also identified an issue and sought help quickly, and informed your partner (s? You should contact the others as well) in a timely manner. His freak out is his business, up until he threatens you. You did nothing wrong in this situation, you did the best you can to reduce risk. He is entitled to have his freak out, but is required to take responsibility as well. He is just as responsible for his own risk reduction as you are for yours.

Sex is not illegal, he can't have you arrested for that, and he had no evidence that you knew you had an infection at the time of your liaison and deliberately infected him.

ETA: an absolute defense to slander is the truth, so if he tells people only that, there's not much you can do. It's all about how he words it. And it works both ways, I might add...


Title: Florida - my friend got injured in the parking lot at his job after work. Workman's comp?

Question: This happened to my friend after work at his job. He walked out to the parking lot, got into his car, and he got dizzy or hit his head or something and fell. The door was still cracked open and the car began rolling slowly. Since he was dizzy he fell out of the car, and his leg got run over. He said he's okay but has a tremendous strain in his leg. I told him he should see a doc because it might not be just a strain. He doesn't want to because he's just a "contractor" (IT), has lousy insurance with a huge deductable and it may cost him thousands. I told him he might be able to file workman's comp, but he fears retaliation by the company. Contractors in IT are known to be fire-able for any small reason. What can he do?

Answer: he can't be retaliated agianst but I don't see what qualified for a WC claim here.


Title: Roommate (not on lease) wont leave after ignoring attempts to get on lease, and missing rent..

Question:
SEATTLE, WA.

I have documentation and physical copies of attempting to get my roommate on a lease that my girlfriend and I are on. After months of not even buying a bed (popped my air matress) she has received one piece of mail and now missed rent. Do I have any rights as far as forcing her to leave? I posted notice that I need her to leave with time and a request for the missed rent but she's not budging.. Thank you in advance! Please let me know what extra information I can provide.

Answer: You need to give her proper notice for your state and then if she's not gone by the end of the notice period you can go to court to evict her.


Title: Using someone’s Venmo to send myself money they owe me?

Question:
Hey everyone, posting from Wisconsin.

An ex-girlfriend had a credit card of mine on her Lyft account and used it for $200 in rides before I noticed.

I realized a bit late and contacted her, but she just said she wasn’t paying and blocked my number, my Facebook, etc.

However, I have her Venmo info. What trouble can I get in if I just log in and send myself the $200?

Answer:
 Theft charges. Computer fraud charges.

Don't do it.Answer #2: You can sue your girlfriend for the $200 if you're owed money.

You can also file police charges for the fraudulent use of your card if she knew she wasn't supposed to use it.Answer #3: Do you think you could enter her unlocked house and take money out of her purse that she owes you legally?

Because this is the same thing, essentially.Answer #4: I know that she owes you money, but let it go. You'll get yourself in quite a bit of legal trouble if she finds out and reports you. If anything, just take her to a small claims court Answer #5: Standard kindergarten rules, dude. Two wrongs don't make a right.

And, the second wrong usually gets punished more severely as it is retaliatory.

Don't do it, brother.


Title: Receiving payment from a moving company after they lost/broke my stuff - won't pay me until i take down bad reviews [CANADA]

Question: [deleted]

Answer: It's a condition of the settlement. Either accept or don't. But if you go back on your agreement they can sue you. If you don't want to agree to their terms you can sue them.


Title: Incident at football stadium

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If he contracts  something like an e.coli infection, then he might rack up enough medical bills to get inside a courtroom.  There, he *might* be able to argue for "general" damages like pain and suffering  (vs. "specific damages" -- the cost of bills incurred at hospital, cost of clothing ruined, etc).

But as nasty as it is, getting splooged like this isn't setting anyone up for a windfall.

Still, he should talk to a personal injury attorney (most do free consultations) to see what there might be worth looking at.


Title: my wife moved out my kids beds

Question: Just came home to see that while I was out with my brother for the evening, my wife has moved out my 3 kids' beds and half their toys and clothes and left the place in shambles, scratched my hardwood and left muddy foot prints everywhere. She said she wanted to move out, I asked her for some sort of separation agreement first, she then took the kids to her brothers place and said she told them she was moving them out of the house without me even being there. Is this not child abduction??

Answer:
 > Is this not child abduction??

Nope, it's the beginning stages of divorce. Answer #2: Assuming you're married and there's no custody agreement in place no. Both parents have full authority to take the kids anywhere

I'd probably contact a divorce lawyer. Answer #3: It's not abduction; she has the right to take her kids to her family's if she wants to (as would you). And the hardwood she scratched in the move is probably half hers as well.


Title: Pulled over for speeding in Nevada, the highway patrol ends up searching my car and finds weed & paraphernalia... what to do next?

Question:
My SO and I were driving from IL to California to get to our new apartment and while driving through Nevada, my SO got pulled over for speeding 12 over (87 on 75) & for the fact that I hadn't renewed my registration.

Those are the starting details but what's important is that while I was looking for my insurance, the cop happens to see rolling papers in the glove box. I don't even remember where they came from because we don't use rolling papers and probably didn't even belong to us (that car was filled with junk) so after, he asks about them. Our first response is an honest one, "Those must be from years ago" "I think they belong to our friends". He says that because we don't use them for tobacco, he may have probable reason to search the car. He asks if we have weed. We deny it. He asks me to step out of the vehicle and I do. He then asks my gf to search her stuff and she says yes. He asks me the same and I comply. Now, we are moving across the country so we literally had all of our belongings - and that meant random shit from the medicine cabinet: expired muscle relaxants and a bottle of xanax that had someone else's name on it that I must've had from YEARS ago. In addition, as he looks through literally everything we own, he begins to find a bunch of weed, two vapes and a bowl. In the end, he luckily decides not to act on the fact that he found the  pills but he does cite me with possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Two misdemeanors which are gonna total $1380. The charge doesn't matter as much to me as it being on my record. I am a 28 year old programmer who works at a tech company and I don't want this stuff messing with my future. Would it? Should I get a lawyer to fight this? Or should I feel lucky that he didn't do anything about the prescription pills and accept this punishment? I can afford a decent legal battle but is it worth it? Please throw some advice my way friends.

TLDR: Cop found weed in my car, charged me with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Wondering if I should hire a lawyer or just accept it and pay up.

Answer:
 Next, you get a lawyer.Answer #2: Step -1: ***Never ever consent to a search***. No matter what you think, it is never in your best interest to waive your rights (barring recommendation from legal council of course).

Step 1: Contact a criminal defense attorney yesterday, you absolutely do not want a drug charge on your record, especially as a programmer who might want to hold a position that requires a security clearance. You can't afford **not** to have an attorney.

Step 2: Stop doing and possessing drugs yesterday.  If your attorney can get the drug charge dropped through some legal wizardry there is a good chance that you will end up on a diversion or probation program, and drug testing is the norm for those.


Title: Bank of America ATM fraud, bank said I "look" like the guy who stole my money. What is my next move?

Question:
Hi, long story short. I am recent graduate working a part time job in Miami, FL. One morning I got a text that said "possible fraud alert" and Bank of America immediately suspended my debt account.

I check my online banking and someone withdrawn 380 dollar from an ATM without my consent. I check my wallet and my debt card is right next to me. I called Bank of America and they said they will temporary credit me 380 dollar and open up a claim for me. I was relieved. I check the news and apparently this type of fraud is very common in Miami
.
Fast forward to 1 month later and I got a notices that said my claim has been denied. Their reason was that I been to that ATM before and the person who withdrawn that 380 dollar looked like me. They asked if I have any proof that I was not in the area that day and I have nothing. I was sleeping in my place a couple miles from the ATM.

I am mad as hell, I worked for this money and someone stole it from me. Is there anything I can do at this point? If you reading this thank you for your patience. Please let me know if you or anyone you know deal with this before. What is my next move? should I take bank of america to small claim court? are they legally liable to pay me back? Thanks for your help in advance

Disclaimer: I posted this in the personal finance sub before and was told to post here for second opinion.

Answer:
 If you have nothing to prove you weren't in the area, then you have nothing to prove you weren't in the area unfortunately.

Have you tried going to BOA to speak with a manager or someone higher up the chain? They have more pull to make things happen and might be more sympathetic.


Title: Caught neighbor stealing my packages on camera, lazy Property Manager won't do anything

Question:
First, thanks in advance for taking the time to read my issue.

So I've had a few packages delivered from Amazon or other big companies that have been verified delivered by the shipping companies that weren't there when I got home. So I bought security cameras, and set them up to view my garage door, and my front door. I continued buying things online, and sure enough, the first package that gets put by my garage gets stolen by my next door neighbor (I live in connected condominiums).

So I call the cops, show them the video, and eventually he gets arrested.

Our lease agreement states that ANY illegal activity by a resident or their guest, is grounds for immediate eviction. Which is something we absolutely want done, especially my gf who is now scared to be living next to such a person. So I contacted the property manager immediately and tell her everything, and she pretty much blows me off and says "ok, what do you want me to do about it?" I said I want them evicted. She says she can only evict them once a conviction is made and that could take years. She's pretty much trying to scare me off from going through with it so she doesn't have to do her job.

The thing is, the lease agreement we signed does not state anything about conviction being necessary. Only that any illegal activity results in eviction.

And on top of that, he isn't on the lease at his home, only his gf. He couldn't be put on because he has prior felonies and she wouldn't have been approved. The lease also states anyone living in the house for more than 7 days in a month needs to be put on the lease. Which means they are breaking that part also.

So my next move is to either call corporate office and see what happens or get a lawyer to make them uphold the contract we signed.

Any advice on what to do it very much appreciated!

Answer: They don’t have to kick him out. You cannot make them.


Title: [Cleveland,OH] I returned from a yearlong deployment to the middle east with the Ohio National Guard. My union started taking double the dues out of my paycheck to make up for the year I missed. Can they?

Question: I was protected with USERRA Act, and got money back that the company tried to take for the health care they provide that I didn't use, just wondering if the union could do what it is since it's not my employer and doesn't fall under USERRA, thanks guys.

Answer:
 IANAL...My husband is a teamster, every time he goes out on disability he is required to notify the Union so that they won't take out his dues on his return.

He forgot and miss the notification deadline by 2 days, he called anyway and they took care of it anyway.

I think you have a good chance they will waiver the dues, but you should really be proactive if you are deployed again.

If you don't know who your rep is or don't want to speak with your shop steward, then google "local union (your city)" and call or stop-in  the union office.

Edit: Never assume that HR notifies the Union when you go on leave or return. You will be sadly mistaken.


Title: [USA, MI] Incorrect Background Check info, at my wits end.

Question:
Hey all,

So, my wife has been having a horrible time finding a job, as she keeps getting rejected because of incorrect data in background checks.

The first couple times a few years ago it was because LexisNexis said she lived in TX and had been convicted of check fraud. We *think* we were able to dispute the records at LexisNexis to correct them, but due to the time it took to have them correct it she lost a couple job opportunities.

Now, she is trying to get another job and the company is using "Shield Screening" as the background check provider. This time the report came back with over 20 offences, including several felonies (Grand Theft Auto, Grand Theft of Firearms and many others). All from states where we/she has never been/lived (TX, FL, AL), and even different height/weight/eye colors...

We are both at our wits end dealing with this... Even more so when you are struggling to get by and getting turned away from jobs because of incorrect information.

HALP!

We've already started trying to contest the information with the "Shield Screening" company, I fear the same thing will happen (position will be filled before the issue can be corrected). So, I'd really appreciate any advise.

Is there a way we can stop this from happening in the future? or do you think it's hopeless and I'll just have to settle for having a housewife and never sleeping again due to having to work multiple jobs?

*Edit: I don't think it is a case of stolen identity, as the reports usually contain people with the same name, but different SSNs/states/etc.*

Answer: She's probably the victim of identity theft. She needs to report that to the police and find out what her steps are to clear her name. Has she checked her credit history as well?


Title: Can you deny police search of your house or belongings if they don't come with a search warrant?

Answer:
 If you let them in the house they can conceivably search if they see anything that gives them just cause.

Whether or not that is determined to have been a legal search is a matter for the courts at a later time.

If police come to your house, it is always your wisest bet to answer the door by stepping outside and closing it behind you, offering as minimal a view as possible to the inside of your home as you do so.

At that point, unless someone in the house is screaming or your crack pipe was easily visible through the door when it opened,  they cannot require you to open the door and allow them to look without a warrant.


Title: [OR] My wife had an affair and we are agreeing to a divorce. She wants to buy me out of the house based on a real estate agents estimate of home value and make me pay half of theoretical closing costs.

Question: I want to get bought out based on the bank's appraisal of home value and am willing to pay half the associated re-finance fees. Who is legally "right" in this situation? We obviously are trying to avoid lawyers and courts. Locality is Polk county.

Answer: Neither of you is "right".  It's a negotiation.  You work it out between the two of you, or you go to court.


Title: Teen driver with restricted license gets in car accident - can we be sued by other driver?

Question: Live in Connecticut. 16-year-old with driver's license for two months gets in accident with friend in car. By law, she isn't supposed to drive with a friend in the car for a year after getting her license. Can driver she collided with sue us (even if she wasn't at fault)? What risk are open to? Would our home etc. be at risk?

Answer:
 >Can driver she collided with sue us (even if she wasn't at fault)?

Anybody can sue anybody for anything.  To commence a lawsuit you simply file the necessary documents and pay the filing fee.  The filing clerk does not require any proof to substantiate the claims.  The real question is whether the other driver would win.  He/she would have to prove that your daughter negligently operated the vehicle.  You haven't provided any facts regarding the crash, so nobody here can say whether the other driver has a strong case or not.


Title: [US] Is it illegal/plagiarism to copy a law/policy?

Question:
For example if a town adopts a policy and it is successful and a neighboring town wants to adopt the exact same policy are they allowed to do so?  do they have to word it differently?  surely there is only a limited number of ways you can reword something and retain its meaning.  And if it means the same thing why would it matter if the words were the same too?  The line here seems really fuzzy and I'm curious how people go about this without trouble
Edit: The bot is making me be more specific about location because federal law doesn't count? so we will just say location: Washington.

Answer: No, this is outside the scope of copyright. Also, it is generally a good thing when different jurisdictions have identical laws. It makes following them much easier.


Title: Need some guidance RE: CA speeding ticket in excess of 100mph

Question:
I got a speeding ticket in California a few months back and was cited for driving 104mph.  The officer who issued my ticket wrote down my license plate # incorrectly on the ticket, as well as my zip code for my address.

I hired on online TicketKick site to contest the ticket, sent in the defense and $899 for bail, and just received word that I was found guilt and owed another $900 in addition to having my license suspended for 30 days.

I am now debating whether it is worth filing an appeal, or "Trial De Novo," where it appears I will have to appear in court.  My biggest concern is the increase in auto insurance rates given this will now be a part of my driving record.

Does anybody know if it is worth showing up in person to further contest this?  Is there any further downside possible?  My "defense" was standard boilerplate questioning the accuracy of the radar detector, so I'm not sure how useful that will be in my trial, though I did have them add the typos on the license plate and zip code indicating the officer is prone to error.  Any thoughts/guidelines would be greatly appreciated.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  Many thanks!

Answer: My advice: slow down.


Title: [FL] If my neighbor's dog has puppies on my property, who owns the puppies?

Question:
My neighbor's dog is currently pregnant and kept 24/7 in a poorly secured back yard. She escapes 2-4 times a week to roam the neighborhood but she's been chilling on my property more and more often lately. I don't mind because she's a very calm, sweet dog. Doesn't bother my dog, doesn't chase the stray cats, doesn't dig holes... she pretty much just chills in the shade, sleeps under my porch, or follows me around while I'm doing yard work.

Not sure if this is relevant but for posterity: the first few times it happened (about a year ago) I immediately went to my neighbor to try to return her. Because he's gone from dawn to dusk nearly every day and she usually escapes in the early afternoon, I was never able to get a hold of him. She only ends up back in the yard when the other neighbors get annoyed and put her there, or he gets home at night, notices she's gone, and drags her back. I haven't bothered since then.

As of a few days ago the dog has been showing nesting behaviors and has been building herself a den under my porch. three times now I've had to crawl under there and yank out all the blankets, branches, and trash she managed to drag under there. I put up a lattice screen and she just ripped it down (and added that to her third nest, too). At this point I'm resigned to the fact that the puppies will most likely be born under my porch.

Here's my concern: I strongly suspect that this guy won't bother to get the puppies any of their shots, let alone spay or neuter them, and our town already has a pretty bad homeless pet problem. I have the resources necessary to get all of them their spay/neuter surgeries and first round of shots. Between friends, family, and connections to the local animal shelters I'll be able to find homes for as many as 10-15 puppies.

In short, I would *love* to have some sort of claim to whatever puppies she ends up having but I'm not sure if I can. If they're born on my property can I claim them as abandoned animals, or are they automatically his? Unfortunately(?) there's no chance of a puppy paternity suit as my dog is also a girl.

Finally: Yes, I have asked animal control about her constantly getting out. I was told that they could come and pick her up, but without any identifying information (she doesn't wear a collar and I'm pretty sure she's not microchipped) she would be put up for adoption and euthanized if not claimed or adopted within 3 days. She's an adult pitt/boxer mix, so the odds that occurring are high and it's something I'd rather avoid except as a last resort.

Answer: I love the idea of birthright citizenship for puppies.


Title: Do I need a lawyer for this simple will?

Question:
My wife and I have a 6 month old. We are looking to write a will that simply leaves everything to my wife (if I die) or to me (if she dies). In the event of both of our deaths, we want our cousin(and her spouse) to raise our son and all assets disposed of into a trust for him which they can manage as needed....

Being as though this seems simple I thought a $40 do it yourself kit should be adequate. But my colleagues said that I should use a lawyer once I have kids as it is less likely to be contested/shouldn't contain errors....Our lawyer said it would be $300 (total not each) for us to complete our wills (one for me, one for my wife).  Is this worth it? or would I be better served completing my own?

Thanks!!

EDIT: We are located in Alberta, Canada
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 If the will is never contested? It's probably fine.

If it is? Your heirs will be really, really happy you spent the extra $260 to make something ironclad.


Title: Can I sue my boss for not paying me the agreed amount even though she pays me Under the Table?

Question:
So I work at a very small shop of less than 20 workers and we do Wedding Decorations to sum it up. My boss pays 10 dollars an hour and promised to pay $400 when we got to 40 hours. I've worked for over 130 hours that haven't been compensated for and my boss has been only been paying me $300 dollars. She also won't pay me unless I go in to work.

Normally there would be no question as to whether or not I can take legal action. But since I get paid under the table (In cash), I'm not sure that I can.

Any help would be appreciated because I need that 1,300 dollars I'm owed. For local laws, I'm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: You can file a wage claim, but it means you need to settle up with the government and pay taxes on the money you've been paid so far.  Being paid in cash isn't illegal so long as you declare it on your taxes at year end.


Title: I made a /r/legaladvice BINGO sheet so we can all play along at home now!

Answer:
 You forgot "IANAL but [completely incorrect horseshit and downvoting correct answers]"Answer #2: Nice! Just missing "can I get out of child support?" and "I got someone pregnant, can I compel her to get an abortion?"Answer #3: If you need more Bingo squares for future cards:

* "I was fired because reasons.  Can I sue?"

* "Can I have my speeding ticket thrown out because the cop wrote my speed was 85 mph but I was going no slower than 95 when he saw me."

* Pressing charges, only DA.

* Do you have renter's insurance?

* US Postal Inspectors, not even once.

* Location: ...Answer #4: >"I made a LegalAdvice Bingo and someone stole it.  How much can I sue for?"

https://np.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/33glms/meta_legaladvice_bingo/
Answer #5: This bingo sheet shows just how monotonous the posts can be in the sub. Always the same. Damn. Issues. Over and over, day after day, etc.

Kind of depressing. Bingo is so gonna turn things around for me there. Answer #6: "Is it entrapment?" "No"Answer #7: Love that Florida got a square all to itself.


Title: (/r/FortCollins X-Post) Can a landlord in FoCo legally charge us another months rent if the property is not move-in ready before our scheduled move out date/time?

Question:
[Original Post](http://www.reddit.com/r/FortCollins/comments/2avcty/can_a_landlord_in_foco_legally_charge_us_another/)

We're moving out of our leased property in Fort Collins, Colorado, and the landlord is asking to do a full walkthrough with us **before** our move-out date (31st at noon)
He's insisting that if the place is not fully move-in ready at the time of walkthrough, that he will charge us an additional months rent.

Is this even legal? I can't find anything in our lease or in the FoCo leasing laws that says he can charge us additional rent before the move out date (Now, if we were still there when time came, I would find that justified, but this beforehand does not make sense)

Anyone know some of FoCo's leasing laws?

Answer:
 No.  Your landlord cannot extend your lease.

He can charge you for specific, itemized damages beyond normal wear and tear.


Title: 14 year old brother wants to move in with me

Question:
We live in Missouri, and I am 20.
My parents are going through a divorce, and neglect my younger brother. Say rude things to him, ignore him... It's enough to mess him up and really make him upset and hate being at home, but not enough to say they're unfit as parents, legally.

My question is, is there any way for him to move in with my husband and I?

Answer: Sure. If his parents agree then he can live with you.


Title: [IL] Best friend has a history of depression and schizophrenia, coupled with thoughts and attempts of suicide when off medication. Doctor refused to refill his medication for 2 weeks and now he is in the hospital after a suicide attempt. Does this constitute malpractice?

Question: As the title implies. His family and I are unbelievably furious towards the doctor my friend has been going to for years for allowing this to get to this point. Is there legal action that can be taken against the doctor?

Answer: Why did he refuse to refill the medication?


Title: Ex-boyfriend wants dog back that has been in my sole care for months. (New York)

Question: Long story short, in January of 2016 my boyfriend at the time and I got a dog from a friend of mine. I financially provided for the dog and have a vet bill in my name. I also bought the vast majority of his food and other necessities. In early July the relationship ended and my ex went home to a different state. He left the dog with me and we never discussed him taking the dog back. We had extremely limited contact from then until now. Today he contacted me and told me he's coming to my apartment to get his dog back. I know legally the vet bills are in my name. The dog is microchipped but the microchip is not registered to either my ex or myself. Now the issue arises. My ex has a mental health related disability and received a service dog letter from his doctor. However this paper doesn't have any identifying info on the dog at all. Also the dog is most definitely not trained to perform any kind of service dog task. He got the certification because he could with his disability. He abandoned the dog over 90 days ago and never said a word about reclaiming him. I just have no idea if I have a leg to stand on legally and if I should fight to keep my dog or if I should give up to avoid an ugly ordeal. He's threatening me with calling the police and the ADA and saying I'm stealing his service dog. I love my dog to death and I'm sick with worry. My ex is not a bad person but is not at all in a stable place mentally. If you need any other info please ask any help is appreciated.

Answer:
 The police aren't going to do anything except tell him that it's a civil matter and that he cannot take the dog from you.  If he comes to your home, call the police.

He can attempt to sue you in small claims court for the return of the dog.  If you sell the dog or otherwise re-home it and no longer have it, and you lose in small claims court, you will owe him the cost of the dog.
Answer #2: It sounds like it is an ESA and not a service dog.

In any case this is really jut a matter of who owns the dog. It being used as an ESA for him is evidence it is his. Who your friends gave the dog to could also matter.


Title: Update: (FL) Can the HOA president ban hurricane shutters?

Question:
Since she didn't want to believe that hurricanes cause damage I called the local fire department and they sent over some guys to talk to her.

What they said to her I don't know but she's completely changed her mind. Now she wants a rule that for any storm higher than a tropical storm shutters *must* be put up.

Answer:
 >What they said to her I don't know but she's completely changed her mind. Now she wants a rule that for any storm higher than a tropical storm shutters must be put up.

Maybe you could encourage her to put her meddling/busybody tendencies to good use.  She could coordinate come kind of  CERT/hurricane preparedness training (voluntary) for your development/condo and encourage people to show up.  Maybe her new friends the fire fighters would like to show up and tell your community how to be more prepared and go over stuff like "don't even think about touching a chainsaw without this extensive list of safety precautions in place"  or "having a bunch of frozen meals isn't going to help you if you lose power for a week".

At least she's willing to learn - that's something a lot of people never do.  Answer #2: Good idea in getting local emergency services to lend some expertise!Answer #3: >Since she didn't want to believe that hurricanes cause damage

I hope that's an exaggeration.


Title: Georgia DUI

Question:
I got home from my girlfriend's late one evening, not having had an alcoholic drink in over a week. I had one beer in my fridge and could not get to sleep, so when early morning came around - I decided to drink the beer and get a 20-40 min power nap in before work.

After that, I got ready to go. As I pulled out of my tight parking spot, my front passenger tire scraped along the curb. I cringed, but headed down the street thinking I had just scraped up my hubcap. A couple hundred yards later, I noticed my tire was quickly deflating. I pulled into the gas station on the corner, and attempted to park next to a food deliver truck. As I pulled into the parking spot, the car unexpectedly veered towards the flat - I had never driven on a deflating tire before and did not know this was one symptom. My front right passenger side hit the hanging metal fender on the truck. My car was damaged at about the headlight level, going inward. The truck was unharmed.

An officer was at the scene, and decided to inspect me for DUI. I refused the field sobriety test stating it was open to too much subjectivity. I submitted to the subsequent breath and blood tests. My breath registered a .011 and then a .010 BAC, about 8 times less the legal limit.I do not know the result of the blood test. I was arrested and charged with both DUI-Less Safe Drugs, and DUI- Any combination of A1, A2, A3.

 I was not on drugs, however I had just been released from a hospital about 42 hours prior where they were dosing me with a long-acting benzo, Tranxene, as well as an anti-psychotic, Zypressa. I had not taken either since my release, but fear they may still have been in my blood due to their long half lives.

 This occurred on June 18th and I was provided a temporary drivers license, valid until my court date on 7/20. Tomorrow will be the 10th day since the incident. Do I need to contact the DMV to preserve my driving privilege at this point? Would you recommend that my case needs the experience of a professional?

Answer:
 .08 is the point where you cannot operate a vehilcle legally, no matter how sober or intoxicated you are.  You can be convicted of OVI blowing below that, especially with lack of sleep and other drugs in your system.  It is not the amount of alcohol or drugs you consume, it is how they effect your body and motor skills.

Refusing a sobriety test can be held against you.  Combine driving on a flat + hitting something + lack of sleep + consumption of alcohol + other drugs in your system (given by a doctor doesn't matter) = a very strong case for the state  You need to get an attorney.