Title: Our landlord wants to charge a 50 dollar late fee because our rent is one day late. Our lease gives us a 5 day grace period.

Question: [CALIFORNIA] Our landlord came by today and asked us for the rent. We hadn't sent it yet, it is due today. He is coming by again in a little while to collect the check that we have ready. Our lease specifically gives us a 5 day grace period before a late fee of 150 dollars is charged. He wants to charge a 50 dollar late fee because he says that the rent was due by 5pm. Initially he wanted the full 150 dollars, but when I read out loud from our lease that detailed a 5 day grace period, he "kindly" dropped the fee to 50 dollars. i kept pointing out that the lease only says 150 dollars after 5 days, and it says nothing about what happens if the rent is 1 day late. When I tried arguing with him he just kept insisting that he had to pay 50 dollars. Is this legal for him to do?

Answer: He can insist on anything he wants. You can not pay. If he tries to evict you, then you can go to court to defend yourself.


Title: Received a suspicious/confusing tax collection letter

Question:
I'll just share what the actual letter says first:

Dear Taxpayer,

Many previous attempts have been made to reach you.  You have neglected to respond to our requests for payment of your delinquent taxes.

We are now required to make a personal visit to your residence to to deliver a distraint requiring immediate payment and additional fees.  You can prevent this action by remitting your payment in full within the next ten (10) business days.

Sincerely,

Statewide Tax Recovery

Okay, so with that said, so many things are confusing about what's going with this letter.

1.)  The name the letter was addressed to is no longer my legal name.

2.)  This company (Statewide Tax Recovery) seems to be a 3rd party family-owned business that does collections on property taxes for municipalities, however, during the time I lived in Pennsylvania I was a homemaker and lived with my boyfriend (not married) and never in my entire life have owned any type of real-estate.
3.)  They say there have been "many" attempts to reach me.  Just not true.  I've never received a single letter (standard post or certified) or telephone call about this debt and even this threatening letter just came standard post to my new address out of nowhere.

4.) There is just a dollar amount of what I supposedly owe (around $300).  There is no itemized breakdown of what it's actually for.  It just has a reference number and the amount due.  I went to their website to see if I could look up what exactly the debt was (property tax?) and all they have is a "PAY NOW" button where you enter your personal information, reference number, and a credit card number and send a payment.  There is no debtor account information or way to view what is due on their website.

5.) This does not seem to be any kind government-affiliated company.  They aren't the IRS or government agency.  They are not BBB-accredited and APPEAR to just be some family-run company that handles debt collection for municipalities.  How would they possibly have the ability to just show up where I live across the country and serve a distraint and start taking my property?  I still to this day don't own any real-estate (currently rent) so it would be personal property? It's just so utterly confusing.  No court order? No chance to actually see what these taxes are?   I lived in PA 3 years, was a homemaker and lived with my boyfriend, and I somehow owe $300 in what appears to be property taxes? What?

I get it.  It's only $300.  I could make this go away right now, but everything about this just screams red flag to me, however, the threat of a distraint out of nowhere has me freaking out a bit.  I've never had to deal with something like this?  How should I proceed with this bizarre situation?

Answer:
 I would ignore the letter.

Statewide Tax Recovery is not the IRS.  It is a private company.  If you owe taxes, you'll get a letter from the IRS or your state's tax department.

Do not put your personal information on their website or contact them.


Title: [VA] Mother was injured at a well known wholesale store. She wants compensation, where to start?

Question:
She slipped on a grape that was on the ground in the store and injured her back. This happened in 2015, and since then she's had a lot of pain in both of her legs and back pain. She used to work 5 days a week but since then can only work 3 days due to pain. They're trying to settle outside of the court with her. She's not an American so her English isn't so great. My mother is in her 50's so she still has quite awhile before retirement. I'm also not sure what to do. It's been 2 years, does she still have a chance of suing or settlement?

TL;DR: Mother fell at well known wholesale/membership store. Wants compensation, where to go from here?

Answer:
 You can speak with a personal injury lawyer.  You would want to find one who speaks your mother's language, if possible.

>She's not an American so her English isn't so great.

Many non-Americans speak English better than Americans.Answer #2: >It's been 2 years, does she still have a chance of suing or settlement?

Virginia has a two year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, so probably not.


Title: Unofficial roommate refuses to leave

Question:
I'm a nineteen year old girl and I signed a lease at the beginning of this year with one other girl, and four boys my age. During this summer, one of my male roommates (I’ll call him Kyle) asked if his boyfriend (Andrew) could move in with us since he was planning on moving to our town to go to college and would rather live with him than some random roommates. We didn't want to live with a couple, but in order to help out a friend, we reluctantly agreed to let him live with us for a trial period **of unspecified length**.

* Our first mistake, legally at least, was that our lease does not allow us to sublet but adding another person to the lease would have increased our rent by about $100. Wanting to avoid this fee, we decided that Andrew would pay our utilities, gas for Kyle’s truck (our house transportation), buy a few handles of alcohol, take us on twice weekly shopping trips, and occasionally drive us places in lieu of rent.

Over the course of the next six months, it became more and more clear that Andrew is not only somewhat crazy, but also an awful roommate

* He has violent tendencies. He also had some kind of violent assault charge in the past that we were not aware of before he moved in.

* He's incredibly irritable and angry all the time. He's just an unpleasant person to live with.

* He no longer does many of the things he promised he would do instead of paying rent. We go on one shopping trip about every 3 weeks, no more alcohol, we are expected to reimburse him for gas on the rare occasion that he drives us somewhere, and Kyle pays the gas half the time.

* I have PTSD, not an official diagnosis, but I have a social worker, I've been on meds, and I've been referred to several trauma therapists, so it's pretty legit. All my other roommates are aware that I have this, and they are careful not to scare me. Despite the fact that Andrew is aware of this, he thinks my reaction to people jumping out at me or loud noises is hilarious, and calls me dramatic when I scream. My mental state has been deteriorating since he moved in.

* Finally, he’s emotionally and verbally abusive towards Kyle and is obviously with him in order to take advantage of his generosity.

We’ve been putting up with Andrew for this long, but for a while now, we’ve been pretty much ready to kick him out, Another group of Kyle’s friends held an intervention for him, telling him that he’s in an abusive relationship. Kyle got defensive and it came out that we also feel the same way. We’ve been arguing since yesterday and when we told Kyle that we want to kick out Andrew, Andrew got angry and refused to leave.

It turns out that the fine for subletting is $3500, which we are not willing/able to pay. The two of them are now threatening to report us to the landlords if we insist on trying to kick us out. They want to stay with us for another six months. We’re trying to get them to agree to a one month second-chance. If Andrew doesn’t convince us that he’s changed by then, he has to move out quietly and find a new place, which shouldn’t be too difficult, since people are constantly moving in and out of this town.

We realize that we we’re idiots, we shouldn’t have violated our lease, or made an unofficial agreement, but we want to know what our options are now.

If they agree to the one month second chance, is there any way we can make it some sort of binding contract? is it legal to make one of the terms that they cannot report us to our landlords?

Are there any other options to get Andrew out immediately? Something like a restraining order?

Did the two of them do anything illegal? Like does their threatening to report us count as blackmail or something like that?

tl;dr: Unofficial roommate refuses to leave, is there a way to force him out without getting fined for subletting?

Edit: We live in California.

Answer:
  The sublettor can be evicted by whomever let him live there. He needs proper legal written notice, as per law. You cannot evict the other guy who is on your lease with you. You have no authority to ask or make him leave.

You need to read the tenant laws in the wiki to the right of the new tab. You and the other people on the lease are the landlord to the subleasing guy.

There is nothing you can do to stop anyone from ratting you out for violating your lease


Title: (Wisconsin) Ex-GF is pregnant and I could be the father. She wants to leave the baby for adoption against my wishes. What to do next?

Question:
Basically the title says it all.

The reason for our breakup was indeed her cheating on me so there is a chance that I'm not the father (in that case she's free to give up the baby for adoption if she and the actual father wish so, obviously).

How do I ensure that a paternity test is performed after the baby is born to test if I am the father, and if I am, block any attempt to give up the baby for adoption without my consent? At what point do I need a lawyer (to agree custody, etc)? She is 5 months pregnant.

Answer:
 follow [this link](https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/paternalinterest/father)Answer #2: You should talk to a lawyer now. There are things you should be doing already like getting on the paternal interest registry and financially supporting your ex during the pregnancy. A lawyer can make sure you don't miss anything that might come back to bite you later on.

Have you discussed with your ex if she would be willing to do a paternity test now? It's possible to do it using a blood sample from the pregnant mother and potential father with no risk to the baby. You can't force her, but if she agrees then it might save a lot of hassle for both of you if it turns out the baby isn't yours.Answer #3: > How do I ensure that a paternity test is performed

Just a heads up: At-home paternity tests are about $30, but are worthless in court.  If you need to have paternity test for legal purposes they can cost between $300-500.


Title: Im getting in trouble for sexting...

Question:
EDIT: Thank you everyone. I let my anxiety get the best of me and I feel like an idiot. I also didn't realize there was a post about this that was stickied. This really helped calm my nerves.

Guys I did something really stupid and I dont know what to do. Ive been on dating sites for a while hoping to get a girlfriend or hookup or make friends or whatever. I messaged this one girl the other day that asked me to text her so I did. We were just talking about things we are into. She told me she was turning 17 next month and asked me to send her a nude picture. She sent me 2 nude photos and I said she looked great. I was being very stupid. Im in a depression right now and i get excited when girls are interested in me so I wasnt thinking logically. I then thought about that and I realized that she was underage and that this isnt right. I told her not to do anything else ad then I deleted the messages and pictures and stopped texting her.
Now this morning her dad called me and is talking about calling the cops and taking me to court for being a pedophile. Im basically emotional over the phone because it was just a dumb mistake on my part. He realized that and he said the girl is in trouble too so he is going to be sending here to some boarding school for a month but I have to help pay for half of it which is $640. I dont have that kind of money. Im broke paying off student debt and I cant give that to them. Guys im so lost. I have no idea what to do... I know it was really dumb. Should I just suck it up and go to court?

Answer: [It's a scam](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/4xxhdg/my_friend_was_chatting_with_a_girl_online_and/). Block and move on.


Title: [CA] Is sniffing a drink considered a lawful order?

Question:
I have a college-aged sister who says that cops in the downtown and frat house areas near campus will randomly stop students, order them to hand over or open any drinks or bottles they have with them, and smell them. Apparently they can be real dicks about it, and she was wondering if there was any way around it.

My understanding was that this is similar to a DUI roadblock, but could it be considered a search? Is it a lawful order that she must comply with?

Answer:
 It really depends on the container and the circumstance. An old classmate of mine recently had a minor in possession thrown out because the alcohol was inside a coke can. The judge found there was no probable cause to stop the kid and search the can because there wasn't any indication the kid was drunk or doing anything illegal.

But even though the the kid won, his parents still had to pay a lot of money(not sure what my friend bills but ballpark 1,000+ for the whole thing) to get the ticket thrown out. And this was in California on the uc San Diego campus.

Moral of the story is to not carry alcohol around in an open container, but yes, what the cops are doing might be unjustified. Also, I'm not a criminal attorney so my fourth amendment(the right against unreasonable search and seizure) knowledge is limited.


Title: Lying about completing a college degree (MA)

Question:
My girlfriend's sister as been struggling for some time with anxiety and other mental health issues. She was slated to complete an undergraduate degree last May, but did not complete a class that was essentially just internship hours. The college let her "walk" at the graduation ceremony in May, but with the understanding that she would enroll in the course and complete the required internship hours over the summer.

Over the summer she did not complete the hour requirement, so she has not officially earned her undergraduate degree. She has a lot of anxiety about this, and seems to want to ignore or avoid the issue. I told her that I would help her try to look into options, and that applying for jobs with a notation on her resume that her degree is "pending internship hour requirement" or something might be the best course, and then to try and count her early work days toward her internship requirement, re-enrolling in the university to complete the degree as she works.

I am not positive that this could be worked out, but hers is not a tightly regulated field, as I understand it, and I think potential employers would probably be flexible with her situation. I do not think she would be applying to positions that would have a kind of "licensing" requirement that would strictly dictate a completed degree as a prerequisite.

Anyway, my girlfriend touched base with her sister again tonight and she intimated that her new plan will be to just apply to jobs with her resume filled out as though she has the degree completed, and claim when employers ask that she did graduate with a full degree, having never actually finished the required internship course.

It seems like a potentially disastrous course of action, especially considering that it would probably not be too difficult to just complete the internship requirement given that she is financially supported by her boyfriend and parents right now. If you all could give information about the potential legal and career pitfalls she will be risking by claiming a degree she does not actually have, it could hopefully help us steer her back toward a more stable and reasonable course (that does not involve fraud).

Thank you!

Answer:
 It isn’t really clear what your question is.

Lying about having a degree is bad.  And is sometimes caught.  There are degree verification services and a fair number of employers use them.

There is no particular other solution here but finishing the degree.  Certainly she might say something about how near her degree is to completion.  But frankly many employers will treat the degree as binary: either you have it or you don’t.  There’s not really tap dancing on that particular requirement.


Title: Small business owner maybe in trouble over, what? disclosure of an employee's age?

Question:
Hi,

So I'm a small business owner (<30 employees) and one thing I like to do is to celebrate my employees birthdays. I have 16 male engineers, one female engineer (she is 25 yrs old), some basic male employees (boxing, shipping, etc,), and one female administrative assistant. I do not hire based on gender - only on qualifications.

Anyway, of course I'm privy to my employees' personal data. I bring cakes in for all of their birthdays, as I do know them.  Three weeks ago it was my new administrative assistant's bday, so I got her a cake as I do EVERYONE ELSE.

Well turns out the cake said Happy 54th birthday and she'd been telling everyone else she's only 45. She does look younger and she's single, so I do see the problem, but I'm worried about the letter I got from her lawyer.

Am I at fault here?

Answer:
 Im not a lawyer and didnt notice a location but heres what I found

 In a Massachusetts case from 1995, a federal judge ruled that disclosing an employee’s age on a birthday card was not illegal, reasoning that “age is not such an intimate or personal fact that it can be the basis of a privacy claim.” Galdauckas v. Interstate Hotel Corp.,901 F. Supp. 454 (D. Mass. 1995)

Also it seems birth dates are often available on public record depending on where you live so disclosing someones isnt illegal since its public info


Title: Curious about GIF of car accident. Who would be at fault?

Question:
I posted in [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/therewasanattempt/comments/3lfk83/never_let_off_the_gas/cv66v1f) about a GIF of a car accident. Obviously this is not a personal circumstance, but different people have different opinions about who would be at fault in this scenario. The idea has caught my interest, so I'd like to hear any opinions you have on the subject.

[Link directly to image.](http://i.imgur.com/ln1PIuI.gifv)

Answer:
 The black car is at fault.  No contact occurred between the cars until the black car accelerated and struck the car in his lane.

Also, there could be a strong argument that this was not an 'accident' but an intentional property damage.


Title: Man who was arrested for threatening my life with a weapon, made bail and is trying to sue me

Question:
Hi there, I'm new to this subreddit and I need some help. I apologize for the wall of text, but there's a small back story regarding the man that recently threatened my life.

Here's the rundown. I'm in my early 20's and work in Los Angeles at a sign shop as a graphic designer/production manager. We are on a Boulevard in the front out the shop and have an alley in the back with one way in and out.

There are a few guys that rent out some garages across the alley (40-50 feet where they weld and make custom frames. I noticed that one of the men from the garages (let's call him "A-man") kept parking his car in the alley, taking up about half the road. The road that is left exposed has at least 10-15 large potholes that are nearly impossible to drive over (especially since I drive a mini).

After a couple weeks I approached A-man, introduced myself, and politely asked if there was anywhere else he could move his car. A-man said he was parking there to make people drive through the alley more slowly, said I "should get a new car or deal with it", and that the police would need to tell him to move. I noticed a few open tall boy beer cans on his desk, decided not to interact any further, wished him him a good day and went inside to call parking enforcement. They came by, he moved and I called them a couple times over the next week whenever he parked there. He eventually stopped.

Fast forward to about 2 or 3 weeks ago, I was leaving work when I saw one of A-man's associates (mid 30's, let's call him B-man) blocking the alley with his vehicles while he was welding. I asked B-man if he could move his van and truck. He said "no, there's nowhere else to park". I told him that it was illegal. He replied with "what do you want me to do" while walking away. So, I called parking enforcement on him a couple times over the next week.

This monday, as I'm driving down the alley to work B-man stops me while holding a 3' metal pipe. Starts yelling at me "you're a little bitch, you called parking enforcement?". I told him "yes, I did", and he replied with "I'll beat the shit out of you" and "remember, I know where you work."  I try to ignore him and go to park. I back into my parking  space when I look up and notice B-man is following me, still holding the pipe.

From here on i have surveillance footage, no audio, from the parking lot of my shop.

B-man approached my window as I tried to get out, and blocked me from getting up, standing in my doorway. Telling me that "I better not report it again" making more threats of beating the shit out of me. He left after about 15 seconds, but came back a few moments after I got out of my car and said "you can't defend yourself, you'd need to call the police to protect you" with more threats of beating the shit out of me. He got within inches of my face when making the threat, so I said his breath stunk and turned away to walk back to my shop.

I called the police, told them what happened, showed them the video, and they arrested him on a 422 a PC. He made bail and then came by my shop after I left the next day and was asking my coworkers for my name, boss' name and phone number. When my coworker asked why he got raised his voice. He said he was pissed about being arrested/bail, claimed that I filed a false report, and is filing a harassment lawsuit against me because I allegedly yelled and cursed at him him (which is false).

What can I do to protect myself from this guy? He seems hell bent on getting back at me somehow, even though he was the one breaking parking laws and threatening my life. This is very frightening to me. I just want him to go away. Does he know about the surveillance footage, or is protocol to not show the footage until his court date?  Any and all help is appreciated.

Answer:
 1.  File a restraining order, ordering him to stay away.

2.  Make sure to tell your co-workers that if they see him, they should warn you.

3.  If you can manage it, arrange it so a coworker meets you at your car, and walks you out to your car.

4.  He probably doesn't know about the surveillance footage.  But it's pretty clear that if you have footage it shows that you were non-threatening.  So his claim is pretty much bullshit.

5.  The people who threaten to sue rarely do.Answer #2: Call the police again. They may revoke his bail. File for a restraining order. Answer #3: Some people don't know when to quit. File the restraining order and then he can't work in his shop anymore.


Title: [UPDATE] (MA) My legal representation seems like they're not even trying.

Question:
I made a rather lengthy post [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/5v1plw/ma_my_legal_representation_seems_like_theyre_not/) last week.  I am going to take the advice in the thread that suggested contacting my state bar, and also contacting other lawyers, at least for a free consultation.   BUT, I have a **BAFFLING** update.

So, quick summary if you don't want to read my previous thread:  A company I used to work for is being sued, along with me.  The insurance company provided a lawyer.  The previous lawyer disappeared repeatedly, didn't answer questions, didn't bother looking into acquiring evidence that could *potentially* exonerate me, and was impossible to get a hold of.    A bunch of discovery came in from the plaintiff and no one would show it to me. He left and a new lawyer took over, from the same firm, and did pretty much the exact same thing.   Supposedly there were 100s of pages of letters, emails, texts, etc. and as the plaintiff's deposition date approached, I had seen less than 10% of the supposed documents that had been provided.  So here's the update.

The date of the plaintiff's deposition came, and I still had heard nothing, not even a location for where it is.  I heard from the lawyer afterward, and they said the deposition will be in 3 months.  Which is odd, but I get it, things get delayed...But here's where it gets real strange:

I finally got an answer about all the documents provided.  The lawyers says that I've seen everything.  I've seen less than a dozen pages, probably less than 8 even.  In fact, quotes, supposedly from emails, from the plaintiff's original complaint do NOT appear in the documents I was shown.  Which is apparently everything.  So we've gone from 'hundreds of pages of emails, etc' to a handful.   I did **NOT** mis-hear the previous lawyer,  I had him repeat that there were hundreds of pages of this stuff, including several 'hand-written letters', multiple times when I last spoke to him on the phone 3 months ago.   Currently, my lawyer said there were some other medical records from the plaintiff that I did not need to examine, but other than that there's nothing more.

PLEASE tell me I'm not losing my mind here...I'm calling my state's Bar tomorrow, but in the meantime, am I missing any reason this could be happening, because I can't think of a single one.

Answer: Are you sure that this is your lawyer and not a lawyer working for the company? If they are working for the company they'd have no duty to you personally and could be just trying to make you the fall guy.


Title: What is the rationale for certain states to impose Sex Offender Registry status for public urination?

Question:
Why is it considered legally justifiable to classify public urination as "sexual battery" when

* the act of urination is not sexual by any definition of the word (clinical or otherwise),
* the intent of urination is not to exhibit oneself for purpose of shock or gratification, and
* minors are already witness to men peeing (including genital exposure) at public restroom urinals.

Ironically, nobody seems to argue that usage of urinals is lewd and lascivious and constitutes gross indecency and must be outlawed. What is the exact differentiation whereby the mere location of urination suddenly makes it sexually deviant in nature only in one public context but not in another public context?

Answer:
 There is not single state that requires registration for the simple act of urination.  At a minimum, you must intend for other people to see your junk.

If you believe otherwise, please link to the statute(s) you have in mind.

Edit: [here is something](https://www.reddit.com/r/law/comments/75oobp/california_is_right_to_curb_the_sex_offender/do85dp0) I wrote last year about this same issue. Answer #2: I always thought it was to prevent people from getting away with it by saying " oh I just was going pee" when they are found near a playground with their genitals out. Answer #3: I think you are looking at this slightly backward. You seem to be asking why the state can justify saying something (e.g. public urination) is a crime and requires registration. The state can say just about anything is a crime because the state is the lawmaker. If the state wanted to make it a crime to have zippers on your coat, or require registration of those who are caught wearing coats with zippers they can. While there are constitutional limitation to this power, when it comes to traditional police powers the limitations are few and far between, and so long as the state can provide some articulable reason, it likely isn't arbitrary or capricious, and as such is likely a valid exercise of police powers by the state. If you dislike this law, it is a political question and will likely require the legislature to change the law.


Title: Car Accident. No Insurance or Police Report. Claimed I was at fault at the scene of accident.

Question:
**This accident happened in Saint Paul, Minnesota**

So I made the terrible mistake of driving with no insurance. I've been driving for several months very carefully because I couldn't afford to pay $200 a month.

Now I got into an accident one morning because I was very sleepy and I ran into a construction zone and the car in front of me hit the brakes before I was able to react.

I hit his bumper and I was terrified because I had no insurance. I begged the dude not to call the police because I thought they might tow my car and I had to get to work. I told him I'll pay whatever the cost was to fix his car.

Unfortunately, I received an email with an estimate of his car costs and it totaled to about $1500. I'm now planning on working 60 hours a week to come up with the sum.

My question is **do I have any options other than paying the costs straight up?** **Also, how should I respond to the emails I received from his insurance asking me what happened?** I want to tell the truth and pay for the damage I caused. It's the simplest answer for me but I just want to make sure I don't implicate myself into further trouble. **How would this affect my future insurance rates?** **How can I make sure he doesn't overcharge me because I'm already in deep debt and this accident is going to take serious hours of hard labor to pay off?**

One last question. I've gotten more than a few citations and a lot of debt because of my bad decisions, poor financial situation, and just general forgetfulness. **Where should I look to get legal advice in my area to help me clear up my traffic violations?**  I'm working on handling my finances but I don't think lawyers help with that but I'd appreciate it if I could get pointed in the right direction.

Answer: Did you get into another accident while you were typing this?


Title: What should I do about a citation I was issued but has the wrong driver information on it?

Question:
I was pulled over in Georgia this AM for a rolling stop.  The cop has me sign the citation and I got my copy of it.  After I got to work, I realized that the driver information on the ticket is incorrect although the tag number is correct.

Full disclosure, I absolutely don't want to pay this nonsense money grab ticket.  I also don't want the other driver to get a bench warrant because of this crazy mix up.

What should I do?  What's my liability?  Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 > Full disclosure, I absolutely don't want to pay this nonsense money grab ticket.

Money grab? You didn't stop at a stop sign.

Anyway, you should call the courthouse and tell them about the mistake.


Title: Caught red handed shoplifting in Texas. Can't afford lawyer. Wat do?

Question:
Edit 1: Followed my initial counsel's advice and deleted facebook. Also, formatting on mobile.

Edit 2: It was made known to me during my free consultation that the DA is "green" or brand spanking new. Is this favorable?

Hey y'all,

Firstly, I acknowledge that I am a thieving turd. There is no justification for taking property that is not rightly yours.

I'm a 24 year old newlywed, and struggling to support my wife and I. After insurance, taxes, and other payroll deductions, I net $260/week. Wife is in school full time, and works a part time gig. We make barely just enough to cover all bills usually. I'm a type 1 diabetic and have recently been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. Medicine costs are through the freakin' roof. When cash gets too tight for any breathing room, I'll shoplift food/goods to eat/sell.

I finally got caught red handed a few days ago.
I was not arrested, but taken to the LP office and waited for police to arrive. I was issued a citation for a class c misdemeanor, as well as a criminal trespass warning.

I reached out to a well connected friend, and was hooked up with a lawyer. Well, the lawyer wants $2500 upfront, and that's just impossible for me to accomplish. I've been shopping around today for a cheaper lawyer, and every option seems to be unattainable at this time.

I've done some reflecting over the past few days, and I feel like I want to just man up and own up to it. I was caught red handed, after all. I feel like I have no defense if I plea anything other than guilty.

I've already learned my lesson. I've promised to myself and my wife that these idiotic decisions are behind me. I'm willing to pay the price for my actions, but I simply cannot live the rest of my life with petty theft on my otherwise crystal clean record. Do I have any options here?

Any and all insight is welcome.
Topic:
Douche

Answer:
 Don't ever just plead guilty. You lose any chance at a deal and are at the mercy of the judge when it comes to sentencing.

Plead not guilty and request a public defender if possible. You can always change you plea later if you do this, but if you just immediately plead guilty you don't have that option.

You can also look into local legal aid groups and see if you can qualify for a pro bono attorney. Pleading not guilty will give you time to do these things. Pleading guilty does not.


Title: NJ - Car Dealership Took Car on Joy Ride

Question:
Hello Everyone,

I just had my car serviced at a BMW dealership, and when I got it back, I noticed that they had put 60 miles on my car. I highly suspect that someone took it for a joy ride. Are their any repercussions to this or am I out of luck? As far as I can tell their is no damage to the car.

Answer:
 Check with the dealership to see if they recorded the before and after mileage on your vehicle. Many dealerships will do this and it will bring the attention to management if there is a large variance from what it should be.

There really isn't much you can do here in a legal nature simply due to the lack of evidence on your side and the lack of damages you have suffered. I would escalate this with management for a refund and if you are still wishing to pursue this further file a complaint with the NJ  department of consumer affairs.


Title: Ex is saying she will not testify against me if I agree to avoid our mutual friends.

Question:
Caught a dv harassment charge here in CO. I confronted my cheating ex at her work with the guy.  He left, Cops came,  I got arrested.
We split up,  she's saying that she can get the charges dropped by not testifying, but I have to meet her demands of never coming around the mutual friends we have.  Is her doing this something that could get the case thrown out? This is blackmail, right?

Answer:
 Get a criminal defense attorney nowAnswer #2: Stop talking to her and ABSOLUTELY do not agree to her terms.

Tampering with a witness/victim in a criminal matter is serious, and if her story later is that YOU made the offer you could catch a serious charge.


Title: My manager threatened to shove a chicken nugget up my ass

Question: Is that assault.

Answer:
 If he actually did so, it'd probably be assault and battery and possibly sexual assault. Without actual action, it's a very work-inappropriate threat to make.

edit: report this to HRAnswer #2: Did you fear he would actually do it?Answer #3: Were you wearing pants? Were you actually expecting to have a chicken nugget lodged in your rectum?Answer #4: Was he approaching you in a menacing manner?  How far away was he from you when he made the threat?  How far away was he from the chicken nuggets?


Title: (CA) Going to fight my traffic ticket..how does my defense look?

Question:
I was pulled over 3 days ago by CHP. He claims I made a right hand turn on a red at the exit of a freeway when it was actually yellow. He pulled me over .25 miles after I exited the freeway. I want to argue that it was yellow and ask for proof. Does he have a picture to show that I made that right on a red? If the judge sides with him I want to argue that there is no point in coming to court if the judge is going to automatically side with the cop based on hearsay. Furthermore, I believe that there is a quota in regards to traffic tickets. I passed by the same area again today and saw 3 officers handing out tickets all within a 1 mile radius. They always show up at the end of the month and I want to prove that there is a quota. How would this hold up in court? I'm hoping to delay it and see if he shows up and if he does, I want to be prepared.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 So you’re looking to have to pay the ticket AND deal with a contempt charge? You sound like every “f the police” kid on the planet and it never works. I’d strongly suggest you avoid doing everything you mentioned.Answer #2: >If the judge sides with him I want to argue that there is no point in coming to court if the judge is going to automatically side with the cop based on hearsay.

That's a great argument, if you want to piss off the judge, and the officer's testimony isn't hearsay.

>Furthermore, I believe that there is a quota in regards to traffic tickets.

How does that prove you didn't turn right on a red light?


Title: I just received my invoice from my photographer for my upcoming wedding and it includes nearly $200 in taxes that weren't mentioned in our contract. Am I required to pay this?

Question:
I booked the photographer nearly two years ago and signed a contract for $3,500 ($1,000 of which we put down as a deposit). This week she sent the invoice for the remaining balance and is charging me $2,693 instead of $2,500 because of sales tax being added on. There is no mention of additional taxes in the contract and it specifically says "Based on the package selected, client will pay photographer a total of $3,500." This contract is for a wedding in Maine.

Am I required to pay the additional $193 she is requesting in the invoice?

Answer: You're not paying the photographer the tax you're paying the government. She is just collecting it on their behalf. You're not really going to risk your wedding photographer over $193 are you?Answer #2: Yes you are always required to pay taxes, and the photographer is required to charge them. Unless the contract said "inclusive of taxes" or something like that, the assumption is that you have to pay whatever sales tax she is required to charge.


Title: Landlord had my car towed from my assigned parking spot

Question:
Hey guys, it's my first time posting in this subreddit.

My landlord had our apartment's parking lot slated to be re-painted for this morning. My car was towed  at my expense.

Is there anything I can do?

Thanks guys.

Edit: This is in North Dakota

Answer: Were you notified of the painting and the need to move your car ahead of time?  If so, you don't have any optionsAnswer #2: Were you told ahead of time that this was happening and you needed to have your car moved?


Title: (BC) Hit and run when I was 17 in 2012.

Question: When I was 17 I was driving my Dad's car and I backed into a parked car and drove off, there wasn't anyone in the car.  Later my Dad saw the damage and thought someone had hit us so he filed a hit and run claim.  Insurance ended up fixing the damage, they had to replace the hatchback and rear bumper, I think it was around $5000 in damage.  I want to make amends for what I did, pay back the insurance company etc, but could I be facing more consequences if I confess?  This happened in BC, Canada

Answer: Move on with your life.


Title: I am currently 17 and won't a vehicle!! I was wondering if my brother could cosign for me to get it. I have a job & would be making the payments!! I also do not have my license, but will get them in a month!! My brother has good credit and said he would do it for me! I need advice please!!

Question:
[removed]
Topic:
Removed

Answer: Did you have a question?


Title: How does 1 or 2 party consent work on airplanes?

Question:
Does it change depending on what state you are flying over?

Would it be possible to begin a legal recording and then at some time during the recording anything that follows becomes inadmissible since you flew over a state line into a 2 party state?

Answer: Most of air travel is governed by federal regulations and international treaty. I don't know about this specific issue, but I would venture to guess the answer is in federal law.


Title: (QLD, Australia) My boss is deliberately denying religious accommodations. What can I do?

Question:
I work at a big chain chemist. I've worked there since Nov 2017. I'm a student, as are many of my coworkers - my boss (the owner) always says that she's very accommodating of university timetables and lifestyle changes. My friends at work have confirmed this.

I want to stop working Saturdays, because I want to go to Shabbat services. I am not Jewish yet but am converting - or rather I would start converting, *if I could go to Shabbat services regularly*. It has been 6 months since I asked her to work another day, she refuses. She has no good reason - two people who work Sundays have left in this time, she won;t let me take their shifts and instead hires new people. She won't let me swap shifts permanently with someone "because I like it the way it is" - side note, the Sunday people very much disagree, because Sundays are understaffed and it's very stressful BECAUSE SHE KEEPS BRINGING IN NEW PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE TRAINED. I keep asking and her answer is "it'll depend on what other people can do/their timetables". WTF? Why isn't my requirement as important as everyone else's??

I think she's discriminating against me - not for religion or race, but because it's me. Last November I had a class over the summer and she wouldn't let me work another day. Even though she accommodated someone else who also had summer semester (a girl who is one of her "favourites"). If my timetable or avalibility changes, it's either that I keep working or she changes my contract so I work one less day; she never does this with anyone else. It's really upsetting me that I can't even go to shul. I have pretty poor mental health, and it's resulted in a lot of suicidal thoughts and self harm. I feel so trapped, and while I apply for lots of jobs I never get hired. I want to know if I can do anything to be treated equally to the rest of my coworkers

Answer: I’d recommend posting this on r/AusLegal - most of the subscribers to this sub are US based


Title: [Edmonton, AB, Canada] My sister's in-laws & her husband are being abusive towards her.

Question:
My sister moved with her husband to Edmonton last year. They recently had a baby. Her husband's parent joined them a few months back. They are constantly being abusive towards her, barraging her with chores, not treating her nice. Making her cook while they go out visiting malls, continually emotionally taunting her are just few examples. On one such occasion, they had a heated argument and she mentioned he slapped her. They have a history of him and his parents not treating her well. She is emotionally distressed and is depressed as she feels so helpless and I fear for her.

I am planning to go visit her soon but I am currently overseas and I am not too sure as how do I go about getting help for her locally there in Edmonton, like what sort of gov offices / local counsel / communities are available for such issues there in Edmonton. At the least, I want to make it clear to the family that there could be legal repercussions to how they are treating her, more so when they have resorted to violence. I have asked her to call the cops if they start troubling her again, unsure if that's the best thing to do. I am worried sick about her and the baby as he may physically abuse her again. She doesn't have any other friends or relatives there that she can go take shelter with.

&#x200B;

What can I do about this given I am not in Edmonton at the moment?

Answer:
 If there is domestic violence happening then she should call the police.

assigning her chores, being rude to her, or having her cook is generally not abuse. Those are relationship issues.


Title: [PA] Signed contract to stay at company for a year if I passed certification and received raise - company changed policy after signing, won't honor raise.

Question:
Sorry in advance for the long post. Currently living in Pittsburgh, PA.

Sometime in January, I was prompted by my company to be sent to training to take a certification exam. If I passed the exam by the beginning of June, I then get promoted to the next tier of our positions and receive a raise.

I signed the contract, was sent out 2 weeks later, and got back at the end of January/beginning of February. Around the middle of March, my name was legally changed and I had to wait for our HR department to change my name in all of our systems before I could be issued a voucher to take my certification exam. This took a good month of me sending emails (that were never answered) before everything was finally changed.

In the middle of this, on April 7th, I received a company-wide email from my boss's boss stating that raises are gone effective March 31st. I emailed him explaining the situation and never got an answer, so I emailed *my* boss. He reiterated that the change went into effect on the 31st, so I brought up my contract, to which he then suddenly said they should be able to do something, so he talked to his boss who gave the approval and said I just needed to take it ASAP. As soon as my name change finally processed, I got the voucher and scheduled the soonest exam they had available, which was May 19th. Passed the exam, immediately emailed my boss, and after a month, they finally answered saying he was taking the information to HR for the raise. This was Friday. Today I was told the "outlook is grim" but they are "trying to overturn" it.

I brought up that before I even took the exam, he confirmed, in writing (well, Skype IM), that I could still take the exam and get the raise. He replied with a "look, I'm doing what I can to help". I brought up my contract next, stating I only signed it under the agreement that it would result in me earning a raise, and he said "ooo that's a good point", asked his boss, who then asked if I had a copy of it, which I do not because they took it as soon as I signed it. He said he would continue looking into it during the week (I don't work again until Friday) and then immediately logged off and left for the day.

Can the company change their policy and enforce it if I signed a contract that dated back to before the policy change? Would this at least void the contract, or am I out of luck? The thing is, I don't want to quit this job as I'm currently in school full-time and working full-time and my schedule doesn't quite allow me any sort of routine change, but the raise would really come in handy right now (irrelevant but I had surgery on Friday with a $2600 bill after insurance which really hurts the wallet).

Thank you in advance for any advice!

Answer:
 What are the terms of the contract? Does it guarantee you a job for a certain period of time, or does it just say "If you do X, we will give you a raise of so-and-so dollars"? Your lack of a copy of the contract will be a problem.

The terms of the contract will heavily influence your remedies here. At the very least, you can likely sue for any costs associated with taking the test even without a physical copy of your signed contract (promissory estoppel). As a practical matter, if you do, you'll likely be out a job. If the contract doesn't guarantee you a job, that would be problematic.Answer #2: Step 1) ask HR for a copy of your (signed) contract. Step 2) next time you are presented with a contract, have them produce two copies, one for you and one for them, and make sure they are both signed by both parties.


Title: Landlord bait and switch with Unit lease, mid/high rent apartment in a nice area is bordering on unlivable

Question:
So my wife and I are moving to a new area this summer for my medical school clinical rotations. We met the landlords 6 months prior when scouting apartments and the unit we were shown was well put together, clean, and fit what we were looking for. Not to mention it was in a good quiet area and while the rent for a 1Br/1Bth was on the high end for that area it was worth it we though.

So we paid the security deposit and signed the lease thinking we would get that specific apartment or something comparable. It is important to make note that my wife contacted the landlord multiple times via text/email/call with no response about seeing the specific unit we would be leasing.

You’ll see why they didn’t answer in a minute. For any new renters out there, if the only way to get an answer from your landlord is a passive aggressive email/text or an angry call or a call from a new number every time, do not rent from them.

What we got was an older but comparable unit, which isn’t bad as on the surface as it was further away from the road, quiet, and near a dumpster with lots of parking. However the apartment is a literal nightmare bordering on unlivable:

* footboards under the cabinet were missing, cracked, and loose. (major health issue as rats/snakes/bugs can get in here)

* fridge leaking water due to a broken ice maker

* 2,massive stains on the carpet, one is a very deep blue/purple in the bedroom like spilt wine/Kool-Aid

* patchy paint job that looks like the previous tenant knocked holes in the walls, literally no pattern and covering every wall; not congruent with hanging pictures. It appears as if the owner just slapped plaster and an off color pain shade hoping we wouldn’t notice or say anything.

* missing vent/hole in the ceiling in the bathroom (again, rats)

* unit is much smaller than the unit we were initially shown

* tear in the carpet

* needles in the carpet (from repairs from the previous tenant ripping the carpet I guess)

* scuffs on the kitchen cabinets

* apartment floors were covered in dirt and grime like they hadn’t been mopped since before the last tenant moved out

There is probably more that we missed, but these were the most glaring. Upon seeing the apartment, we called the landlord immediately who ignored my fiancee’s call and only answered mine because he didn’t have my number on file. He seemed nice but his explanation for the shitty apartment we got was “I thought you all wanted to move in immediately so I just did something quick”. He then offered to send a painter to cover up the shitty paint job this week. However he seems to be skirting any mention of the other repairs so I am unsure if he will repair them despite verbally agreeing to have everything fixed by the 20th when the rest of our furniture will be moved in.

The lease is intentionally vague about repairs, which we didn’t think was an issue because we thought we were getting a move in ready unit and usually take good care of our appliances and living space. Basically all it says on repairs is we must notify the owners who then have 72 hours to arrange repairs and after 72 hours they are required to give an ETA and explanation for the delay. Aside from that we are still legally obligated to pay rent on this fucking hovel.

So what do we do? Because after dealing with these people for a month I already think that if anything breaks they will try to straight up ghost us. Which won’t work because I’ll call these assholes from a payphone out of state to get them to do their jobs.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 > and signed the lease thinking we would get that specific apartment or something comparable

What specifically did your lease say here?  Did it say you would get the specific apartment?  If not, what did it say about the landlord's ability to assign you to an apartment?


Title: Hotel overbooked and cancelled my reservation the day I was supposed to check in. What are my options?

Question:
I booked a hotel in Florida through an online website based in Germany. The day I was supposed to check into the hotel the website called and said the hotel was overbooked and the hotel had cancelled my reservation. They said I could rebook through them and the hotel was required by contract to pay the difference. I sent the receipt for the hotel right away and the website contacted the hotel but the hotel so far has not responded. It has only been a week but I'm concerned about my options. Should I try contacting the hotel myself? If I don't get paid could I file a claim in small claims court (I also live in Florida)? Would I file against the web site? or the hotel? or could I contest the credit card charge? I was charged for both the original cancelled reservation and the re-booking.

Edit: Added Florida as the hotel location

Answer:
 They cannot cancel your reservation like that. The hotel is responsible for overbooking. My wife works for the Marriott and tells me that if anyone walks in to the hotel that has booked a reservation and the hotel is sold out, they have to bring you to another hotel and pay for your night there. I'm pretty sure this is how it works with all hotels. I would try contacting the hotel yourself. Answer #2: Worked at a hotel as an AGM for 4 years.

It was common practice for us to cancel a reservation for a non-rewards member who poses the least amount of a threat. With that said though, I would ALWAYS pay for the room of the hotel I "walked" them to. If it was a rewards member of a high enough tier, I would literally have to give them money out if my drawer AND pay for their room night.

No one wants to do this. It's stressful for all parties and I probably took it the worst of all. The stress and anxiety of having to tell someone "I know I promised you a room, but I don't have it" was probably the worst of all.

Contact the general manager. They should take care of things. If not, start going on up the chain of command. You're going to get to a point were you talk to a person so high up the chain of command, they are going to be so upset they have to deal with this themselves, they're just going to give you whatever you want to make you shut up.


Title: (FL) Being sued for over $10,000 by drug testing company that former doctor used.

Question:
Hey there, I'm posting this on behalf of my mother.  I am completely clueless and am not sure what information is relevant and what is not.  If more information is needed I am happy to provide it.

Two days ago my mother was presented with a summons and learned that she is being sued for nearly $11,000 by some medical company.  Damn near pissed herself.

Apparently on five separate occasions during the years 2013-2014 she failed to pay this company for drug tests.  It wasn't until she saw the attached copies of paperwork documenting these urine tests that she realized that this was the company her former neurologist's practice used.  Each page is signed by my mother and includes a patient authorization saying that the patient understands that the company may be an out of network provider and the patient is responsible for the deductible or copay.

She insists that not only is this the first she has ever heard of owing this company money, but that at every appointment with this neurologist she paid the co-pay and drug testing fee in full before her appointment started.

In addition there is a copy of an invoice- a "Final Notice"- from the company dated at the end of 2015.  It says that the amount due is $10.14, and I guess it documents the out of network checks that she received and cashed from the insurance company.  The value of these checks adds up to around $500.

My mother has to file a written response to this in order for the court to hear her side of the case.  Being a high school dropout, she enlisted the help of the smartest person she knows- her undergrad son who doesn't have a damn clue what to do about any of this.  What the hell do I even say?  Of course it would be best to contact a lawyer- how much would a lawyer even cost?  My parents aren't exactly rolling in money.  Are there resources for people in her situation?

I'd like as much information as you guys are willing to give, not just for practical reasons but also for my own personal interest.  How screwed is she?  What's this process going to be like?  Where the hell does the $11,000 figure even come from for five simple piss tests?  Why is this the first my parents have heard of owing this company money?  They're not exactly the type to forget about or ignore a debt, but it seems a little unbelievable to me that a company trying to collect nearly $11,000 from someone wouldn't try a few phone calls or letters before resorting to filing a lawsuit.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Edit:  After doing a fair bit of reading on the issue, I have a few questions.  Would contacting any of the involved parties (doctor's office, insurance company, the drug lab) for more information be a good idea?  I might just be a pain in the ass for this, but I would like to know exactly how much each test supposedly cost, if the drug testing fee actually went toward the cost of the drug test, if these "out of network" checks from our insurer mentioned on the invoice were in fact supposed to be sent to the company, etc.  I will strongly urge my mother to, at the very least, find a lawyer that she can do a consultation with.  What kind of lawyer would she need to look for?

Answer: Ok. This is sort of a "scam". Recently Florida has gotten very strict on monitoring opioid use. Therefore, physicians are doing urine drug screens to cover their butts. Usually the doctor does a qualitative test in the office that tells if a particular substance is present in the specimen. This looks for the drug prescribed as well as drugs not prescribed. From there the doctor sends it to a lab for a quantitative test. This test shows the individual drug and/or drug metabolite with high specificity and better sensitivity. For that test, they charge a darn fortune. However, there is good news. Often the doctor has a "deal" with the lab that they will not charge over a certain amount and sometimes nothing at all except for what the insurance pays. It is likely your mother's doctor has some kind of deal with the lab because if they are billing 11K to all her patients, she is going to be losing a lot of them. I would suggest your first call would be to the doctor's office. Not billing, ask for the clinic. They know the "sales rep" from the lab and can work on your behalf. Explain that your parents are indigent and you need as much of this written off as possible. Ask for the sales reps name if you don't get anywhere with the doctor's office.


Title: Is it legal for a worker to be held liable for a coworker not fulfilling a shift change?

Question: Given that the shift change has been manager approved. Virginia

Answer:
 Define what you mean by "held liable."

Edit: Judging by your posting history, you traded shifts with someone, they didn't show, and per your employer's policy you both got written up.

That's legal.


Title: Landlord is trying to charge utilities in an all-inclusive apartment.

Question:
I live in Windsor, Ontario, and I've been living in an old apartment building since November 2013 with my roommate, we'll call him Kyle.
The building underwent new management/ownership in March, and around the middle of the month, they broke the boiler in the basement in an attempt to fix it. The landlord provided all of the tenants with little space heaters, for our convenience. As of April 15th, the boiler had been fixed, and the Manager came around to collect the heaters a few days ago. My roommate and I were at work during the time she came, and we requested a different date to return them. I'm guessing she didn't receive our message, so she slipped another notice under the door, claiming that because we didn't return the heaters, as they didn't belong to us, we will be charged in full for the heaters, and for the hydro we used for that month.
The utilities are included in our rent. First of all, we find it ridiculous that we even have to pay the full month when we didn't have heat, but we can get over that.
However, I was researching tenant/landlord laws in my province and county, and it stated that landlords are breaking the law if they charge or ask for any fees that don't include rent, deposits, deposits for keys, etc.

If anyone has any guidance or suggestions for me, I would greatly appreciate it. I don't want to be duped or ripped off just because I'm younger.

Answer: Send the message again, they don't get to charge you arbitrarily, especially if this isn't spelled out in the lease.


Title: University housing department created a housing nightmare for students, then charged many of us absurd amounts for "damages" that don't exist [x-posted from r/college at a user's suggestion]

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You've got nothing on the lottery thing.  It's the school's housing.  They can offer it to whoever they want.

As to the damages: were they legitimate or not?  You're writing a rant, but what actually matters is whether your not you damaged what the school says you did, and whether you can prove that.


Title: [CA] Estranged dad is trying to force us to sell our house.

Question: So here the story. Its my mom, my brother and me. My dad has been out of the country for over 10 years. Him and my mom has been divorced since 08. He hasnt paid child support since claiming because my mom rents out rooms that counts as payment since he owns half the house. Keep in mind during all these years all expenses have been paid by my mom and me. For all these years contact has been very minimal and let's just say we have no interest in contacting him anyways. Now all of the sudden he calls me saying that he's coming into town for one reason. You guessed it he whats us to sell the house and collect his half. Of course we told him we have no interest in doing that(I mean where are we suppose to go?) to which he replied he will sue us if he has to. Now on the deed his name is on it along with my mom. This has been really stressful because we aren't people who can afford to go through this. So I ask /r/legaladvice, how far can this go? Can he really sue us for this and also does he seriously have a possibility of winning?

Answer:
 It's called a partition suit and yes it can force the sale of the house. How much child support does he owe? 8 years is a lot of years, now that he is within reach of the court's jurisdiction your mother should see an attorney about filing a violation. It won't prevent him from going after the house if the divorce decree gives him half, but your mom might be able to get a lien on part or all of his interest in the house for all that unpaid child support and having to deal with civil and criminal proceedings for his failure to support will divert his time and resources away from going after the house.

Depending on how much is owed, it could even exceed his share of the value of the house. Answer #2: Yes, it can go that far. It's called a partition sale. It's a long and drawn out legal process, and can get expensive. It may be easier to shop around for a new mortgage in just your moms name, and offer to buy his share of the property. All he's looking for is a payday, not forcing you on the street.

The odds of the sale success depend greatly on what was decided in the original divorce decree.


Title: I was charged with possession of marijuana after a traffic stop. Do I have a chance of getting the charge dropped?

Question:
I was pulled over on University grounds by University police for avoiding a stop sign. The cop said he smelled marijuana and told me he was going to search the car.

I told him I do not consent and he told me he did not need my consent. I asked him if I could call my father to see if this was a proper procedure and he told me no and that I could do that later.

After searching, he found an unsmoked joint. He charged me with possession of marijuana. He let me go with my citation. He did not have me sign anything.

This is my first offense. I have no prior criminal record and I am a model student on an academic scholarship, graduating in May.

I will be contacting my drug lawyer tomorrow but I just wanted to know if there is any possible way it could get dropped because I do not want to lose my scholarship or have this negatively impact me.

Edit: This incident happened in Northern Kentucky.

Answer:
 >  I do not want to lose my scholarship or have this negatively impact me.

Not to be a dick, but that would have been a great thing to consider BEFORE you drove around with illegal drugs in the car.

The odor of marijuana is probable cause to search nearly everywhere.  The officer claims to have smelled it.  The fact that he found it when he searched supports that claim to some degree.

You need a lawyer but I'd guess that a good plea bargain may be your best bet.


Title: Road Signs Thrown Away

Question:
I found a bunch of broken / dented street signs in a dumpster and brought them home. Is this legal? (I can't find any legislation, only what's happened when STEALING them. I can't even find how they're disposed of.)

Location:
STL / MO / USA

Answer:
 Retired MO cop!

In Missouri trash is considered "rubbish" and "discarded" Anyone can dig through anyone else's trash if it's discarded. Cops use this all the time. "Trash Pulls" are used for search warrants all the time. If the signs were in the dumpster they are discarded and therefore anyone can take them.


Title: Could you sue for something like this? Not my pic, but in the comments everyone was advising them to sue but it doesn’t really seem like you could get much from it?

Answer:
 What an incredibly selfish person.Answer #2: If she got sick and the timing worked out then yes. It also is [potentially a crime](https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=70.54.050) in some places.Answer #3: Yes. Lost wages.

However the person texting her is a lawyers nightmare. She probably walks around with a giant sign saying 'please sue me. I don't know how to not incriminate myself'.Answer #4: Potentially yes. Not being able to work for two weeks because you were intentionally exposed to the coronavirus, plus any testing costs would be realistic damages even if you don't test positive. And if you actually get sick it could be much more.

Intentionally or recklessly spreading a contagious disease could be a crime that the police would get involved with. That really depends on the specific state and local laws and what this person did.


Title: Got sold a fake iPhone on Let Go and not sure what to do next.

Question: So I bought what I thought was an iPhone XS Max from a kid on let go. The phone looked a little sketchy when i saw it but the IMEI and serial number checked out so although i found some aspects suspect, I thought it was a real phone. When I got home, I realized the phone was emulating IOS and was running android. I messaged the kid and he immediately blocked me on let go. I reverse searched his number online and found his moms name. He was using a fake name on Let Go but i found his real name through his moms facebook. I contacted his sister online and she said she would help me get the money back. She was livid at her brother. I then made a new fake let go, found his other postings and messaged him as his phone appeared disconnected after I tried calling him a few times(his sister reported the same happening to her). He essentially told me that he could possibly give me a partial refund but that he had to pay bills and use the money from other stuff. He repeatedly implied that he gave me a real functioning iPhone and that I broke it upon it leaving his care. I told him he has until tonight to give the money back or give me some money and an item to balance what he owes me. He has not answered yet. I told his sister this morning what he was saying and she has not answered either. He is only 18. I am currently trying to find more info on his parents so that I can contact them. What should I do?

Answer:
 Report this to the police.

Or sue his/his guardians in small claims court, but I'd suggest a police report is best.


Title: [TX] Can I go watch trials at the court house? One of the local teachers got caught buggering a student and I want to watch the trial. Are they open to the public?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer: Some are, some aren’t. Depends on the specific case.


Title: will the court clerk give me records of everyone an individual or business has sued?

Question:
Asheville, NC. I'm being bullied by a small business CEO who overcharged me and is threatening to sue. This is over a charge under $600. In threatening me, he alluded many times that he is a litigious person. I would like to see how true this is, and how successful he has been in his apparent habit of suing customers.

I have no experience with these matters, but I assume these small claims court cases are a matter of public record. If requested, will the county court give me records of everyone this guy has ever sued?

Answer: Probably, though they will charge you to compile and copy all the records.


Title: Stolen purse and repercussions

Question: My fiance's purse was stolen out of our car on Saturday (11/14) we cancelled everything in her wallet that day but Wells Fargo still let the people steal everything out of her account on Tuesday(11/17). The people spelled her name wrong on the withdrawal slip, the withdrawal was made an hour away from my house. Wells Fargo told us that it has to go through some process before they will gives our money back. It is now 11/23 and we still have no money, but we do have 4 children who we can't provide for. Do I have any legal recourse against Wells Fargo? I am in Central Florida if that helps.

Answer:
 Police report, complaint to state banking regulators, call Wells Fargo executive office and complain, sit down with bank manager and refuse to leave until you get some money, and so on.  Not necessarily in that order.  Squeaky wheel gets the grease.  Start squeaking.

Federal law limits your loss for a lost ATM card.  Should be $0 since you reported it quickly.  But Wells Fargo can reasonably do an investigation and make sure you aren't scamming them.

Oh, and you better open another account at a different bank right away and try to redirect any incoming direct deposits (ask for paper checks if need be).  This account is contaminated, you don't want any more money going into it.

Answer #2: File a complaint with the institution's federal regulator.  For Wells Fargo, you would need to go through the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's Consumer Complaints department (link here: https://appsec.helpwithmybank.gov/olcc_form/).

Wells Fargo will act pretty quickly to resolve the issue once this has been done.


Title: Divorcing, she's getting the house

Question:
Hi!

So I am getting divorced and everything is being cut in half with the exception of two things. One is our house, which is 100% paid off, and the other is my 401k, which I have 145k in. She has an old 401k which has 40k in it.

I don't want to press too hard, but what can I do about the house? As of right now, the plan is that whenever she moves out/sells, I'll get half of what it's worth at the time of the divorce, which will probably be around 140k or so. My fear is that she never move out and I don't get a penny. She hasn't been receptive to getting timeframes written in, or even taking less out of our savings account to "buy me out."

My biggest thing is I don't want her to ask for half of my 401k. She was a stay at home mom out of choice, and even though I was asking her to work, even if it was part time, she refused. To lose half of my 401k after having to cut our savings in half is infuriating to me. She's kinda doing me a solid but not asking for the 401k money, but at the same time, not really giving me a timeframe on getting paid for the house.

Edit: we're in Florida.

Answer:
 You should not remain financially entangled with her.  You don't want any deal like "when you move out I get half".

Settle it now. Divide your assets.  If she gets the house free and clear, then what do you have to put in your side to balance that asset?  Balance it.  Make a sheet of paper with a line in the middle, and write assets in each side (and debts if needed).  When you're done, you're done.   You might get all the cash if she gets the house!

It should look like:

Her: house, tiny cash

You: no house, lots of cash

You can't just divide each thing in half, you have to divide the whole pot, and the house is big.


Title: Housing discrimination based on religion, California

Question: I know that the Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on religion.  So how does that work when there are apartment owners who rent ONLY to people who attend a certain religious school?  There are a few different circumstances involved.  One is where the landlord rents their house/apartment per person, two to a room.  Another they will rent the whole unit to a family.  Another is where the church owns the building.  All of these rent ONLY to members of their church.  Does it make a difference that they're attending a "school" and the units are being used like a dorm?

Answer: There is actual an exemption for church owned properties to discriminated based on religion.


Title: My Grandma may have stolen my Social Security Number and used it to take out loans under my name. What are my next steps?

Question:
When I was born my grandma (not blood related) asked my mom for my Social Security Number in order to open up a college fund for me. My mom, thinking it would be a good idea, gave it to her.

I asked my mom for my social security card in order to apply for housing, and she let me know that she had lost it and that I would need to order a new one. I went on the SSA website and was unable to even create an account due to incorrect information I provided about two loans taken out under my name. A mortgage and an auto loan, both when I was underage.

I recently turned 18, and my grandpa (my grandma's husband, also my mom's dad) reached out to me and told me about the account and about how he wanted to get the money to me now because I will be attending college in the fall. He wrote me a check and was going to send it to me until my grandma decided to let him know that she didn't want me having the money, and after fighting with her, my grandpa gave in and never sent me the college fund in my name.

Today, I went to try and order a new card again, and the same two loans taken out in my name popped back up. I was able to provide correct information about a credit card I have personally and was able to open an SSA account. My earnings records are all correct, but the two loans still remain.

I have a feeling my grandma used my social security number to open these loans, or sold my number to someone who then opened the loans.

What are my options?

Answer: Report them as fraudulent.Answer #2: I’d start by filing a police report and following the advice here: https://www.identitytheft.gov/Answer #3: Go to the three credit reporting agencies, get your free credit reports, take them to the police station, file a fraud report, then forward the police report to the creditors.Answer #4: First, check your credit report - your grandmother might not have taken out a loan in your name, could've just been stolen another way.


Title: WA State Landlord Requiring No "Immoral Acts" Take Place on Premises and Won't Further Clarify

Question:
Buddy of mine about to move into a place, now given a "no immoral acts" clause in the lease.

The lease doesn't clarify what counts as immoral. Just "No illegal or immoral acts on the premises." When asked for clarification, the landlord sent him a link to the dictionary.com definition of immoral.

He doesn't really have the option to rent somewhere else right now, and the landlord's given him a deadline of tomorrow at 5pm to sign the lease.

What (if anything) is enforceable here, and what are the relevant laws regarding what, if anything, landlords can regulate of tenant behavior?

They're renting a whole house (landlord not living on premises) in WA state.

Answer:
 It's almost certainly unenforceable. "No immoral acts" without any clarification would likely amount to an unreasonable intrusion on your right to quiet enjoyment, even if you had depraved orgies on the property every night. (So long as you didn't damage the property or interfere with the neighbours' enjoyment, anyways.) That only means that the courts _likely_ would not uphold an eviction, though.

It is a huge red flag for the landlord's attitudes, though. That could be anything from "no orgies" to "no out-of-wedlock overnight stays," and you have no way of knowing. It's unreasonable for the landlord to want to control the personal conduct of a tenant, and this suggests that the landlord may have issues with boundaries down the line.


Title: My neighbor effectively moved the property line and took some of our yard. (New Hampshire, USA)

Question:
So my neighbors moved in ~5 years ago. My parents have lived here for over 20 years. There were clear boundaries set for our yards when he bought the house and he didn’t do anything for the first ~4 years.

Last year, he got a zoner (I don’t know what to call the people who zone property) who said that his yard is actually more on our yard. He planted trees on the “new” property line and for a while he wanted us to move our entire above ground pool because the filter was over this new line. (he later stopped asking us to do this and the pool is still where it is)

He just planted two more trees to continue the line recently, and now whenever I mow the lawn I almost tip over on the mower because of how steep a turn is due to these new trees.

We were told that we can’t do anything by some people that he had talk to us but I don’t believe them. I wouldn’t have made this post if the two new trees hadn’t appeared that make it dangerous for me to upkeep my yard.

I just want to know if there is anything that we can do or if the guys who talked to us were right.

Answer: If you don’t agree where the property line is, you can pay someone to re-survey it. Answer #2: And after you pay for your own surveyor, if you or the neighbor disagrees you sue the neighbors in civil court. The judge will then decide, you will have paperwork that will then allow you to mark the division and you can remove anything you want on your side.Answer #3: Hire a surveyor to verify the boundaries and mark them. Answer #4: A simple boundary survey probably isn't as expensive as you'd think. I'd guess it at around $300 or so, and lots of small businesses take credit cards these days.


Title: (Alabama) Roommate's girlfriend has been here for a month and our landlord is threatening us with eviction.

Question: My roommate's girlfriend has not gone home in a month. He claims she hasn't moved in because she hasn't moved her stuff in. The landlord said that if she's stayed past 2 weeks then she's illegally moved in and he will evict if the situation doesn't change. Roommate says that as our lease says we can have 5 guests at a time and doesn't specify the length of stay and that he's gonna get a lawyer if LL tries to evict us. Is Roommate right that this would be an illegal eviction? It doesn't sound like one to me.

Answer: Your roommate is going to lose this battle. If someone has been there a month, they are a resident. Answer #2: What does the lease say about additional residents? Does it prohibit them?


Title: [Texas] Can I fire an employee for starting smoking?

Question: Second hand smoke is  bad, sets a bad image for the company and I don't like the smell.

Answer: It's not a protected class, however, the better solution would be to have a written policy on smells. Strong cologne is just as bad for some people. And BO is off-putting as well. You can also ban any smoking near the workplace property.


Title: Grandparent Visitation Georgia

Question: Hello everyone. I've been going through a battle with my father whom is suing me for visitation of my three year old daughter. Due to numerous reasons, my wife and I stopped him from seeing her last April. He had me served in August of last year on my birthday. He's a State Patrol Officer and knows the Judge that is over our case. I feel that he may be partial to my father based on their professional relationship. Is there any chance my lawyer can get this case moved to another county in which my father has no connections?

Answer: Why haven't you asked your lawyer this question?


Title: I received an expired plate ticket, but I paid for plate renewal and everything, just forgot to stamp the sticker on.

Question: I live in St. Louis, MO and even though I paid for my plate renewal and everything already, silly and tired me forgot to stamp the sticker on the plate so now I got a ticket for it. Should I go to the police station and ask to get the ticket removed? Or should I just suck it and pay the $75 fine? Please let me know, and thank you so much.

Answer:
 The police can't do anything about it themselves;  you need to appear in court to contest the ticket.

All jurisdictions reduce the ticket if you can prove that you had a valid sticker at the time you were cited (or even if you renew it afterwards).

Some dismiss it entirely, some drop it by 50%, some drop it by only a few dollars, some charge you court costs but no fine.   If you can afford the time off work to go to traffic court, I recommend contesting the citation.

This policy often differs by county.

St. Louis County has had a notable shortfall in traffic citation revenue due to changes in policing after the Ferguson events, so they might not want to give up any of the fine income.


Title: Getting out of a lease after my wife cheated on me

Question:
I am posting this here because it was (understandably) removed from r/personalfinance.

I have a lease that doesn't run out for several months, but I just moved out of my house to a hotel and don't want to keep paying the high lease price every month until then.

I found out my wife is cheating on me. I pay for everything. Lease, food, utilities, phone, you name it. She essentially told me that she wouldn't sign the early termination though, and the leasing company requires all parties to sign it. Is there some course of action? I am looking to move cities as soon as possible, and I am close to living month to month as it is. Is there anything I can do or am I screwed?

Also, any other advice would be welcomed. I removed her from my credit card accounts but she hasn't destroyed the cards yet. I also placed a freeze on my credit.

I'd also like to add that she can't be left with the lease on her own because she doesn't meet the qualifications of needing 3 times the rent in income monthly.

Answer: Unfortunately, a cheating spouse is not valid grounds to void a lease. Sorry you are going thru this. :(


Title: [NY/MA] Non-Custodial Parent does not want to return kids to custodial parent.

Question:
Hello! I am the non-custodial father(NY) of my children and have them for the weekend and am looking for advice. My children who are MA residents live with their mother and just recently moved into a new house. The living conditions of this house are horrendous. There's shit everywhere. There's flammable items on the stove, dirty clothes everywhere. My oldest told me their is no food for them in the house.

Seeing and hearing about the shocking ways that they live make me not want to bring them back to the filth that they live with their mother. I am looking for what I can do.

Not sure if it is pertinent information but the divorce and custody of my children is still not finalized.

Answer: Well you can’t just hold them, even if the children ask to. I would say call MA state child protective services for an inspection.Answer #2: Talk to a lawyer. But unless you can demonstrate a legitimate risk of harm what you want to do is not what you should do.


Title: Hillary Clinton Election Doomsday Scenario: what happens if...?

Question:
So, this stems from a group of us all BSing in the kitchen this morning at work.

Presumptions:

* Hillary wins the election, by a decisive margin.

* There's evidence of self-dealing / pay-to-play / corruption in the emails, or at least there's enough to warrant an indictment, like Fox News keeps saying.

* Hillary (and Huma, and probably a few others) indicted on felony charges, obstruction of justice, etc. sometime between election day and Jan. 20.

I'm guessing that if all that happens, President Obama will, in his lame-duck session, pardon the lot of them.  Does being pardoned affect your ability to hold office or be employed by the government, or get security clearances?  What's the legal difference between someone pardoned and someone who's never been indicted/adjudicated guilty?

If Obama makes it known that he's ready to do this, would that make prosecutors back off the case?  What's more, does that count as obstruction of justice?  It can't, because Obama determines the definition of what justice is in the country, right?

What happens if Obama declines to pardon them?  Would Tim Kaine become president?  Or would Trump?

No one in my office (manufacturing facility) was able to come up with an answer.  What do you all think/know?

Answer:
 > Does being pardoned affect your ability to hold office or be employed by the government, or get security clearances?

Neither indictment, nor conviction, nor pardoning, prevent you from holding the office of President.  Neither, mind you, does the government have the ability to deny the President a clearance.  So even if Clinton is indicted, she cannot be denied the Presidency nor can she be denied access to classified data.  She could, of course, be impeached, but that's a different question.

> What's more, does that count as obstruction of justice? It can't, because Obama determines the definition of what justice is in the country, right?

No, the legislature and Supreme Court do this.  This wouldn't be obstruction of justice because he is granted the power to do this.  By definition, it's not obstructing justice when you exercise your legitimate justice-related powers.


Title: Is it legal to require employees take an online training quiz but not pay them for it?

Question:
I don't plan on like, suing or anything. I'm just curious; we got told we have to take an online training quiz within the next week, and it's expected to take two hours. However, they won't be paying us for the time we spend taking it. It used to be a pen and paper quiz that you would clock in for, but it has since moved online.

Is this legal?

Answer: If the test is mandatory, you must be paid.  If it's voluntary, then you don't have to be.


Title: My employer wants to track my use of the toilet.

Question:
I work in a call centre where the employer has recently installed a new phone system. On this phone system everybody has their own login. Normally when somebody leaves their desk to go to the toilet they simply log out of the phone and log back on their return.
Under the new system, rather than logging out, you simply pause calls and input the reason for you leaving the phone. These reasons can include going on lunch or going to training. What concerns me is that we must log every time we go to the toilet. This means that my employer will have a record of every single time I go to the toilet. I find this extremely intrusive and think it disrespects my right to privacy. I do not think it is necessary for my employer to collect this information other than for the purpose of disciplining employees. Is it legal for them to collect this information and do I have a right to refuse?

I should mention that I live in England.

Answer: Yes they collect that info. Yes you can refuse but not without repercussions.


Title: [TX] Is this dog in genuine danger of being “repossessed”?

Question:
Disclaimer - this story is not directly mine, but I am tangentially involved, and I’m curious as to who has a legal leg to stand on in this situation. Below is the story as I know it.

Approximately 6 weeks ago, a dog was owner surrendered to a Texas municipal shelter. This shelter is a kill shelter, and as most people involved in dog rescue know, owner surrendered dogs are normally the first in line to be euthanized because there is no mandatory hold on them.

This dog was emailed to the rescue I volunteer with by a representative of the shelter, asking if we had foster space to take the dog. Our intake was currently closed so I shared the dog and his pictures on our rescue’s Facebook group page.

An interested adopter, I’ll call her Betty, decided she would adopt the dog directly from the shelter since he was in immediate danger of being euthanized at any time. He had a lot of rescue interest, lots of shares, lots of discussion, but no official commitment from any rescue to pull him.

On her drive over to the shelter, Betty was contacted by a rescue in Colorado. From what I understand, the rescue told her that she could use their 501c3 paperwork to pull the dog and save herself the $40 adoption fee. I think there was a genuine misunderstanding here, as maybe the rescue intended to take the dog into their program, but Betty is not directly involved with any rescue and as a “private citizen” so to speak, she would not necessarily have understood that by using their paperwork that the dog could be considered their property. Her intention was to adopt the dog as her own and she thought they were just thanking her for saving him by allowing her to use their credentials to pull the dog. She stated she had no agreement or understanding that she was pulling the dog for the rescue rather than for herself.

It’s now been about 5 weeks, and the rescue in Colorado has gotten an attorney to tell Betty that the dog belongs to the rescue and she needs to turn him over or they will pursue charges against her. She is distraught as this dog was shy and scared in the shelter and he’s really come out of his shell since living with her. She and her family have bonded to the dog during this time.

I am really just wondering if the sheriff, or whatever LE office has jurisdiction, would really try to repossess the dog from Texas for a rescue in Colorado?

Betty says she was told by an attorney that the only thing she can do is let herself be arrested and then pursue a defense. But since she has a family and other dogs to take care of, she can’t let that happen.

I also don’t know if this is relevant, but the dog is absolutely safe and loved where he is. If I thought the dog was in any kind of danger, or was being abused or mistreated in anyway, I would fully support a rescue going in and trying to repossess a dog. But I am honestly surprised that with a dog in a safe and loving home that they would pursue action against her.

Betty also states that she was told by the shelter that the dog was legally hers when she asked about him. But now they are changing their story since the rescue got a lawyer involved.

Answer:
 That rescue lawyer is probably blowing smoke up her ass, if they're even a lawyer. I highly doubt any law enforcement agency is going to care about someone adopting a dog and having some rescue agency across the country try to file a police report on it. They'll usually just tell them to hash it out in civil court. If the adoption agency in Colorado actually pursues a small claims court dispute in Texas they have more money that could be used more wisely somewhere else. If Betty wants to clear her conscience, give the shelter the $40 dollars she owes them. Answer #2: There is definitely a lot missing from this story but on face value if Betty used the Colorado's rescue identity to adopt the dog then yes that dog belongs to the rescue.  Btw having 501(c) status does not in anyway entitle a rescue to receive a dog from a shelter for free, the shelter may have a policy that rescues do not pay an adoption fee but it certainly sounds like Betty represented herself as being a representative for the rescue.

It's up to Betty how much time and money she wants to spend on this.  I disagree with other comments that a lawyer wouldn't be involved, many rescues have a volunteer lawyer or two and they handle things exactly like this.

I would have her contact the rescue and ask to adopt the dog from them.


Title: Massachusetts - court mandated participation in AA

Question:
I am really confused about court mandated AA meetings. I am currently on probation and am obligated to participate in a 14 day inpatient program and a 1 year outpatient "aftercare" program. The only options available to me rely on the program of Alcoholics Anonymous as a fundamental element of my rehabilitation.

As far as I understand it: there have been a number of court decisions at the federal level that have ruled AA to be religious in nature. However, staff at the treatment center have been insistent with me that the program is "spiritual" rather than "religious".

It is my position that any institution which not only demands a belief in a "higher power" but also dictates what kind of relationship one must have with such a power is absolutely religious in nature. The program of AA very clearly demands that one submit ones life and will completely to a higher power. This is very different than merely suggesting that one is willing to believe in a higher power. I am basically being threatened with jail time unless I participate in a program that wishes to redefine my personal relationship with God and put it on their terms.

Here is what the [FFRA](http://ffrf.org/outreach/item/14012-court-ordered-participation-in-aa) says on the matter:

>Recent trends make clear that the coercion test is the proper vehicle for analyzing claims by prisoners or probationers that they are being forced to attend Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings under the threat that they will be punished or that some benefit or right will be withheld if they do not participate. See Kerr, 95 F.3d at 480; Warner v. Orange County Probation Dept., 115 F.3d. 1068 (2nd Cir. 1997); Bobko v. Lavan, 157 Fed. Appx. 517, 518 (3rd Cir. 2005) (unpublished disposition) (case dismissed where secular alternative available to defendant, court said: “The government violates the First Amedment's Establishment Clause when it requires a prisoner to participate in a drug or alcohol rehabilitation program with a religious component”); Munson v. Norris, 435 F.3d 877, 880 (8th Cir. 2006).

>Using the coercion test, a number of courts have recently found that forcing prisoners or probationers to attend Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings under the threat that some benefit or right will be withheld for failing to attend is a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. See Id. at 480; Warner, 115 F.3d. 1068; Turner v. Hickman, 342 F.Supp.2d 887, 893-894 (E.D. Cal. 2004); Catala v. Commissioner, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31695 (D. N.H. 2005) (unpublished disposition); Edmondson v. Curry, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 45119 (D. N.H. 2006) (unpublished disposition); Rainesv. Siegelman, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15542 (M.D. Ala. 2006) (using coercion test, court found no violation where plaintiff had secular alternative); Cummings v. Darsey, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4257 (D. N.J. 2007) (unpublished disposition).

I am at a loss here. How is it possible that my state government is able to coerce me into participation in religious activities? How is this not a violation of the Establishment Clause? Can I actually fight the state in federal court? Are there organizations such as the ACLU that would be willing to help me with this?

I realize that this has been discussed here before but after reading through a couple of threads I am more confused than ever.  In one case I read about a man who supposedly received a $2 million dollar judgement in the state of California, but then one reddit thread was full of comments along the lines of: "if you don't like it, just wait out your probation in jail! no one is forcing you to do anything!"

Can someone please help clarify things for me, or just point me in the right direction? thanks a million!

Answer:
 >coerce me into participation in religious activities?

You have two options:

* Jail
* AA

Take your pick.


Title: Do I (40M) really need a Will ?

Question:
I live in MN. I am 40 years old and single. Have a good job, nice home and a few toys. Car, boat, CanAm etc.

I also have  a 10 year old son from a previous marriage who lives with his mom. I pay for him and visit him often. Everything is good. I am super healthy.

So the question is. Do I need a will to specifically state that if I die that everything goes to my son. And that I want to be cremated.

I believe the law says that if someone dies without a will, their next of kin, My son in my case, inherits everything. That is why am wondering if I really need a will

Answer: Your will could specify who is the custodian of your son's inheritance before he becomes an adult. Answer #2: Well, let's say you die tomorrow. Your son will be a minor. Your will would specify how his inheritance will be handled while he is a minor. This is important; you don't want to leave these things up to chance. Being healthy is irrelevant -- you could get hit by a car tomorrow and be dead. Take care of your son -- a will isn't that expensive to have written. Answer #3: Having a will saves a lot of headache and makes things much clearer. They're not that expense to have created. You should just do it. You owe it to your son.