Title: [California] I drive for Uber, and a fare attempted to sell cocaine from the window of my car.

Question:
As the title states, I drive for Uber. One of my fares was a group of four men leaving a bar to go to another bar. As we were waiting for the last guy to get in the car, one of them called someone over to attempt to sell cocaine.

I sat dumbfounded that this was actually happening, and couldn't think of anything to say. Before a transaction could be completed his friends shut him up and told him to roll the window up.

My question is:
If the police had been present and an arrest were made, what kind of charges would I face, if any?
Topic:
Drug Possession

Answer:
 [funny you should ask](http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3x0l6j/in_alabama_im_an_uber_driver_who_just_got/)Answer #2: You could have been charged as an accessory to whatever crimes he committed.  Though it seems pretty unlikely.Answer #3: Kick them out, and blacklist them on Uber.  Those are not passengers anyone needs.Answer #4: You could also be charged for the drugs being in the vehicle while you drove them. Did you kick them out of the car once you knew at least one of them likely had drugs on him? Answer #5: Out of curiosity to the lawyers here, but does the law change if this person were a licensed taxi or limousine driver?Answer #6: Just a question to OP: did you consider ending the trip then and there?

Wouldn't illegal activity (or attempted illegal activity) have violated the Uber terms of service? I've seen uber driver videos where behavior not nearly as bad as trying to sell cocaine ended the trip immediately.


Title: Terminated - HR withholding info surrounding WHY (Alaska)

Question:
Throwaway account as I'm concerned I will be identified based on additional details from my main account.

I reside in Alaska. AK is an At\-Will employment state and my employer is an At\-Will employer. I was terminated a week ago. I had worked for them for 10 years. My former employer called me on my day off and terminated me over the phone for "Quid pro quo". I was shocked and didn't see this coming, so I did not ask further questions. I did ask if I could get my reason for termination in writing. My former employer stated that they would need to get approval from the CEO as the company doesn't generally do this.

Here is the summary of the background story leading up to the termination. I am female and my husband and I are going through a rough patch and decided to start dating other people. This is not well\-known at work, as I keep those things to myself. At work, I managed a staff of roughly 20 employees. On occasion, I hang out \(drinks, dinner, board game nights\) with my subordinates and fellow supervisors outside of work. During one such occasion, a female subordinate \(Sally\) and I kissed while intoxicated. A male subordinate \(Jack\) witnessed this. I had a feeling these two subordinates were involved outside of work and confirmed this the following day via text. They had a casual sexual relationship and friendship. I was interested in seeing Sally again outside of work and texted Jack to see if they would be interested in getting together again, having some drinks, and seeing where things went from there. I absolutely was implying a threesome with this language. Jack asked about work. I told him that we should probably keep this to ourselves, but that I was able to separate work from my personal life and that I don't participate in favoritism at work. Jack said we should hold off so the two of them could figure out what they wanted from each other first.

Sally and I continue to text \(friendly\). We meet on occasion after work/on weekends for drinks/dinner. At this point we were trying to decide if there was enough there between us to continue. Sally breaks things off with Jack. Sally decides to ask for a transfer so we can actually date. I call the HR assistant and explain that Sally is requesting the transfer because we would like to date. HR works on the transfer with no further questions asked.

Jack throws a fit the following day at work and talks to HR. After Jack talks to HR, HR suddenly has more questions and wants to know everything about the night Sally and I kissed. I am upfront, as I have nothing to hide. At this point I still have no reason to believe I'll be terminated or that there will be disciplinary action. There is no policy against dating or sleeping with other employees \(even if they are your subordinates\).

Three days after I was terminated, I followed up with my former employer asking for my reason for termination in writing, if I could appeal \(as I had not been given any details about the situation I was fired for and would like to defend myself\) , a copy of my employee file, and a copy of the employee policies/handbook. Three business days after I sent that email, I received a response that they "do not have a response to your questions at this time. We are discussing and I will get back to you as soon as I am able. "

I want to know why I was terminated. I do not believe that I am guilty of the wrong\-doing I am being accused of. I have spoken to two lawyers, but they both want me to get something in writing from my former employer\-\-which I don't know that I'll be able to obtain. One lawyer is interested in the possible discrimination aspect of the situation and another says that my termination was not handled with Good Faith and Fair Dealing. I'm looking for advice. How do I find out how I was terminated? And then, what can I do with that information?

At this point, I can't even interview for another position as I have no way to confidently answer why I left my previous employer/job.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: File for unemployment. They will likely fight it and be forced to provide at least some information.


Title: Flag burning - protected speech, but does it violate burn laws?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 A general ban on burning, applied to any similar non-flag situation, would likely be fine, and could be applied to flag-burning.

A law passed in response to flag burning, or only applied to flag burners, or written in such a way that flag burners are the only ones violating the law, would almost assuredly be thrown out.


Title: Family Medical Leave was denied

Question:
I work for the government at a facility in Texas and I've worked there since 2015. My wife and I just had our first child two weeks ago, horray! She was due at the end of August, but decided to come early. I've taken off the past two weeks to help my wife and our baby given that she's a little premature. Now I filed FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) on August 9th for another two weeks and included our pediatrician's note stating that it would be for the best that I stay and help until the 19th.

My problem is from the beginning I've had to fight to get any lead way on my FMLA passed up my chain of command. They've said that I haven't included enough leave paperwork with my packet, which I have, and pushed it back two times. I went to our head HR and she helped them understand that I didn't need all the paperwork they were requesting for FMLA, but they didn't want to listen. Monday I was notified that my deputy commander denied my FMLA/ advanced sick leave because I should've been better prepared for the birth of my premature child. Monday I requested a meeting with him, but he has postponed it until next week. Am I wrong to think that I'm entitled to FMLA? What should I do? Thanks!

Edit: r/Biondina gave me permission to repost this because I had to correct my original post.

Answer:
 Did you give them this certification?

https://www.dol.gov/whd/forms/WH-380-F.pdf

What else are they looking for?Answer #2: I just want to make sure that you aren't being denied being PAID but are being denied taking off UNPAID. There's a difference.  Answer #3: Take the time off to care for your premature baby after giving them the certification and dare them to fire you for it.

You don't really need to ask their permission to take the time off if you are FMLA eligible and have submitted the certification.


Title: I received an email and all 314 recipients are visible, which means 313 people now have my email which contains my legal name.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > my name, email address and a photo of me

None of this is meaningfully private information.

You can complain to the school about their behaviour, but that's about it.


Title: Real Estate: Seller's Disclosure: Knob and Tube wiring?

Question:
I recently purchased a house built in the 1940's in Northeast Pennsylvania. The sellers had the electrical service updated to 200amp in February 2016. In the basement, there is evidence of discontinued use of knob and tube (the wiring is removed but some of the old porcelain knobs are still in the joists). The home inspectors noted that it was 'tested' and 'discontinued'. On the seller's disclosure, they stated both that the service had been updated to 200amp in 2/16 and also that they had no knowledge of knob and tube wiring in the house.

After getting into the house and starting some renovations, I discovered that the entire attic is filled with a knob and tube system (under insulation), that all of the outlets and light switches on the second floor are the old knob and tube, that the ceiling fans on the first floor are knob and tube (there are cuts in the hardwood floor from where these fans were installed), and that several of the outlets and switches on the first floor too are knob and tube.

My question is if there is any recourse on my part here. I don't see how it could be possible that they had the service updated four months ago and claimed they had no knowledge of knob and tube wiring in the house on the seller's disclosure.

Any advice?

Answer: PA seller's disclosure form line 15:A:1:c: "Are you aware of any knob and tube wiring in the home?". Seller checked 'no'


Title: Divorce...he’s robbing me

Question:
I am a 35f and I bought my own home when I was 28.  Since I bought my house, I have done a lot to it —$12k worth.  Shortly after buying my house, I met a guy.  Very shortly after we got together he found out he had cancer in his leg and had it surgically removed.  I realized a while later into our relationship that he wasn’t paying his medical bills.  So, since we were serious and I’m pretty sure he was living with me at that point in time, I started paying the bills that came in (which ended up totaling $4k).
He proposed in 2015 and we married in July of 2016.  I have a really great job and my parents and I paid for the beautiful wedding, which was more than likely combined, $34k easily.  I also paid for my own wedding band.  Shortly after we married I pulled our credit and my new husband had over $4k in collections (which I also paid) from the medical bills he hadn’t paid.
We went to cash our wedding checks and put my name on his checking account.  After we paid for our honeymoon, he had $3,500 in wedding money in his account (that I never touched) to do whatever he wanted/needed to do.  About 8mo-1yr later I wrote him a check from my account for $1k because he was always close to overdrafting.
We then bought 2 mopeds with money that my family gave us for Christmas.
In June of 2018 we put a new roof on the house and the one car detached garage and also sided the garage — with my money.
He paid $2k in stone for the front flowerbed, which he never finished.
We struggled throughout our relationship and marriage.  He would say to me “I’m not going to be married to someone who________.  Even before our marriage he would “threaten” me with those words.
We talked about divorce on at least 2-3 occasions, with the last time the week prior to me finding out he was cheating.  He said he couldn’t imagine a life without me, that he loved me.  He asked if I loved him and I couldn’t answer.  The next day he had a golfing day with friends.  I thought all day and upon his return I told him that I did Iove him and that I wanted to work it out.  Little did I know, not 5 hours later, he was sexting with a 20 some year old temp he used to work with who has 4 kids and her tubes tied.
So in October of 2018 after 2 years and 3 months of marriage, while I was using his phone I saw all of the messages and photos, and I was officially DONE.
He left that Sunday night with baskets of clothes and returned the following morning.  I told him I wanted it to be amicable, that I bought the house before him, he could have his moped, I wanted him to have his 401(k), his car, it just didn’t work out and we go our separate ways.  He said he wouldn’t mess with my house.
Well, he’s been begging me to come back to him and go to counseling, but I’m done.  His best friend has told me that he has never seen someone love someone as much as he loves me, however, he wouldn’t sign the agreement to go our separate ways and is asking for $20,000 cash.  Not only is he asking for $20k cash, he is asking for the snowblower, the lawnmower, the weedwacker, the backpack leaf blower (all of which I am sure I paid for) and the tv and surround sound.  He is living back at his parents house..where he was when I met him.
He paid for internet, cable, and groceries/restaurants, while I paid for everything else.
The state I’m in is a 50/50 state and I have a lot of equity in my house with all I’ve done to it and due the market we are in right now.
He wants $10k now and the rest of the $10k in 6 months or by the end of the year.
I don’t have that full amount of cash, so he is leaving me to live paycheck to paycheck after I have worked so hard and paid for everything along the way.
I cant even describe how this makes me feel, I am so angry.  With him and myself...for being so generous trying to live our life together.
His last words to me were, you said there are consequences to your choices and this is the consequence for divorce..........😡
I’ve already written him an email explaining all of the things I paid for to no avail.  He has a good job making good money so it’s not like he can’t afford to live.

How do I get through to him and his attorney?

I’ve already spent $5k in attorneys fees and we haven’t even gone to mandatory mediation.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: If you're already working with an attorney, it's likely no one here would be willing to say anything to trump their opinion.  That being said, if you believe your current attorney is not working with you to the fullest of their ability to get you the best possible outcome, it's always worth consulting with a second attorney to see if they can get you better results.


Title: Dramatic bag thief. Can he be pursued legally?

Question:
[ONTARIO]

TLDR:

left my bag in a bar and some one took it. I got his contact info and name from the bartender and have been in contact with him. I have text messages confirming that he has my bag and he is being an all around dickbag about returning it.  What are my options here?

__________________________________________________
I left my backpack in a bar on Sunday January 24th. I contacted the bar the next evening to see if they had it. The bartender then told me to hold the line while he looked. at this point I heard the bartender say:

"Do you plan on giving that guy his bag back?"

He then passed the phone to the bag thief and I spoke with him briefly. He was quite drunk but the conversation ended with him saying he had drank the beers in it and that he didn't want to return it but he would bring it to the bar.

At this point I went to the bar to see if he was still there in hope that I could recover my bag but he had left by the time I got there.  I saw one of my friends who works in the kitchen and sat down next to him at the bar. I had a couple beers and chatted with the bartender to see what kind of info I could gather about the guy who took the bag. It turns out he frequents the bar quite often and we have some mutual friends. The bar tender gave me his first name and phone number.

January 26th: In the morning I sent him a text message asking if he could bring my bag into the bar. It was simple and polite. "Hey ______, if you're going to the bar tonight could you bring my bag please?"

His response: "Chess..... who gave you my number?"

Me: I got it from the fine folks down at the bar. I'm just getting off work now. Did you get a chance to bring it into the bar?"

No response.

I contacted the bartender again that evening around 8:00PM to see if he had brought it in, which he did not.

January 27th:  I sent him a text message this morning to see what his intentions were and to feel out how I should proceed.

Me: "So, you didn't bring my bag into the bar last night. What's up with that?"

I got a pretty lengthy and dramatic response.

Him:  you dizzy fuck. Did you think that I would be RUNNING down to the pub? you didn't do anything special except leave a bag in a public place. you're cocksucking lucky that I even have an interest in giving it back.... You know, I didn't seek it out.... They fucking told me about it because they thought it was FUCKING laughable that some cunt would leave it there.... Take a flying fuck at a rolling doughnut, you pissant. ask around about me before you send text messages to me with even a fucking MODICUM of attitude in it. I will torch the fucking thing in front of you and laugh about it because I think that shit is funny. WHEN I go to the pub and I FEEEEEL like bringing the goddamn bag in, THEN you can get it.... I don't want to get another text from you or even HEAR about your ass until then.... I'm serious. Not even from someone else..... Maybe in your next life, you will be more careful with your shit. Remember what I said... I had better not hear that you have been whining to anyone else about this fucking thing.... now, eat shit and die.  You don't even want to respond to this text. I WILL throw it out if i am reminded of it by you or anyone else.... Believe me."

Me: Listen man. I've been patient and courteous about the fact you STOLE my bag. Regardless of where it was left that is considered theft. At this point you have 2 options. Bring the bag into the bar by tomorrow night or I will contact the police with your name and contact information and let them deal with it. I don't have the time or energy to deal with a common theif. Your choice. I'm giving you the very courteous opportunity to handle this like a mature adult. Please take advantage of it.

At this point he called me screaming and raging so I just hung up on him. He responded with another dramatic text moments later.

Him:  I told you that I didn't want to hear back from you... I have just put the bag into the street (I live in the ghetto, so it won't be there along) and that's that.... Look up the laws on found items before you leave ANYTHING with ANYONE. Or don't.... But it's a small town and you and I will run into each other before long. But due your what I can only assume is a LIFELONG habit of whining like a VAGINA, it will be without your bag... Which, as I finish this text and look out my front window, has already been scooped up by the local colour.....  Ta ta for now, and youre a pussy...."

Anyways, this took a lot longer to type out then I thought and I'm curious to know if this guy has a point about leaving the bag in a bar. I've looked up my local criminal code but it's pretty hard to decipher as a lamen. If I contact the police will they follow up with him criminally or is this a civil case? If it is civil I really don't have the time to handle it.

Thanks for your help in advance

Answer: The police will take care of this in short order.  Don't respond, just file a police report with the details you have and let them handle it.  The police don't like a-holes either!Answer #2: Seems like you have more than enough proof to go to the police. He stole you stuff and he owes you for the value of the bag and the contents, which you can sue for after the cops deal with him.Answer #3: Call the cops. Answer #4: I'm a little pissed off that the bartender let him steal the bag.  I would contact management about this.Answer #5: I realize it's too late for this now, but after getting that first "dramatic" text, I would have gone to the police and not responded. At this point, I would go to the police, and not respond any further.Answer #6: I would consider involving the bar in the police report since they KNEW the guy stole your bag and KNEW who did it. If he paid with a credit card the police can get his name from the bar also.


Title: Girlfriend is going to court for small drug charges from 6 months ago.

Question:
She's a straight-A valedictorian 19yo student who's never been in any kind of legal trouble, so she's freaking out and I'd love to be able to show her it's not gonna be the end of the world. Her charges were minor possession of alcohol, possession of a pipe, and possession of marijuana (which was almost only ashes). She was driving a car full of other 18 year olds, under no influence, and the other guy in the car got caught with an 8th that she didn't know about. What is her best course of action coming up and what will most likely happen to her?

Edit: In Idaho
Topic:
Drug Possession

Answer:
 She wants an attorney.

Her squeaky clean record streak just ended. These are serious charges with repercussions for her future.


Title: My case was "removed to federal court"

Question: I filed a small claims court case against the company garnishing my wages for federal student loans.  They have broken several laws in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.  My case was "removed to federal court"  Does that mean I have to file the case in federal court?  or do I just wait and find out when the date in federal court is?

Answer:
 Did you first report the violation to the FTB, the CFPB, and your state's attorney general? Federal court is nothing like small claims court; you'll need an attorney.Answer #2: Removal is automatic, and you don’t have to “do anything” regarding the removal. However, your case is now in federal court and you will *absolutely* need to retain an attorney.Answer #3: It means the defendant took the case you filed in small claims court and moved it to federal court. The only thing you need to do is find a lawyer because federal court is no place to be pro se.

Just make sure they filed their motion in time. They have to remove within 30 days of when they were served. They might have blown that deadline and filed the removal notice anyway for the sole reason that you're pro se and they assumed you would have no idea what to do.


Title: (Colorado, USA) Lawsuit worthy? An exceptionally raw execution video auto-played from Facebook while flipping through posts.

Question:
I guess I'm of two minds concerning this event: 1) How is it that this video was allowed to auto-play to my device, this is wrong, I wouldn't want this to happen to anyone, 2) What law has this violated, some pretty violent and traumatic images are now branded in my memory banks.
So, pretty grim video description, stop reading if you would prefer not to read about a traumatic result of clashes of culture and countries.
About 5 days ago I was flipping through my Facebook feed on my iPhone when I saw a post my friend had posted. It was a Live Leak video, controversial by reputation, but it began to play. I started watching as 6 or 7 men appeared on their knees before 6 or 7 men with guns. The men with the guns had their faces partially covered and stood behind the men on their knees. At this point I decided it was a video covering a middle eastern conflict and that these men had been kidnapped. I wondered what further point was to be made in the video, if text would appear to describe the situation. Instead, the men were suddenly gunned down in rapid succession. Each of them shot in the head by the men standing behind them with guns. Everything was visible, extremely graphic, this part of the clip gets replayed in my head several times a day. It was traumatic to say the least. I had no reasonable warning or expectation for the events that occurred in this video to occur. The nature of a website like Facebook is certainly not one where a person would expect to see a video like this.
Was I wronged? Is this illegal? If it came to a lawsuit, would the friend who posted the video be liable?

Answer:
 You most likely have no case as when you signed up for Facebook you agreed to their terms of service which most definitely left the responsibility of the content up to the original poster, and well, you have no damages.

As for your question of filing a lawsuit against your friend.... again... no. You have no monetary damages.

Your answer for not seeing bad content is to not use Facebook. They make no guarantee that the content on their site is rated or appropriate for any age group.

If you could sue Facebook for every offensive image/video posted on Facebook my family would be rich as pictures of my Aunt Sally in a two-piece bathing suit is more offensive than any Middle Eastern execution you may have witnessed.


Title: My boss sent an email telling us to go vote, but is pressuring us to vote for certain candidates.

Question: Is this legal to do? We have openly discussed politics before, and definitely do not agree on a lot of issues. Can I ever be fired for political beliefs or pressured into political decisions at work? I am in PA.

Answer:
 Trying to persuade you to vote, and putting forward his side as to why a candidate is better than another is all legal.

If he fired you for voting the other way to how he wants, that would be illegal.

If he is threatening to fire you if you don't vote his way, don't make a scene, just start keeping copies of all emails he sent making the remarks. If not by email, make notes of the time, date and exactly what was said each time (recording the conversation without his agreement may be illegal.)

But so far it just sounds like he's making his argument for a candidate.


Title: [OH] Can someone retroactively claim an inheritance?

Question:
Dear lawyers,

I have a predicament. My father died a few years ago. When he died, he left everything to my brother, who is special needs. My sister and I always knew that was the plan and we were definitely on board with that. "Everything" was a smattering of properties, gold/silver/platinum, and a coin collection (side note: if you are one of those people, do your relatives a favor and just put cash under the mattress; it's probably more cost effective). My sister and I ended up selling all of that and placed the money in a trust for my brother. My sister is his legal guardian and she makes sure that my brother's bills are paid.

About a year ago, a guy showed up at my sister's doorstep who claimed to be my father's "illegitimate" son (his words). We did DNA testing to be sure, but the man is the spitting image of my father...and the DNA supported that. We're pretty sure he's telling the truth.

My dad appears to not have known about this guy. My mom died when I (the youngest) was just a toddler and I doubt my dad was celibate for all those years. But from going through his stuff, I highly doubt he knew that he had a kid outside of the three of us. Plus, my dad wouldn't have abandoned him. Anyway, I didn't mind getting to know the guy but he all of a sudden started asking for "his cut" of the inheritance. My sister explained that no one other than my brother got anything because my dad wanted my brother to be taken care of financially. He seemed to be ok with that initially, but then he started to claim that my dad's estate owed him child support and we should pay for 18 years of child support and repay part of his college loans. We cut off all communication with him but recently he had a lawyer send my sister a letter claiming my father's estate owes this guy back child support, but that he'd be willing to settle for "an agreeable amount".

My sister is pretty upset. Hell, I'm pretty upset. But before I go run off and hire a lawyer, is this all bark, no bite? **Can someone ask for back child support or put a claim on an inheritance when the deceased has been dead for several years and didn't know this person existed in the first place?**

Answer:
 Contact your bar association and file a complaint against the lawyer claiming child support is owed.

And ignore the letter. If he sues then contact the attorney who probated the estate Answer #2: You might want to look through your father's will again.  When we made our will, and were going through it with our lawyer, I was surprised to see a boilerplate section that excluded any children outside the marriage, whether acknowledged or not, who had not been specified in the will.

Our lawyer said this is common to put in every will.  If someone wants to leave money to someone else, they can always be named.Answer #3: > is this all bark, no bite?

Quite a bit of bark, plenty of bullshit, but a hint of a bite there.

> my father's estate owes this guy back child support, but that he'd be willing to settle for "an agreeable amount".

The child support thing is 100% bullshit.  Child support is court ordered, and it is owed to the mother.  The child cannot collect it.

How long ago did your father pass away?  How long after that did it take for probate to close? (I know you said "a few years," but if you have a more specific number that might help)

Whatever you read here, you should absolutely go speak with an attorney.


Title: Hotel burned down and I lost everything [GA]

Question: Hello, a hotel I was recently staying at burned down while I was staying there. I lost all my possessions in the room. Management is refusing to reimburse the damages, what are my options.

Answer: You can make a claim on your homeowners/renters insurance for your lost property, or if you can find the hotel's insurance policy you can file a claim on it.  In order to get paid by the hotel's insurance, you will need to prove that the fire was a result of their negligence.


Title: [UT] My car was reposessed one year ago. Is there any way I can get my downpayment back?

Question: My dad told my that I'm entitled to get my $6,000 downpayment back if my reposessed car has been sold. Is this true? How would I go about doing this? Did I wait too long to get it back?

Answer: No, it's not true at all. In fact, if the car sold for less than you owed on it, you may very well have to pay the difference.


Title: (Ga) Roommate got a pitbull and refuses to get rid of it.

Question: This is in Georgia. I live in an apartment with 2 other roommates. Each has a seperate lease and all leases do not allow pets. One roommate got a pitbull and refuses to get rid of it. Ive reported it to the main office many times and have been ignored/told that they told the roommate to remove it. Dog is still here and keeps barking loudly throughout the day/night. What are my options? Do I have to pay my rent due to the leasing office not upholding the lease?

Answer:
 "The rental office isn't enforcing the lease against another tenant" is not grounds for not paying your rent, or for breaking your own lease. Your primary recourse is to keep harassing the main office until they do more than talk to the roommate in question.

You might be able to make a noise complaint about the barking to the police, but I'm frankly not certain about how it works to call in a noise complaint on a property you inhabit yourself.Answer #2: Yes, you need to continue paying your rent. Your roommate violating the terms of their lease doesn't give you permission to break yours.Answer #3: At least start reporting the overnight noise to your local bylaw office (or the equivalent in your jurisdiction) - as another commenter mentioned it may be a little weird to call them on 'yourself', but even if they can’t/won’t do anything, at least you’ll have a paper trail that can be referred back to if the situation changes or escalates negatively.


Title: [Xpost from r/dubai] Emergency in Dubai, please help

Question:
This is like an open eyes nightmare for my brother, he is now blocked in Dubai for a crime he never committed, I really hope this is the right subreddit although there are few people I hope you may find a way to help him.

My brother works as a PLC programmer for an Italian company, he travels a lot. 3 weeks ago he was in Brighton (UK) and then, after coming home in Italy for a few days he packed up his things and came to Dubai.
After he arrived and retrieved his luggage, at the very exti of the airport, some cops asked him politely to follow them for a routine check. No problem, this happened a lot and as he said it was much worse in Texas where they even checked inside people's mouth.
So, he is there waiting for them to finish and BAM, they find 97 seeds-of-something in the very back of his luggage.
I know that these are just words from a guy on the internet but please believe me: he does not smoke, sell drugs or nothing (nothing like that is even legal in italy) but there were seeds everywhere in the space between the back of the luggage and the protective veil.

We talked a lot on the phone in this week trying to get how those seeds arrived there and there are few possibilities we came up with:

- someone put them in his luggage in the UK, trying to make him smuggle the airport security and catch him later but lost him. Seeds are in there from then

- same thing but in Milan or in Dubai airport

- (less probable but that's a possibility) cops themselves put those seed there. I do not see a reason behind this but I write it anyway

They detained him from 10pm (arrival) until 3am, after moving him to the ospital where he got blood tested (negative of course, as resulted yesterday). They kept his passport and let him go.ì with a visa paper.
Now, after completing his work they say that analysis are still not ready and that he must wait until sunday. At the italian consulate they told him that probably no analysis will be ready for sunday since no one works from thursday to sunday (don't know if it is real) and that if those are drug seeds he will get from 3 to 4 years in jail.

He is a golden guy, never did something bad or abused drugs nor alcohol and totally do not deserve that: there are some tips or something you could do to help His situation?

I'm taking contact with Italian authorities for I want to know if there is a way to find the x-ray scanner of his luggage at his departure from Milan but since our justice is really really slow I'd get to even know if it is possible in a lot of time.

Hope my english is good enoguh

Edit.
Don't know why I am being downvoted
Topic:
Drug Possession

Answer:
 UAE takes their drug laws **VERY** seriously. A British DJ was jailed for four years there for possessing 0.003g of cannabis. That is, essentially, a microscopic amount. They really do not play around. Your brother needs a lawyer yesterday.Answer #2: > but there were seeds everywhere in the space between the back of the luggage and the protective veil.

So you are saying the seeds were hidden *inside* the luggage? Sewn in to the lining?

If they weren't in a bag or something, they could be just some random byproduct of manufacture or an infestation. (Fingers crossed!) Just yesterday, I saw a post about [a guy who found out his house was infested with termites](http://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/2ldiib/found_on_our_kitchen_counter_seems_to_fall_from/)... and I initially thought they were seeds.


Title: (FL) May have bore false witness a couple of years ago, should I tell police department or just let it go?

Question:
Hello Reddit!

A few years ago in college I was walking home at night and there were two men walking towards me and as I got closer I could hear them cat call me and approach me slightly , so I walked faster and didn't look back out of fear. I lived on the 3rd floor so I started climbing up the steps really fast and when I got to the 2nd flight of steps I heard what sounded like loud thumping and chasing on the 1st flight of steps behind me and so I ran up to my apartment and called the cops, saying that I thought those men were chasing me/following me up, the police caught the men that fit the description and I have not heard anything since.
Since then it has been on my conscience, what if they weren't chasing me and I just jumped to an assumption because I was already on high alert? Should I call the police department and tell them? Will I then go to jail for potentially bearing false witness?
Any advice is welcome. Thank you in advance.

Answer:
 If this is weighing on you see a pastor. You reported suspicious behavior appropriately. Answer #2: It's ok to call for help when you think you're in danger, even if that fear turns out to be unfounded. You didn't know.

Bearing false witness (the legal definition, not the biblical), means giving false statements under oath. You have nothing to feel sorry about.


Title: 18yr old Sister is having mental health issues & barred my mother from having access to her. (NJ)

Question:
Hello Legal Advice.

I probably know the answer to this question, but just to leave no stone unturned.

My sister(f/18) has been diagnosed Anorexic/Bulemic/PTSD/Bi Polar/Drug Addict. I just took her home today from discharging her from the Psyche Ward of the hospital after a 5 day stay. She was admitted because she had not eaten or drank anything in 2 days & she had a mental break. (Giving up, suicidal tendencies, etc) It was deemed by her pediatrician she needed to be admitted due to dehydration.

While at the hospital, my sister realized she was not going to be coming home & had a violent episode to the point where she needed to be locked in her room or be restrained & sedated. Through all of this, my sister, in her questionable mental state, has blamed all of this on my mother & took her aggression out on her.

After being in the ER for 2 days, my sister signed herself into the Psyche Ward to "get away from mommy". She signed paperwork restricting my mother & other members of my family from seeing her or any medical information being released to my mother. All of this being done out of blind teenager rage, mental illness & I would imagine malnutrition.

Side note: The actions of taking her to the hospital & having her checked into the Psyche Ward was on the recommendation of medical professionals. We have not done anything without seeking medical council.

My question is this, is there a way to get around my sister being 18 years old when it comes to medical decisions due to her medical conditions? She is not in any state to be making wise decisions since she has a shaky grip on reality itself. Also, I don't know if this truly has any bearing but my mother is the one footing the bill.

I am the only person my sister will speak to. I am doing everything in my power to keep her safe & make sure the choices she makes are in her best interest. At this point, I feel it would be best to let my mother take the reigns. I don't feel comfortable guiding my sisters hand to make her medical choices. I do not live with my mother & sister so I have not been fully exposed to this entire situation.

Tomorrow she is going to a facility full time that deals with eating disorders & all of the other mental health issues that go along with it. What we are concerned about is that she will not let any medical information be released to us & we will be left in the dark.

I'm trying to not phrase this in a harsh way, but is there any legal precedent or situation where we can have her right to make her own decision stripped from her until we get confirmation from a medical professional that she is stable?

I am doing the best I can with an impossible situation & want my sister to be healthy again. I cannot give up my life for her & I need help. The help I need is that of my mother & if my sister does not let my mother become involved I am going to be completely out of my depth.

Thank you for any and all answers.

Answer:
 >My question is this, is there a way to get around my sister being 18 years old

Your sister is a legal adult.  I'm going to be honest here - it is rather possible that her family relationships are a stress factor that, if isolated, will facilitate treatment.  You're looking at a temporary situation with someone who is very literally in a life-or-death crisis.  Let the professionals deal with this.

>She is not in any state to be making wise decisions since she has a shaky grip on reality itself.

She probably isn't and would likely be involuntarily committed if she tried to leave.

>I am doing everything in my power to keep her safe & make sure the choices she makes are in her best interest

While that is sweet, this is far beyond anything you can control. This kid is going to die soon if she isn't saved and this isn't a DIY process.  Ask her doctors what they think is best right now and do that.


Title: [KS] Owner of my apt building told realtor that they were fine with a pet. Now i'm being told I have to remove the pet or move.

Question:
My roommate and I agreed to an apartment together on Dec. 30 and signed a lease saying we could have a pet but had to pay a nonrefundable pet deposit. I moved in on the 15th of Jan with my pet. Today, the 26th, my roommate was contacted by the realtor and was told that one of the co-owners of the building is totally not fine with a pet in this building (which was a huge deal-breaker to my roommate and myself). They agreed to give us the pet deposit back along with the initial deposit which was refundable in the 1st place.

But we paid the pet deposit, the rent was also increased by $5. This period we moved in was imperative to us because I'm a student and my roommate started full time employment once to new year was upon us. Moving now would be a huge issue to us to due our daily lives.

Can we do anything legally?

Answer: If the lease said you can have a pet, and you paid the pet deposit specified in the lease, then you can have a pet. Answer #2: If the lease states you can have a pet and you have meet the requirements for having the pet they can not revoke it.


Title: How do we legally get out of this hellhole? Texas

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Texas says that you have a right to live in a home with reasonable structural, health, and safety standards and that is in good repair.

A moldy swamp with holes is none of those things.

The law is definitely on your side here. You can almost certainly either get reduced rent or get out of the lease, if you follow the proper steps.

The relevant laws are referred to as your right to "repair or deduct" and you can find more info [here](http://texastenant.org/repairs.html) among other places.


Title: Ontario resident here. Invited friend over, told them to make themselves at home, they took my rare coins.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Call the police, you dope. If the desk officer tells you it's a civil issue, escalate to a supervisor.

If you can't get anywhere with the police, you can sue for the return of your property. Ontario small claims will hear up to $25,000; anything larger, you should talk to a lawyer about suing in provincial court.Answer #2: Is this a troll post? Are you on drugs?


Title: Cancellation fee for Drs appt

Question:
My husband made an appointment to get a vasectomy last year, but a week before the appointment we decided not to go through with it. I called a week before his appointment and was informed that there would be a $100 fee because we were past the 10-day cancellation time. Apparently they have a ten-day requirement for all cancellations. I was not informed of this when I made the appointment, however it was in the back of the paperwork we were sent (which we never opened). We have asked them nicely to waive the fee and they declined. We have not paid and got a letter yesterday saying that they were sending it to collections. Is this legally enforceable? Do we have a case to fight it? We're annoyed about the principle of it, and I don't really care if it costs more to fight it.

We are in MI.

Answer:
 > however it was in the back of the paperwork we were sent (which we never opened).

Ignorance is not always bliss. Cancellation fees are very common in the medical profession. Just because you did not read the information supplied, does not mean it was not communicated to you.Answer #2: >  however it was in the back of the paperwork we were sent (which we never opened).

You should read your mail especially as it pertains to medical procedures involving your husband's penis.

If they can show you were notified of the fee they will probably prevail. You can consider it a slap on the wrist for not opening your mail.


Title: Do I have to say I have insurance when going to a new doctor/clinic?

Question:
Hi, sorry if this is jumbled or doesn't make much sense. I'm just a college kid, and I don't know really anything about insurance other than that I need to see a psychologist/psychiatrist outside of my university's ASAP. I have found a community counseling center that accepts Medicaid, other insurances, but also operates on a sliding scale. When you fill out the paperwork, you have to say what insurance you have.

Here is the issue: I am on my parents' insurance plan and I can't have them getting the EOB showing that I saw a mental health professional. I have been dealing with mental health issues and drug addiction problems and I'm afraid that my parents finding out about this will not leave me in a good place. Maybe I am just overthinking this, but I would rather go through this on my own until I am in a better place mentally and physically.

As well as this, I checked what the insurance plan covers, and I would have to pay out the ass to be able to get mental health care.  At this point, it would be cheaper for me to use their sliding scale and pay cash.

I am concerned about the legality of this. Yes, I have insurance, but I'm still on my parents' plan and not my own. I don't know how the hell insurance works, other than how EOBs work. I'm really scared and just need some help in this. Is it illegal to say I don't have insurance?

Thank you for your help.

Answer:
 You can't lie about your insurance status to get a lower cash price. However, you can explain the situation to the counseling center and see what cash rate they will offer.

If you tell them not to disclose information about you to the insurer *and you pay for your treatment in full* with cash, they can't disclose to the insurer (and thus no EOB).


Title: Police refuse to mark my car as stolen. (NSW, Australia)

Question:
My car was stolen by the man who sold me the car. I know it was him because he was kicked out from his house and on that same day the car was gone. I have his phone number but he won't answer any calls. The police are arguing that the car was never really sold to me despite the fact that the car is currently registered and insured in my name. The man even signed a letter stating that the car is now mine but the police won't budge.

I don't have a whole lot of money so the police are my only real option of getting the car back.

Based on previous post: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/49y4gf/i_have_purchased_a_car_from_a_neighbour_the_car/

Answer:
 You may need to go up the food chain and lodge a formal complaint about them.

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/services/complain_about_a_police_officer

Also, did you have theft insurance for the car? It's highly unlikely that the insurance company will do anything without a police report but you can still try and lodge a claim and hopefully them trying to get in touch with the police as well will help convince the cop to pull his finger out.

The final option would be to sue the guy in small claims to get the money you paid him back

http://www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au/Pages/representing/lawassist_debt_small_claims_home/lawassist_debt_small_claims_home.aspx


Title: (Oklahoma) Broken Jaw after having wisdom teeth pulled. Viable medical malpractice suit? Details in post.

Question:
About 4 years ago, I had all four of my wisdom teeth pulled.  My dentist referred me to the surgeon, and told me I should feel better after 3 or 4 days, well enough to eat food at least.  However, my left jaw continued to hurt for 3 full weeks, and it never fully recovered.  I just thought it was healing slowly.  To this date, if I talk for extended periods or open my jaw very wide, my left jaw pops and I feel a sharp pain.  I have always been a hard worker and pain doesn't really phase me but looking back I should not have waited this long to find legal advice.

The problem is getting worse, my jaw is out of place and is putting strain on my neck, I have a great deal of pain.  I had a scan done on my neck and they informed me that my jaw appears to have been broken at some point.  I spent 3 years studying taekwondo and Muay thai but never received any trauma to my head/neck and I have never been knocked out in a fight or been knocked out, I know how to defend myself.

I know this is a long write-up but I don't have any idea how to proceed, I also don't know if my martial arts training would hurt my case.

The surgeon never said anything about my jaw being broken, however I have only been experiencing pain ever since the surgery.  My dentist recommended hiring a lawyer.

Answer: You are welcome to consult a local attorney, but be advised that the statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Oklahoma is two years.


Title: British Columbia, Canada. Signs stating "Danger, Cliffs, No Access" and "Environmentally sensitive area, please keep out"

Question:
So I'm walking on a well known trail in Vancouver, I had a to hop a fence that had 3 signs on it, Two signs said "Danger, Cliffs, No Access" and other said "Environmentally sensitive area, please keep out". So on the way out there's two uniformed guys that had gotten out of a 'Metro Vancouver' pickup truck. They had tan coloured shirts and dark pants. They threatened but did not issue a $250 dollar fine. My question is, are they an authority? Can they demand my name and fine me? I thanked them either way for not fining me and moved on, but I'm curious about what their power is in such a situation. Also curious about what the consequences can be for ignoring such signs.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 They may have some authority over the property granted to them by the local government. At the least, they could call the cops on you; they absolutely have the necessary authority.

In the future, don't go anywhere that requires hopping a fence.


Title: May be responsible for my friend's death, now i'm afraid of being charged [California]

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 Delete this thread and contact an attorney immediately.

You are far out of the scope of the services offered here.Answer #2: This sounds very made-up.


Title: (Ontario, Canada) Employer demands app installed on personal phones

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 I'm not a lawyer but work in IT. This sounds like an application that provides a second authorization in a two factor credential system. I bet it is something like Duo, Authy or even Google Authenticator. Other companies have their own versions that all function the same way.

The primary function does not do any data transfer over the internet but uses a seed value unique to your account combined with the time to display a code. You enter the code and the auth. system compares it against what it expects and allows or disallows the login.

That being said, it doesn't exclude that app has other features that could potentially have privacy issues. Most newer phone OSes will require the app to ask for permission before granting access to location, contacts, etc.

Due to the simplistic offline function of most of these apps and the two factor system in place, there is likely a keychain token generator that can be assigned to you. The cost is nominal for the business and are generally treated as disposable. I would approach your manager or IT department if they can provide that as an option. Answer #2: I'll spare you all the reasoning but this is pretty standard and there are sound business practices to do so.  Your last sentence is absolutely correct.


Title: Prepay child support?

Question:
I’ve come into a large sum of money, more than enough to fund child support for the balance of my young children’s years.

How do I calculate a fair sum (3 children 8 and under in RI)?

Answer:
 Would strongly recommend not prepaying.

If the money gets used up, the other parent can take you to court for ongoing child support and will likely win. A judge's view is that a child deserves to be supported continuously.

Lots of case law aroubd exactly this. Perhaps rather than prepaying to the other parent, simply set up the money in a seperate account with yhr amount set to auto-pay monthly.


Title: [CA] Valet company lost our car keys, and the company isn’t answering our calls.

Question: The title pretty much says it all. It’s going to cost $305 to replace the key, and a couple hundred more in uber/lyft fees. The restaurant manager was made aware of the situation and mentioned that this isn’t the first time it happened. Any advice on how to proceed will be greatly appreciated!

Answer: Send the company a demand letter for your costs (certified with return receipt) and give them a reasonable amount of time to reimburse you; 30 days is common. On day-31, file a claim in small claims court for that amount (plus filing fees).Answer #2: If this isn't the first time, someone is probably taking the keys to steal the cars later. You may want to get your car re-keyed and sue the company for that.Answer #3: Mitigate your damages. Get the key replaced now and stop racking up.hundreds in taxi services


Title: dad is a child molester, What do I do?

Question:
I live in NJ. Last week i was still in denial about the situation ( please read below ). But I have since gotten it clarified from friends and the /r/Philippines that fondling is not a custom from that country and that I should post here. (It's mentally draining that the father who I thought was a hero is a monster.)

Basically my dad fondled my brothers and I growing up. It happened to me (23) and my brother (22) when we were younger(don't remember the exact age). We found out it happened to my youngest brother (8) when he was 5 years old. I need specifics please , I have terrible anxiety talking to people other than my girlfriend about this because my family has called me selfish for not thinking about how there lives will be affected. Do I call the police even thought the last time I know this has happened is three years ago? I don't have money to speak to a therapist/counselor as people have said and I am very confused and mentally drained.

###In context
np.reddit.com/r/Philippines/comments/64ahyz/nsfw_is_it_true_that_it_is_a_filipino_custom_to/?st=j1a0g0qj&sh=46ee1498

"I have confronted my family about the situation below and am wondering if it is true because I can not believe my mother in saying that this is a custom in the Philippines. I live in the US by the way and my "dad" has lived here since the eighties so I think he is just lying his ass off. Any advice?

###Original
np.reddit.com/r/adultsurvivors/comments/62du3v/were_my_brothers_and_i_molested/?st=j19z7oil&sh=1501fc03

"When I was younger, I thought it was weird my dad used to put his hand under my underwear and rub my penis while spooning me. He never penetrated me and I never touched him so throughout my life I guess it didn't bother me although my brother tells me I used to ask him about it when when we were younger but I weirdly don't remember those conversations. I think this happened to me around the ages of 4-6 but i don't remember because it has been so long. I would go on with life forgetting about it until I was triggered by watching the movie Spotlight in 2016 when a priest caught molesting said something along the lines that he just fooled around with boys but never was gratified from it. It suddenly made me remember what my father had done to me as a child. I would justify it in my head because I remembered I was circumcised late around that time period.(My dad was very strict to us growing up and is very religious/ he actually was in a seminary growing up but decided not to become a priest) This past Monday March 27th, me and my brother talked about how emotionally unavailable my dad was to us growing up. (I am 23 and my younger brother is 22.) I brought it up because my girlfriend said it was weird how my family never hugged each other or showed affection. These were long forgotten memories until a recent conversation with my brother. We asked our youngest brother if these acts happened to him, and he quickly said yes, although 3 years ago. He is 8 years old today . We have just recently realized we all may have been molested. I am confused when researching online about this because it says " molestation: the crime of sexual acts with children up to the age of 18, including touching of private parts, exposure of genitalia, taking of pornographic pictures, rape, inducement of sexual acts with the molester or with other children, and variations of these acts by pedophiles. ". When confronting my mom about this in secret from my dad. She said that there was no malice and I am wrong to even think of him as a molester and has since kicked me out the house after a heated argument. Am I wrong, I have not called the police yet because I am in fear my 8 year old brother will be put in foster care. Am I overthinking this like my mom says? What do i do? I am somewhat depressed because I feel the dad i knew is a monster. Edit:I posted this on askreddit and it seems to have been shadow removed or something To clarify more, I am currently unemployed (drop out computer engineering due to depression) No way could i get custody of my brother. The only money I have is from random jobs that is not stable. And my other siblings are still in college."

Answer: https://www.rainn.org/   This is a national advocacy organization for victims of sexual assault and sexual abuse. They will be able to connect you with a local organization who can hopefully provide you with free counseling and also legal support. In cases of ongoing child abuse, yes , contact the police and DCF. They will know what to do. I am sorry you are dealing with all this. There is a lot of help out there. Answer #2: Is it bad if I wait to report my dad when my siblings graduate?


Title: [PA] Employer takes all tips, fires employees if they do not hand them in.

Question:
I work as a waiter at a restaurant in Pennsylvania. I receive an hourly wage which is above the minimum wage. My employer requires all tips to be turned in to the employer. There is no tip pool. We do not receive this money back. However, after I have turned in large tips, I have received a raise shortly after. If employees are caught not handing in tips, (they will have customers turn in marked bills if they suspect someone of this) they will be fired. It was made clear from the time of my interview that this was the case and that we had to turn in tips. According to what I found from the [US Department of Labor] (https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs15.htm),
 > Retention of Tips: A tip is the sole property of the tipped employee regardless of whether the employer takes a tip credit. [1] The FLSA prohibits any arrangement between the employer and the tipped employee whereby any part of the tip received becomes the property of the employer. For example, even where a tipped employee receives at least $7.25 per hour in wages directly from the employer, the employee may not be required to turn over his or her tips to the employer.

Is there anyway that this is legal? Can I be fired for keeping my tips?

Answer:
 When you're ready to quit, keep your tips and have him fire you.

Then report him to the Bureau of Labor Law Compliance, and collect unemployment or report to the new job you have lined up.

Life's too short to work for asshats.

http://www.dli.pa.gov/Individuals/Labor-Management-Relations/llc/Pages/Wage-Complaint-Form.aspxAnswer #2: Also, report him to the IRS.  He's probably not paying taxes on the  income and you get a cut of what they recover.


Title: Would these requirements be sufficient to file a class action lawsuit against a school/district?

Question:
So my school is renowned for its strict administration and its tendency to be unusually anal with its discipline. Recently, several people that I know (myself included) have been picked out by our school administrators for making false ID cards as a joke. We have Vladimir Putin ones and Doge ones; they are primarily for comedic relief. Even though there is no rule regarding the creation of fake IDs, several people have been suspended for more than 3 days (you get suspended for 2 for bringing illegal substances onto school grounds). My friend who is legally an adult was also searched (without a warrant) and threatened with expulsion. Are these grounds for a lawsuit for excessive/unusual punishment of a student(s)?

Thanks!

Please excuse grammatical errors as I am on mobile.

Edit: I am in California.

Answer:
 School administrators do not need warrants to search students.  They are not the police.

And secondly, no there really aren't grounds for a lawsuit here.

Also, some quick, unsolicited life advice - I know you think that making fake identification cards is a joke, but it very well might be a crime.  You should probably stop doing it.


Title: Ex trying to 'forcefully' take my money

Question:
So long story short, I agreed to help my ex out a little bit financially but have found myself unable to do so at the moment after sending him money once - a couple hundred dollars. That and car trouble have pretty much wiped me out. If it's relevant, I agreed to send him money because I feel badly for him because when we were together he had to sacrifice a lot financially while I was either unable to work or had a hard time finding a job.

So, since I've told him that I can't pay him anything for a while, he's threatening to 'involve a third party' and take my money 'by force' but won't say how he plans to do that.

I'm calling bullshit. I don't see how he has any legal right or whatever to the money that I earn even if he did lose a lot during the time that we were together. Buuuut, to be on the safe side I'd rather know if that could be coming obviously so... Does anyone know of any way he could do this?

Edit: in the US

Answer:
 If you have some sort of agreement that you would pay him back for the money he spent on you, it's possible that he could sue for it if you neglect to pay him? Did you agree to anything orally or in writing? If so, what exactly did you agree to?Answer #2: >he's threatening to 'involve a third party' and take my money 'by force' but won't say how he plans to do that.

call the cops and report this.

it sounds to me like he is extorting you with the threat he will show up with some muscle and rob you if you don't pay.Answer #3: Just make absolutely sure that he has no access to your bank cards or credit cards, either physically or via their online accounts. Change all your online account passwords and security questions if there is any chance he might know them, or if you use the same passwords as you do elsewhere.

Obviously it wouldn't be legal for him to get money this way, but it might be long and difficult to get it back if he did.


Title: [LA] Can I get arrested for having sex on my property?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Can they see you? Can they see the car bouncing up and down? Why are you worried about this?

And I've just realized this isn't actually in the driveway to your home, it's in the driveway of a house that hasn't yet been built? I think if I saw a car in this situation at night I'd be calling the cops. So you could expect some measure of inconvenience.


Title: [VIRGINIA] Should I take my mugger to court

Question: I got robbed a few months ago when I went to buy a cell phone.  It wasn't a lot of money, but the guy threatened to shoot me if I followed.  I called the police, and there was a detective assigned to my case.  Today I was called in for a line up, and picked a guy who looked very similar to the suspect.  I just want to know if it's worth the hassle of taking him to court?

Answer: It isn't up to you. The DA will decide if the state is pressing charges. If so, you may be given subpoena to go to court.


Title: California Divorce Custody

Question: My sister is in the process of divorcing her abusive husband in California. They have one child who he did not technically abuse, but I would argue, abusing her mother in front of her is abuse. He has a lawyer and my sister does not. Through mutual agreement, he worked full time and she stayed home with their child during their marriage. She cannot afford a lawyer and is imo a bit naive and over generous to the abusive ex during this process. His lawyer is asking that she pays him alimony, and he wants full custody. He is a flight risk, is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. He has stated he owns a home in Mexico and threatened to take the baby to Mexico where "you will never find her". I am afraid she is going to get screwed by this abusive piece of human detritus. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Answer: She *needs* a lawyer. That's not optional. See this thread for info on how to prevent him leaving the country with the kid. She can get a custody order that forbids him from taking the kid out of the country and put a flag on her passport. https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/9jzz2y/ny_partner_wants_to_send_our_14_month_old/


Title: Mental help - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Question:
I'm 16 years old. My mother is making me go to a mental health hospital for a diagnosis. I don't want to go.

Am I legally required to go? Because my mother is making me?

Answer: Yes, you have to go.  Your parents have control over your medical care (barring extreme circumstances) until you're an adult.


Title: Need help getting pets out of towed car

Question: My friend had an accident last night and her truck was towed, the police didnt look inside her truck and she let them know that she had 2 kittens in a crate in the backseat but they towed it anyways, we just went to the tow yard to get them and the tow company wont let her have access to get them. What do I do? It was in the low 40s last night and these kittens are 8 weeks old, they're hungry and probably sittin in their own excrement. Please help

Answer:
 I would go to the Mesquite police department in person and explain that there are two live animals in a vehicle that was towed, that they need to be rescued, and that the tow yard won't allow access.Answer #2: This is an emergency.

Do not fuck around any longer. Call the police non-emergency line right now and explain what has happened. Ask them what you should do. If they tell you to go pick the kittens up, request that an officer meet you at the location because they have denied you access to the kittens. Answer #3: You should have called the police about animal cruelty and got an officer to come by.


Title: Sexual Abuse perpetrated by a minor[CA]

Question:
So when I was 8 I was sexually and physically abused by my brother on going for about a year(he was 11). And before anyone asks, I didn’t report at the time because I barely understood and was threatened with physical and (more) sexual violence. I’m 21 now and I recently told my parents in order for me to effectively cease all contact with the perpetrator but I’m considering filing a restraining order, for the sake of my own mental health. He’s recently been messaging me via text(I don’t reply and blocked his number) and I’ve been getting calls from his area code with voicemails that are dead silence or just breathing, this has occurred since I told our parents. As far as I understand since he was a minor when he sexually abused me as well as all the time that has passed, lack of physical evidence, etc I have no legal recourse and he doesn’t face any charges for what he did. I mostly just want him to stay the absolute fuck away from me. Additionally I have 14 y/o sister who lives with my parents still, can I bar him from seeing her? What can I do?

I live decently far away from him, neither of us live with our parents. I told my parents that I refuse to be in the same house/area as him, but they kind of just want to sweep this under the rug. They acknowledge he has a problem, he apparently molested another boy at school(went to catholic school, authorities/CPS were never involved and this wasn’t officially reported) a year before he started abusing me and he is a compulsive liar and has violent fits.  However they see no issue with letting him stay with them for extended periods of time around my little sister. Makes me fucking sick

Answer:
 NAL.

your sister is a minor. if he has done any of those things to her, you should take your sister to the police/CPS to file a report. i don't know what your relationship with sis is like but try talking to her.Answer #2: Definitely talk with your sister first, she is the number one priority and who is at most risk. Legal recourse afterwards would most likely involve going to CPS and filing a report as well as filing a restraining order for yourself, and to see if it’s possible to gain one for your sister.


Title: [FL] Real Estate broker threatening to sue my widowed (80yo) mother

Question:
throwaway account...

My mother listed and eventually sold her house in Florida with a single broker using a single listing agreement. Part way through the process there was a sales contract, but the buyer didn't have the money at closing.  That deposit money went through interpleader and my mother was awarded all of it. The broker intentionally chose to not insert himself into the proceedings.

Later another buyer was found and the sale completed with my mother paying the broker the full commission specified in 6(a) of the listing agreement. (see language below)

Now long after the house was sold, the broker has come forward wanting the retained deposit she got through interpleader and has threatened to sue my mother if she doesn't pay.

Does the broker have the right to be paid twice in a single listing agreement — once for the commission on the sale and once for a share of the liquidated damages on the default?  Or did she fulfill her entire financial obligation to the broker when she paid her commission?

The way I read the Florida Association of Realtors Listing Agreement is that her obligation to the broker for liquidated damages (in paragraph 6(e)) is limited to the commission she has already paid (in paragraph 6(a)).

From the listing agreement:
6. Compensation: Seller will compensate Broker as specified below for procuring a buyer who is ready, willing and able to purchase the Property or any interest in the Property on the terms of this Agreement or on any other terms acceptable to Seller.  Seller will pay Broker as follows (plus applicable Sales Tax):
6(a) 5% of the total purchase price plus $0.00 or $0.00, no later than the date of closing specified in the sales contract.  However, closing is not a prerequisite for Broker’s fee being earned.
6(e) Retained Deposits: As consideration for Broker’s services, Broker is entitled to receive 50% of all deposits that Seller retains as liquidated damages for a buyer’s default in a transaction, not to exceed the paragraph 6(a) fee.

Answer: Is the broker asking for half of the earnest money that was kept or all of it?


Title: How Do I get a city assessment updated when there is no assessor

Question:
Western NY.

I am in the process of buying a house. I close in ~2 weeks.  We bought the house for $97,000. Bank appraisal said $100,000.  Tax assessment is currently $145,000. Taxes are 5%.

I want to get the assessment reduced to around my purchase price so I pay $5,000 a year in taxes and not $7,500.
I know I can file a grievance, but I have been told that nothing will happen because the city assessor position is not filled.

What are my available options?

Answer:
 Your city council or town board should be able to guide you. If you haven't closed yet, it's probably too late to file for STAR exemption - the deadline in my town (also western NY) was March 1st.

I wouldn't count on the bank appraisal matching the assessed value. We bought our house in a short sale for $82,500, bank appraised it at $90,000. The assessment is still $114,000, and they actually laughed at us for suggesting the assessment should be more in line with the appraisal.

You may still be able to file a grievance even without an assessor. For my town, grievance applications could be filed starting on March 2nd, but they won't actually be heard until near the end of May. If an assessor is hired by then, it could still work out for you.

As for the total tax burden, welcome to western New York. The tax rates were the primary reason we avoided certain towns, like Gates, in which the tax rate was 10% of the purchase price because assessments were so out of line.


Title: (DC) Former employer fired me via text, opted not to pay me and now they won’t respond.

Question:
This last Friday I was fired via text by my employer who is based out of NYC. I ran our DC store.

We are paid every other Wednesday, and when Wednesday hit, nadda.

I emailed our company president and asked for some clarification and she claimed they determined fraudulent hours. She insisted I logged 97.5 hours during the pay period. I let her know the math didn’t add up as I keep a physical log in my notebook of my clocks and established I had only clocked 67.5 hours.

Therefore I am owed $1,412 pre-taxes and commissions. I attached her, and our accounting director. I also attached my attorney just so they know someone is seeing things. This happened Wednesday all before noon.

I haven’t received a response which is fine since it’s Thanksgiving but it seems as if all of my emails to them are now being bounced back.

There is no way they tried to contact me to figure things out... I dug through my email and they never reached out via phone which I know they have because I was fired via text!

Now I’m just confused and upset because they owe me money and no one will respond to me.

I know my lawyer will charge me a fee if he contacts them so I am hoping there is a lawyer-less solution.

As for why I was terminated, employment with them is at will but I assume it was because our sales performance was low.

Love any advice!
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: File a wage complaint with the government. Make sure it is completely honest and supportable.  If you have an attorney, talk to your attorney first.


Title: 17 yr old ran red light & hit us.

Question:
At 8:30 Monday morning, we were hit by a car who ran their red light going southbound. We had the green arrow to turn left westbound. She impacted the side of our SUV and we ended up on top on median crashing into brick neighborhood decal. We have witnesses who stopped, rendered aid & called 911 and let them know the car ran the red and hit the SUV. The lady traveling  behind the car stopped and a man also traveling southbound left a statement and number.  The driver of the car was 17 yr old female and her passenger 16 (f), both were taken to hospital with minor injuries. In the SUV it was my mother driving (50), grandmother (78) passenger, me (30) rear passenger, and my child (5) in the middle of rear next to me strapped into a car seat. SUV held up really well and protected us, right side air bags deployed and cushioned us from impact. We all were able to walk away with bruises & we’re only suffering from soreness now. It could have been a lot worse and that’s what really makes me cry.
The mother of the faulty ended up at the scene and ensured to us that they were insured (All State), but most importantly, imo, that she was a god fearing person and will do what’s right. We haven’t received the police report but the least we know he didn’t ticket anyone as far as we know. (The cop was a douche, he doubted our truth, & it broke my spirit a bit since I’ve been an avid supporter of law enforcement but anyways...)
Paper of accident report says it will be available in 7-10 days.
It’s Thursday today and we still haven’t heard from All State, when we called they say they haven’t been able to contact their client & there is nothing they can do until the speak to them...we’ve called the faulty and they hung up on us. They are obviously practicing some evasive maneuvers.
We talked to a personal injury lawyer and said this is common and sometimes it takes longer than expected even when insurance is involved.
The good thing is that I have my little car and we can rotate using it in the time being. Now here come the questions:
Isn’t All State suppose to provide rental and fix/replace truck? Or does that only happen when there is severe injuries? Why do they depend on contacting their client?
This is our first experience with something like this, can someone please advise me in what to do, I feel so bad for my mom. We were on our way to get gas and go on a mini trip :(
We are insured & can file a claim with $$ down but our agent at State Farm advises against it. Help please! Thank you!
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 >Isn’t All State suppose to provide rental and fix/replace truck?

Providing rental, not always. Fix truck/Total out truck for FMV, yes.

These things take time. It's been 4 business days. That really isn't that short of a time whatsoever.

If you aren't liking how long All State is taking, you can file a claim with your insurance if you have collision coverage. They'll fix your car and pursue All State.


Title: Our high school is taking away our access to the parking lot and searching cars!

Question:
My charter high school in California is not allowing any students to access the parking lot during school hours! They do not mention it on their website but they not only cut off access to the parking lot, but the entire front of the school which has ALWAYS been a major hub for people going from class to class or hangout during lunch/between classes. [Here is a map of the restricted areas I made](http://imgur.com/a/8jR4x)

 This rule just went into effect this week and the entire school is angry about it, but we haven't been able to get the rules changed. Here is an explanation of the rules posted by the school on their website.

>After a lot of discussion that included our staff, campus supervisors, administration and local law enforcement, we have decided to restrict student access to the parking lot during the school day.  This will be a major change for students but one that we feel will greatly increase the safety and security of our campus

>Students will not be allowed in the parking lot with the exception to the beginning and ending of their school day.  At the end of each block, the lower parking gate of the student parking lot will be open for 15 minutes to allow students to leave as long as they have completed their school day.  The lower gate will be open for an additional 10 minutes at the end of lunch for students whose school day has ended but chose to stay on campus for lunch.

>The lower gate of the parking lot will be reopened for student athletes returning to campus at 2:20 PM

>Students who need to retrieve an item from their car for educational purposes will require a pass from their teacher and will have to wait until class begins.

>The times that students will be allowed to leave campus is as follows:

>After First Block 9:00-9:15

>After 2nd Block 10:50-11:05

>After 3rd Block  12:30-12:45

>After Lunch  1:10-1:20

>After 4th Block  2:40

>The gate will be opened for students who display an off campus pass issued by the attendance office.

>***Students waiting for a ride must wait inside the school gates or at the back of the school in the drop-off/pick-up area.

**Students who are found in the parking lot during times they are not allowed to be are searched, their backpacks are searched, and THEIR CARS ARE SEARCHED.**

How legal is all of this? I feel like the school needs probable cause to search your car. These new rules restrict students freedoms massively and there only cited reason is
>we feel will greatly increase the safety and security of our campus.

One girl got called into the office today for collecting signatures on a petition to change the rules.

How can we stop this? How can we the students band together to make a change?

**EDIT: For the people that gave me legal advice thank you it is much appreciated! For the many of you that acted condescending towards me and other users, Fuck you I'll reply to each and everyone one of you the day I get these rules changed. Down voting respectful and serious questions is a testament to shitty people that browse this subreddit. The same shithead admins that made these rules are the same type of people that browse this subreddit.**

Answer: The school is doing nothing illegal.  This is not a legal issue.  Take a law class or ask that one be offered if it is not currently.


Title: Landlord sending people to apartment without accompaniment.

Question:
NYC
I'm asking for my girlfriend, but essentially what's happening is.

-Lease is up at the end of the month.

-Landlord sends people (1 or 2 a week) to walk in to the apartment WITHOUT SUPERVISION (So, yes a stranger just walking in with a key, and all)

-They were all told that it's vacant so they're puzzled when they see everyone home.

I just want to know how normal/legal this is. Nothing bad has happened, but It just doesn't seem right to have a stranger walk in with a key, and try to look around without the landlord present.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: Have you informed your landlord that you are still occupying the unit and that it is not in fact vacant?


Title: US - Alabama. Why would a company re-incorporate as a new entity every year?

Question:
I'm considering buying a local 'flipped' house.  When investigating the tax history I can see that it's owned by an LLC - that's fine and makes sense.  But when I investigate the holding company on the state's entity search I see that they dissolve the corporation each year and reincorporate with the current year as part of the name. They use the same registered agent and details.

Is this something to be wary of?  Mostly thinking that if something is seriously wrong with the house this is a way of avoiding any recourse by saying the company that fixed and sold it doesn't exist anymore.

Am I being paranoid?

Answer:
 > Is this something to be wary of?

YES. That's sketchy as hell.

It's hard to guess what they might be up to -- maybe it's a way to try to deflect liability, like you're suggesting, although I'm not sure that would work very well; maybe it's a tax evasion scheme; maybe the owner is just weird -- but I would err on the side of caution and look elsewhere.


Title: Legal work for business contracts by paralegal

Question:
Hi, I am a software consultant in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and am looking for someone to consult with and produce legal documentation. Stuff like writing/reviewing business contracts... Is this something a paralegal can provide?

I used to work with an easy going lawyer. We'd meet at coffee shops and she worked on her own. She is off starting a family now... Looking for a similar experience. Any idea how to go about finding these boutique kind of legal services?

Answer:
 Ask your old lawyer for a recommendation.  Ask other business people for a recommendation.  If you use an accountant, ask him/her for a recommendation.

What you describe is beyond the sphere of competence for a typical paralegal.  Also, in most jurisdictions this would constitute the unauthorized practice of law by the paralegal.  If down the road you need a threatening letter on a law firm's stationery, or a court appearance, the paralegal won't be able to provide that.

Whatever lawyer you end up with may make use of a paralegal on some projects, but there is real value to having an actual lawyer overseeing the work product.

By analogy, think of a routine dental visit - you might spend the bulk of your time with a dental hygienist,  but there is real value to the 3 minutes that the dentist spends examining your teeth and x-rays at the end of that visit...the dentist is trained to see things and understand things that the hygienist isn't.


Title: Legal Name Change With Non-Letter Characters

Question: I was wondering if it is possible for someone to legally change their name to something that contains characters which are not part of the alphabet, such as a dollar sign, an at symbol, or an exclamation point. I can assume not, but I wanted to be sure.

Answer: Even if it were legal, it would cause no end of problems. Most computer systems can't handle that stuff, so you will have no end of problems using this name on social security cards, tax records, bank accounts, utility bills, employment systems, and on and on.


Title: I have a name I'd like to use for my Twitter that I would also like to use for a company later on in life. Should I wait to use the name until I can trademark it so people can't steal the name, or is that something that should even be of my concern? [US] [TX]

Answer:
 You can trademark it immediately. There's no time period that you have to wait first. That said, if you DIY a trademark application you're highly likely to screw it up and either get it rejected or get a trademark that won't actually protect you (because if you don't do it right, what you end up with isn't worth the paper it's written on).

Answer #2: Go ahead and get the twitter handle now, even if you're not trademarking it at the moment, just to prevent someone else from getting it. Do the same thing with all other social media platforms

Some of them, like Facebook, will make you go in, every now and then, and visit, just to keep it active.

Also buy your domain name now. I also recommend that you buy any very similar domain names that a competitor might snatch up and try and confuse people with in the future. (This happened with a client who doesn't own a trademarked company because his business name is too generic).

For example, if your domain name is bestpopcorn.com you may want to consider buying thebestpopcorn.com too just to prevent someone else from buying it. Google domains is a good place to buy from - $12 for .com's.

Avoid buying domains with dashes and that sort of stuff. It only confuses people. Answer #3: Establish the brand identity as soon as possible. No matter how clever the name, there are always other people who will think of it, and you don’t want them googling and deciding it’s free because no one else is using it. Go ahead and buy the domain too while you’re at it. The more present you are, the less likely someone else is to decide it’s a good name for their business.


Title: Advice for initiating a lawsuit against a physician who, through blatant negligence caused permanent blindness

Question:
I have a friend who I wish to help, and I have no idea how to go about it. She's a woman in her forties who lost vision in her right eye due to an accident with a burning ember. Her eye socket was badly burned and she became *mostly* blind in that eye. Her first physician treated her with some type of steroid eye drops. She was prescribed the drops and told explicitly to use them *only* with her damaged eye, and to never under any circumstances apply them to her good eye. Fast forward approximately two months, and my friend was given a new doctor. I'm unsure about the details and reasons for the switch; all I know is it had something to do with her insurance, and she had no choice in the matter. So, she meets with her new doctor and the new doctor examines her, and studies the details and background of her case. This woman doctor then decides that my friend should continue with the same medicine which she had been prescribed previously by the first physician, but with one major difference: she was told to use the steroid eye drops in *both* eyes. My friend objected, and she did so in a very adamant and serious and confident manner. "But Doctor So And So specifically and very plainly told me in no uncertain terms that I was to never, never, *never* put those drops in my good eye. He told me over and over, he really drove the point home and he underlined it emphatically that I was to not let those steroid drops get anywhere near the other eye." And so on, etcetera. Somehow though, this new physician eventually managed to convince my friend to disregard entirely what the other doctor had told her. And this was evidently a rather BIG and LOUD sort of conversation the two of them had, almost verging on a heated exchange. But in the end my friend submitted to the new physician's orders. She was a doctor and she knew what was best. So my friend returns home, puts the medicine in both eyes, and goes to bed. When she awakens in the morning the world is blackness. She is blind. I won't go into the aftermath, the bottomless depression, the sense that her life had become a terrifying nightmare, the *endless* crying, etcetera. Suffice it to say she suffers *enormously*, and the fact that she caved in and ignored her own instincts only adds a whole other hell-factor to it all. To make matters even worse, she's living with an abusive and horrible man who she had a kid with. He's completely drained her bank account since the blindness, he's hit her on at least one occasion that I know of, and once, when she meekly stood up to him and refused to do something for him involving her bank, he kicked her out of his car and left her alone and stranded in the middle of downtown Seattle. "Get out and find your own way back." I could go on but I won't, suffice it to say that her life is an unbelievably bleak and an abysmal mess. No one has helped her with *any* this, and she lives her life in fear. So, I'm wondering how to proceed. I'm going to do absolutely everything I can to assist her, but I don't know where to begin. Would a contingency lawyer be prone to rip her off to the fullest possible degree? My working hypothesis to that question is a very strong YES, and I'd be grateful if any honest and knowledgable person could please explain how that scenario might play out. And lastly I should mention that proving all of this is a piece of cake. No problem there with any of it. Numerous witnesses saw and heard and were present when this second doctor gave these harmful directions to my friend at the hospital. So there won't be any problem with that. She has written proof as well, in the form of a prescription and in the form of this doctor's hand-written note.

And I do apologize for the breathless and unorganized text; I just let it all pour out as plainly as I could. And again, I would be grateful if any knowledgable person were kind enough to help with advice or information or just honest help or ideas in any other form.

Answer:
 If she wants to win a medical malpractice case, she needs a lawyer who specializes in such things. Period. Answer #2: She needs a medical malpractice lawyer. Most will take cases on contingency. That's normal. Med mal cases are incredibly expensive to bring and a lawyer that only get paid when you do is saying they think you have a strong case because they don't want to put time and money into a case they can't win because then they won't get paid.

As of right now you have proof of exactly nothing. You know that the doctor said put them in both eyes. A lawyer will need to determine if that actually breaches the standard of care. It will also need to be determined what caused the blindness. Just because she added drops to her good eye for one day doesn't mean that caused the blindness. Med mal isn't that something bad happened. It's that a doctor breached the standard of care and it caused damages.


Title: [Montreal, Canada] Purse Stolen While Attending Event

Question:
A friend of mine had her purse stolen a few weekends ago while attending a fundraiser for a cancer organization.  She's attended the same fundraiser year after year, and the organization instructs all volunteers to leave their personal belongings (e.g., purses, backpacks, cell phones, etc.) on a table in a secured room  behind the scenes (away from the general public).  She even has the instruction to do so in an email from the event organizer.  However, at some point during the event, the door to the room where the personal items were stored was left open and someone took her purse.

The head of the event said to file a claim against my friends personal homeowner/renters insurance so that my friends insurance and the establishments insurance could work it out.  However, my friend doesn't have homeowners/renters insurance since she moved a week prior (back to her parents home) and cancelled her policy.  Since the event occurred during a period where she lacked coverage, what can she do?

My friend is claiming $4000 CAD of stolen property (e.g., expensive purse, iPhone 6, gift cards, etc.).  The head of the event emailed her recently saying if she doesn't have insurance then tough poop and maybe next time she should be more careful with her belongings or not bring so much expensive stuff to an event.

Any advice you can lend is much appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

**TL;dr** Purse was stolen at a charity event after being instructed by the organization to leave her purse in a locked room.  Asking $4000 CAD to replace stolen items.

Answer:
 If she was living with her parents, she should be covered under their homeowners policy.

I'm not convinced they're the right people to be going to with this, but it would make sense to call that insurance company and talk with them about it.


Title: (TX) Firefighters kicked down my door, and now I am being charged for door repair

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Why would the fire department pay for the door?  They heard a fire alarm going off, you *did* create smoke / indicators of fire and you apparently had a medical emergency (or side effect from drug and alcohol abuse).  They were justified in kicking in your door.  What would you have had them do?Answer #2: No, the fire department isn't going to pay for that.

Also, if you are too drunk to wake up to a fire alarm going off and fire fighters pounding on your door, maybe you should consider getting help for that. Answer #3: Yeah. You don't pass out unless 1) you have a medical emergency or 2) your "medical emergency" is self-induced. Assuming the latter, you're paying for this. If the former - well you're probably also paying but I suppose it might be covered under rental insurance.


Title: I posted in a porn board on 8chan, supplying my email, and someone responded to that with a 12 year old girl in a suggestive pose completely naked Now googling my email up takes you to a thread with child porn in it. What can I do to get the post removed?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Sure! There is an easy and quick way to get it taken down. Report it to the FBI! Although, that will also lead to a B& and V&.


Title: Parents kicking me out of house

Question: I'm a 32 y/o male who is battling a number of autoimmune diseases. I've been living with my parents for almost 2 years now due to these health issues. For a variety of reasons, they want me out of the house by this Sunday. I do not pay rent. Do I have any recourse? All I want is a bit more time for me to be able to find an alternative place to live. I don't have friends nearby that I could stay with.

Answer: You don't have to leave by Sunday. You're a tenant and they need to give you the required notice.


Title: [VA] Former teacher is being spammed with Freedom of Information Act Requests as a form of revenge by the disgruntled parent of a former student.

Question:
Long story short, I was in a school music program with a fantastic teacher. This program apparently upset a parent a few years ago when a clerical issue caused her to pay too much money on something, I'm not sure about the details.

This issue got worked out, but for the past few years, she has been spamming the teacher with Freedom of Information act requests to see what the program's money is going towards. They are incredibly time consuming (he has to set aside entire days at a time to complete them) and she sends them once every couple weeks. This continues on into the summer, when he isn't working and is trying to vacation with his family. I'm curious if anything can be done about this, because she seriously is disrupting the education of 200 or so kids every time she decides to request one.

Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 The teacher should take it up with his/her union reps and school administrators.

Theoretically though, the teacher should be tracking what money is spent on and what not.  It shouldn't be too time consuming to keep a running balance sheet going.  Answer #2: This is really why he has a principal, a superintendent, and a district legal counsel.  He should escalate the nuisance and let administration try to handle it.


Title: Is it legal to confine minors to solitary because they have an "high elopement" risk?

Question:
I work at a "school" for foster kids and kids w/ minor mental health issues, in TN. This is a resident campus (Meaning they live there). Out of all the grotesque things I have issues with, the worst is their "elopement" Precautions. I've been there for only a few months and know little of the field so maybe it's just the "nature of the beast" but I want to be sure. For the last 4 months five kids (ages 13, 13, 15, 16 and 16) have been kept in a room no bigger than a gas station convince store, 24/7. The other kids get to go to school (The building adjacent) but none of them are allowed to wear shoes (Only flip flops). Almost all have foot fungus, soiled socks and even some with more concerning foot infections (Cheap torn slides mixed with winter rain will do that). I get that it's a dumb way to deter them from running but for the ones that have to endure all that time in the same small place (Those 5)...smh even in federal prison, inmates get yard/rec time to see the sun...I'd be dead set on escape myself. Just seems inhumane and if it isn't against a law, it should be.
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 NAL.

My workplace also confines children due to risk of elopement; though this isn't strictly enforced all day everyday. My workplace is very strict in regards to following laws- confinement for personal safety isn't illegal.

As someone that also works with children that have a condition, I willingly take the risk of not confining a child- but I'm sure there'd be legal reprocussions if something happened (so I understand why some people/practices won't risk it).

Not sure about the untreated foot-health issues though. I feel like that's some kind of neglect.