Question: Can my estranged, narcissistic mother legally withhold my money that I inherited from my father's will unless I meet up with her? I do to want to meet her, but sent me a long text explaining that she won't give me the money unless I meet up with her.

Answer: Consult with an estate lawyer and ask them to write a demand letter if you are 100% sure it is part of a written will. Answer #2: If her excuse is she needs to verify your identity, send a notarized letter with a PO box address she can send your check. Also verify with the local courts where your father died that she is the executor of the estate. If you find it to be someone else just contact them.Answer #3: No, she can't impose requirements like that. But if she's not forthcoming on her own you'll need a lawyer to assert your rights. Answer #4: Have you seen a copy of the Will? Are you sure she's named as the executor? A will generally has to be filed in court (and it's not valid until it is admitted to probate). If it was filed in court, it's public record, so you can get a copy of it without talking to her. Then, the answer is no, she can't hold out on you. She has a fiduciary duty to administer the terms of the will. If she doesn't, you could petition to remove her as executor. Answer #5: If you give on this there will be issues in the future as well. As others have explained, if there was a legal will that is being executed, there are several ways to avoid the personal meeting.


Title: Can I change my last name back to my maiden name before/without a divorce?

Question:
I am in GA.

My husband and I are thinking about getting a divorce. I am 99% sure I want one, he thinks we should give it more thought.

I would like to go ahead and change my name back to my maiden name so that I can apply for citizenship with my maiden name.

Everywhere I've seen, I need to get divorced before I can change my name, but he doesn't think I should need a reason to change my name.

If it matters, we got married in the Philippines.

Answer: A name change is much easier during divorce.  You can change your name at any time, but the court requires a reason for it and the judge can approve or not.  Divorce is basically a guaranteed approval for a name change.  "I'm thinking about a divorce but I'm not sure yet and want my legal paperwork to be a total mess" isn't.Answer #2: You usually get a free name change in a divorce. You will have to pay to get a name change prior to that.


Title: What can I do about people trespassing my backyard

Question: Behind my backyard is a grocery store parking lot separated by a 6ft brick wall. Today I caught a kid trying to steal empty bottles out of my recycling bin. As soon as I stepped outside he jumped back over the wall into the parking lot. I will be reporting it to the local police station. I’m trying to get in contact with the grocery store but I think I might as well go there and speak with the manager. I do have security cameras set up to record when detecting movement but unfortunately It doesn’t happen all the time. It has difficulty detecting movement through a window but we do not want to place it outdoors. Anything else I can do to prevent this from happening again.

Answer:
 Not legal, but anecdotal advice: My childhood home was relatively close to an unmarked trail that would result in some trespassers. My parents picked out some big, prickly bushes and planted them on the edge of the property line.

After they grew for a bit, we had significantly less trespassers. Maybe you could do that as a deterrent, and then you also wouldn’t have to look at a brick wall. Answer #2: Are there visible 'private property' or 'no trespassing' signs anywhere on your property?

What state are you in?


Title: Property Management Company was scammed, they want me to pay for rent

Question:
Hello,

I'm currently getting ready to move to a new apartment when I received an email from the property management company for our current apartment regarding them being scammed out of rent money by the previous apartment manager. The previous manager used their personal gmail account to send and receive leases/lease renewals, maintenance requests, towing notices, payment notifications, manage their paypal account, etc...  I would agree with them on the scamming part if this person didn't do all official correspondence from this email.

New management is now claiming that any payments sent through paypal, which there were links to on their website and sent via the previously mentioned manager, were stolen and are now seeking that we repay them. I have an almost complete payment history, only missing our first payment, with payment receipts from this gmail account that was used for all of their business. I haven't made a payment in over a year since we paid off our lease back in may 2019 since there were rental prepayment discounts.

As far as I am concerned, this is an issue between the management company and their previous apartment manager, especially since it has taken over a year for them to not notice they aren't getting any money from anyone?????

State this has happened in is West Virginia. Thanks for any responses!

Answer: This is not your issue.  As long as you have receipts for the payments made in the manner that was acceptable to them you can tell them to pound sand.  Their issue is with their employee and their embezzlement of the funds.


Title: Should I call the cops on my noisy neighbors?

Question:
It’s 12:01am. The bass thumping of their music has kept me up for an hour and a half already. No open windows, a fan on high, a noise machine running, and  I can hear is their bass 😫

I live just outside city limits in the county. I’m also not sure which neighbor it is. Can I  call the cops? What do I say???

Edit: updated time

Answer: I've made this call. The cops showed up sooner than the community's security service. Neighbours instantly stopped and, more importantly, never did it again. Go ahead and call, but maybe make sure which neighbour it is first.


Title: [FL] quick question about business refusing to give me change

Question:
Shady tow truck company that only accepts cash took my money and refused to give me change. I am owed 10 dollars.

What law might be broken here? Because I plan on pressing charges. After I have the money I was given a receipt saying I only paid the owed amount. When I asked for my change they said they "don't give change".
I have a feeling as soon as I start this process they will offer to give me the 10 dollars, but it's not only about the 10 dollars, it's about the predatory nature of this company. They treated me awfully.

Thank you for any advice. I called code enforcement and they said tow companies in my area have no sort of loophole allowing them to not give change. They said they would help me get my money back but that just doesn't feel good enough. It was stolen from me.

Answer:
 Code enforcement offered to help.  Let them help.  Answer #2: That’s awful. Think about it, if this company doesn’t give change, they probably owe a ton of people $10 dollars. It’s just $10 for you and just $10 for your neighbor, but for that company it’s just straight profit, and it’s probably adding up to a lot of money. Answer #3: Pay the $130 filing fee to sue them in small claims for the $10. You’d better have good evidence.

Netting -$120 is like cutting off your nose to spite your face, though.


Title: Docking paychecks: legal?

Question:
Hello all,

I run a moving and junk hauling business in New Jersey and I would like to know if it's legal to dock crew member's paychecks for not completing basics aspects of the job like locking up their trucks and not leaving junk in the cab. I've begged and pleaded with them for months to not do stuff like this and it's in one ear and out the other so I'm highly frustrated and need to starting getting their attention.

I'm getting ready to propose a time docking protocol. For example, you lose on hour of pay for leaving junk in the cab, one hour for every ten minutes late to work, etc. Before rolling this out, I want to make sure it's legal to do so.

Thanks for your help!

Answer:
 That's not legal.  There's a rate of pay and your employee is to be paid for the work he does.  If it's not up to your standards you can fire him.

You can also reduce his rate of pay or reduce his work hours.  But if you've been telling him this stuff for months and he doesn't care, maybe it's time to just fire the guy.


Title: My ex is on my phone plan still, she is making excuses not to leave or pay

Question: My ex and I were common law. She broke her phone and needed a new one so i put her on a share everything plan on my plan. She cheated on me twice so i left her, now that we are separated she wont pay for half. And is also refusing to pay the 300 dollars to get her half of the plan put in her name since she has no credit. I have tried to reason with her saying she needs to pay half before it escalated to having to be a legal matter. I dont know what else to do here

Answer: Call your carrier. Tell them to remove her from your plan. Write off the debt - it's not worth pursuing. Tell her you've removed her and that she'll need to get her own phone plan. Problem more or less solved.


Title: My dad just died, he quit his job yesterday and cashed out his 401k, and his retirement and was going to travel. He was 43. We have to sort out his will post. What do we do?

Answer:
 The funeral home is going to ask you (or already has) how many copies of the death certificate you want. Say a big number, like 10 or 15. Because you will need a copy for the phone company, one for the landlord, one for the electricity, and so on. And it's easier to ask for more in advance than to get them after the fact.

Also know that you can still shop around for funeral homes. If he's at a funeral home now, they ALL charge a "rent" fee per day for storage. But some places may well have less expensive funeral home costs than others, not only for the "rent," but also for the casket, cremation charges, grave, urn, everything.Answer #2: First and foremost, it's okay to take time to grieve.

You can look up some 'What to do' checklists online that are quite helpful. Funeral homes often have good resources that can guide you through the immediate and later steps as you handle the estate.


Title: Someone is claiming I caused them back injuries which ultimately required back surgery, but it seems ridiculous and orthopedic surgeons on Reddit agree. Could I get an ortho surgeon to testify for me in court?

Question:
Let's call the person suing me "John". When I described in full detail the situation on Reddit to two orthopedic surgeons, they thought "John's" claims (of me having caused back damage so severe that surgery is now necessary) were ridiculous and even laughable. Furthermore they believe that the back damages were likely obtained from another way not even involving me, and that "John" premeditated the situation and suing me so that his surgery would be free.

Now I am thinking of seeking out a local orthopedic surgeon and asking their opinion, and seeing if they agree too. And maybe asking them to testify for me in the court case.

Is this something doable and if so what are the proper steps I should follow?

Answer: If you have been sued for medical claims, then you probably need an attorney.  It would be silly to pay for a medical opinion and not have a lawyer presenting it.  If the suit was involving a car or your home, then you should talk with your car or homeowners insurance.


Title: Can someone ELI5 the difference between an employment contract and an employment agreement?

Question: I'm on this sub all the time and always think I've figured out the difference, but I once tried to explain the two to someone on here and was told I was very wrong. If someone has a minute, would you mind laying out the legal differences between the two?

Answer:
 There isn't a legal distinction; agreement & contract are synonyms in that context.  Laypeople often assume that "contract" is some kind of magic word and using another term makes it something else.  It isn't.

Either you have a written instrument that defines the terms of your employment that meets the legal definition of a contract, or you don't.  If you don't, then any promises that were made to you are unenforceable.


Title: [California] Given one more paycheck after resigning, can the former employer legally reclaim it?

Question:
I quit my job, and got my last real paycheck. One pay period later another paycheck (direct deposit) of the normal amount showed up. I received a call from HR a week later that they forgot to update something internal, and they were going do a deduction back from my savings account, and have done so.

California Labor Code §221 seems to say unless for tax or insurance reasons, it's not legal to reclaim wages.

Links in here seem to support this: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/hr-qa/pages/california-wageoverpayments.aspx

Am I valid to pursue reclaiming the paycheck due to the employers error?

Answer: A wage is something you earn for doing work. This was not that, thus it is not protected.


Title: Dropped off computer now out of business

Question:
I dropped off my computer at a computer repair place. They called to tell me it was ready. I arrived within their business hours to find it closed. I have since returned every day for three weeks at varying times to always find it closed. Now the phone line is disconnected.

I'm worried they have gone out of business and I don't know what to do. Is there anything I can do to get my stuff back?

Answer:
 Sue them in small claims for the value of the computer.

Find the legal name of the company, have the local town clerk locate the business license and serve the owner(s). Also might be on the Division of corporations.


Title: (KY) Me and some friends crashed a car under the influence.

Question: Me and my friends decided to sneak out with his, well call him Greg, car. Greg and i are good friends who had a class together last year and had kept in touch throughout the summer. Me and my other friend, well call her Gabriella, wanted to hang out and smoke and knew that Greg had his permit. We are all minors btw. Greg wants to bring his sister so he can smoke and she can DD, mind you she’s the youngest one. So we’re all having a good time in the back smoking and stuff and Greg gets mad at her about going too slow so Greg gets out and starts driving. So we’re on our way to drop me off with me being quite far from their houses and he loses control of the vehicle and we crash upside down in a ditch. Nobody was seriously injured except for Greg’s sister with a hip bruise and Gabriella with a broken finger. The thing is i supplied the weed. How much trouble is the absolute most we could get into? We’re all under the age of 17.

Answer:
 Oodles.  The legal answer to 'how much trouble could we be in' here is OODLES.

Greg has a DUI and was operating the car wtihout a license.  Those are both serious misdemeanors that can carry jail time.

The sister was only operating without a license, but that, again, could be up to 90 days in jail.

You could be charged with distribution, though hopefully you four didn't go through 8 ounces in the night, so it's still a misdemeanor, but one that can absolutely carry jail time.

At the moment, only Gabriella is not in DESPERATE AND IMMEDIATE need of a criminal defense attorney.

You need to tell your parents NOW.   You each need to get your own separate attorney to start working on plea deals that will either reduce the charges or divert the prosecution.   With the help of a good attorney (YOUR OWN, NOT SHARED!   Remember, the best thing for Greg to do is to say "If you let me off on one of my multiple charges, I'll testify against my 'drug dealer.' ") you have a good chance of getting out of this without incarceration...  but without a lawyer, you're probably going to jail.


Title: Adverse possession question: I think I may have some claim to a piece of land adjacent to my house. How do I go about claiming it and is it worth it to do so?

Question:
I apologize in advance if this gets a bit long...this is in TN btw.

in 2012, I bought a house that used to belong to a family friend years ago. They sold it in 1992 and it has had 2 other owners before we bought it. As you can see in [this diagram](http://imgur.com/M7eU34C) I made, my house sits next to a creek & some woods that are privately owned but that has no dwelling or structures on it, aside from a rickety old wire fence that runs along the front of the creek on the side closest to my house. Basically it's just a little stretch of woods separating my house from a nearby street.

Recently I had our friends (the former owners) over for dinner. We hadn't seen or spoken to each other in many years, and they wanted to come over and see their old place. While we were talking about the house, my friend asked if the old rickety fence running in front of the creek was still there. He told me that he had put that fence up years ago with the intention of using adverse possession to gain control of that section of the woods after 6 years (which I guess is/was the time requirement for adverse possession in TN) but ended up selling the house a year or two later.

As I said, the fence is (mostly) still there, although it has been weathered and has fallen down in some places. The owner of the creek/woods property is a semi-infamous former politician from my community. I originally thought this was city property, but I learned that it was privately owned by this individual when I called the city last year to report a dead tree on this property that was in danger of falling on my land.

Upon finding out who owned it, I called the politician and, after much cajoling, he finally had someone come out and cut down the dead tree. Aside from that one instance, no maintenance has ever been performed on this property as long as I've lived here. My friend told me that the politician bought the land (possibly from the city) because some Civil War relics were found there. The politician had all the relics dug up, donated them to the city & has really done nothing else to maintain the property in as long as anyone can remember.

So, my question is: since that fence is still there, do I now have a claim to this section of the property? The fence does not connect to my fence but it does connect to my property line. I'm not sure how I would go about claiming it or if it is even worth it to do so. It would add to the size of my lot, so I guess it would increase the value, but I'm just not sure of the pros & cons involved.

Any lawyers out there have any insight for me on what I should do in this situation?

Answer: Do you have a family crest? If so, make a flag and place it on the highest tree.


Title: [DC] Suing a client for non-payment of a bill

Question:
I have a client for my consulting side business that was billed around $2000 for some work on their website and hosting server back in December. They previously had paid their bills on time so I've given them quite the pass. In addition they had been communicative leading up till now and said it was an issue with their bill payment system, but they just stopped responding to emails and still have not paid. I have extensive documentation of the work requested by them, the quotes provided by me, their acceptance, and the proof of the work being finished.

I don't think I have a choice other than to sue them for non-payment, but the problem is they are in Indiana and I'm in DC.

Will I have to file out in Indiana, or can I file here? Is there any way to manage the process remotely? Is there a better option than small claims court?

Answer:
 I think it may be time for another "Megathread" about what you should do in the issue of non-payment when you have legal reason to prove that you are due payment.

Send them a demand letter via certified mail requesting the amount & stating a period for which you would like to be repaid. If they ignore this, you will have to file a small claims suit where your client is based (Indiana as you stated). In the event you don't want to travel, you can contact a contracts lawyer in IN to have them represent you.


Title: [FL] Landlord complaining about new dogs.

Question: I signed a lease this year and moved into this apartment with my one dog in June. A few weeks ago, I adopted 2 puppies. Today, I received a text from my landlord stating "It's been brought to my attention that you have 3 dogs in your unit. We do not allow for that many and it is not in your lease agreement. Please remedy this issue immediately." I looked over my lease and as far as I can tell there is no clause prohibiting me from bringing more dogs into the home. The only clause regarding pets states, "Tenant has 1 dog and is not required to pay a pet deposit. Tenant understands that this deposit is non-refundable." It doesn't mention anything about terms for more dogs in the home. My concern is that while it doesn't say I can't have any more dogs, it also doesn't say I can. Do they have legal grounds to evict me on their terms, ie remaining months of rent in lease due, or is the lease ambiguous enough that they have no legal grounds to pursue?

Answer:
 Your lease says you have one dog. You got two more dogs. You are arguably in violation of your lease, or at least at risk of it. Answer #2: Your lease specifically states how many dogs you're allowed to have. Your landlord isn't wrong here, you are.

You need to either re-home them or work something out with your landlord.

I hope you learned a lesson.


Title: [CA] Family Law (Custody Case) Does TRT Hurt my case for drug testing? also bonus (Harrassment?) question.

Question:
so TRT is testosterone replacement therapy.  I was diagnosed with low T and started receiving hormone therapy from a wellness doctor.  my ex is threatening me and saying she will tell the court I take steroids.   testosterone injection is a form of anabolic steroids, the only difference in TRT is compared to what people look down at steroids is the dosage.  so technically I would test positive for steroids.

Questions:
Do they even test for this?

I don't have a paper script. I just go to the wellness clinic every other week and get my injection. I guess a doctors note will suffice for a prescription?

I can live without it at least for a while so should I stop treatment due to being scared will the judge look down at me even with a script?

bonus question background:

the last 2 girls I dated were messaged by my ex. she basically slandered me saying me and her are still together and that im 2 timing them etc.  definitely ruined 1 relationship, it really messed another one up but I was able to disprove her timeline with the other.  she somehow snoops me on social media to find people liking posts or commenting then messaging them. I have her blocked on all my accounts but I guess she's using a throwaway or somehow is getting the info from someone else.

bonus question: is there anything I can do about this to make it stop? or am I just stuck hoping I can disprove any messages future GF(s) get.

Ive heard that if she keeps messaging them after they ask her to stop then they could possibly get a restraining order, however the damage is not only done at that point and she has no need to keep messaging, but unless it was a pretty serious committed relationship I doubt I could get them to do that. its easier for them to just walk away from the situation and It usually happens before it can get too serious.

Answer: The doctor's note should be fine. If it becomes an issue, make sure you tell the judge that your ex knows about the treatment and knows you are taking the medicine as prescribed and that she's purposefully misconstruing the facts to the court.


Title: PLEASE HELP afraid I could be sued

Question: Hello, I just got fired from zumiez (a retail clothing store). I got fired in part for getting high at work, but also because  one day last week i was alone with my coworker and we were sitting and talking cuz we had nothing to do. It got a lil flirty and I asked her if she was feeling the tension also. She said yes so I put my hand on her thigh and her butt. Multiple times while this was taking place I asked if she was okay with it and she said yes each time. I know it was stupid but it didn’t seem it at the moment. Today I walk into work and my boss told me if I was honest things would go a lot easier and she asked me a few questions, which i answered honestly. I was then fired for the events that took place. I have no problem being fired bc I know what I did was wrong In a workplace but I’m afraid I could be sued for this. Please let me know if I should be afraid and what to do. Thank you

Answer: It is extremely unlikely you will be sued for getting high and playing grab-ass with a willing coworker while on the job.  The complete lack of damages plays heavily into this.  Apply for unemployment while you look for a new job and try to behave yourself at work in the future.


Title: A company is threatening to give my underage brother a criminal record for theft?

Question: My underage brother of the age of 17 signed a contract of employment for a company (that my family and I thought was fishy) and was not informed or let know till a later date that he had signed by my brother that he did. My brother is nieve despite almost being 18 and didn't know that it is illegal to be sign a contract without his legal guardians permission or presence whatsoever. We were told he was going to do telemarketing only to be informed 2-3 days later that he was to be a sales representative selling knives my mom against it told my brother to quit and after a few weeks of arguments he did she confiscated the knives he had (I personally think she threw them away because she was livid but I'm not sure) and now he is threatening to ruin his record by accusing him of theft . I need some advice on how to help solve the situation.

Answer:
 Cutco and Vector are at it again!

Pay for the knives. It's a cheap price for a life lesson.Answer #2: He needs to pay for or return the knives.Answer #3: Ah, I see your brother encountered Vector Marketing.

First, check if your mother actually threw them out. If she didn’t, return them. If she did, offer to pay for them


Title: [US, FL] Can I start a pest prevention business in my area?

Question:
So a few weeks back, I was treating my property with a [bug prevention spray](http://www.homedepot.com/p/Spectracide-Bug-Stop-1-33-gal-Home-Barrier-Ready-to-Use-Easy-Action-Pump-HG-96100-2/203915746?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-BASE-PLA-D28O-OutdoorGarden%7c&gclid=CM-lnKHUps0CFYQ8gQoduBEOYQ&gclsrc=aw.ds) that I got from Home Depot. A neighbor asked if I could spray her property when I was done, and she paid me for it. Then another neighbor, and then another.

So it got me to thinking, can I actually start a business treating homes in this manner?

I know to be a pest control professional (or exterminator) you need to attend some courses and take some tests, which I obviously haven't done. But since I won't actually be exterminating, or hunting down bugs or rodents myself, I'm not sure if this applies in my case?

Any help anyone can give me would be wonderful! Thank you!

Answer: I'm willing to bet there are some laws on the books that prevents someone from running a business that sprays chemicals on people's property without the proper certification.


Title: Dr. Wouldn't Prescribe Insulin Pump or Refer to Endocrinologist. Stated BG had to be under control first.

Question:
My wife, who has been a type 1 diabetic since she was 8 yrs old, now 27, has been in a constant battle with doctors and insurance about getting an insulin pump and/or the continuous glucose monitor (which is now integrated in most pumps).
She now has one and her blood sugar has been the best in her life, it's a night and day difference. However, years were taken off her life span due to docs refusing to prescribe the pump.

Up until about two years ago her and I moved around a lot which caused her to have to switch doctors, so I'll just start from the past two years.

Two yrs ago the medical insurance we had (through my work) was an HMO type. The entire year my wife's blood sugar control was all over the place, she kept asking them if she could see an endocrinologist, and also asking for the pump. They denied offering her a referral, stating they can treat her in house, and kept saying her sugars needed to be under control before they can talk about a pump. We also had insulin pump manufacturers/representatives such as medtronic advocate for us. They called the doctor repeatedly, and faxed paperwork for the doctor to sign multiple times. Dr refused to sign, stated sugars needed to be under control before pump therapy. (The pump is supposed to help get in better control so it never made sense). Wife told Dr that they're taking years off her life by not letting her have the pump. Doc got mad and said he didn't appreciate her opinion about his ability to treat patients.
Then my wife began having vision problems. Her Dr referred her to an eye specialist (he had no prob with that). Turned out she had retinopathy in both eyes, and needed 4 separate surgeries. Her eye doc was extremely pissed that she wasn't on the pump, or at least given the option. He wrote a very good letter to my wife's doc stating the reasons she should be approved for the pump, and strongly suggested that she be referred to an endocrinologist.
After that, we had medtronic try again, the doc still refused to sign it, and still refused to refer her to an endocrinologist.

A year later I was able to switch insurance to blue cross blue shield. She got a new doc, he said he would refer her to an endo but first wanted her to wait 3 months so he could see her charts. 3 months go by, wife brings in chart, doc says she needs to make certain changes and that an endo wouldn't give her a pump until sugars are in better control. So about 6 more months go by, wife continued to see this doc, he was claiming to be prepping her for an endo. Finally my wife went into his office in tears, just asking for an endo referral. He referred her and she had her first appointment about 3 months later.

During the first appointment with the endo he seemed confused about why she was having a hard time getting a pump, he stated "the pump is especially beneficial for diabetics who have a hard time controlling BG with shots!" He explained how it made no sense to him why her past docs would say she had to be in better control of her BG before using a pump, and how our new technology could add years to her life, easier to manage BG, better quality of life (no shots), etc.. He had medtronic fax the paperwork, he signed and faxed it back the same day, scheduled my wife to see an educator to teach her how to use it, and she was wearing it within a couple weeks.

Since she's been on the pump her BG has basically been normal, she has the integrated CGM that alarms when her BG is too low or high. She is extremely thankful to finally have it, she stated she's going to live a lot longer now, and be able to live a more normal life.
She's also still upset that previous docs wouldn't help her get it sooner, and is concerned that too much damage has already been done, saying these past docs took years off her life by not referring her sooner, not recommending the pump to her, and basically not being educated enough to know the pump would've helped her tremendously and wishes she could sue them but doesn't think there is anything she could sue for.

I want to sue the HMO doctor she had. However, I'm not sure this would be considered malpractice, maybe? Do any of you have any legal advice regarding this situation? Is there anything my wife could sue over?

Answer: My girlfriend is a type 1 diabetic and after telling her this story, she is shocked and appalled that your wife wasn't given a pump.  She said that in her experience, endos are jumping at any opportunity to get type 1 diabetics on pumps because it means better A1C and blood glucose management long-term, reducing the patient's chance of developing worse complications over time.  She said your wife needs to find another endocrinologist as soon as possible and recommended talking to an attorney, backed up with multiple medical opinions.  I'd trust her judgement on this as she's been dealing with type 1 diabetes for the last 12 years and has been on a pump for 11 of them.


Title: Can a professor sue me outside of college although I am in trouble with the college?

Question:
I am in college and am 20 years old. I got in trouble with the dean for making some meme videos of a professor and posted it privately as unlisted Youtube videos and shared them to a few people at school and I'm not going to get into it. The dean told me that I theoretically could have gotten expelled. She said  the professor "wants" to press charges on me, I am not sure how true that is. The dean is giving me a couple of punishments which are disciplinary probation, 40 hours of community service, and counselling. This is basically my slight second chance she is giving me. She said that if counselling can prove I am mentally stable, then I can stay in college with no expulsion or no suspension.
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer: Yes the same action can be both grounds for academic discipline and criminal or civil liability. Is it in your case? Who knows.


Title: [CA] I pointed out some illegal clauses in a lease and the landlord revoked the offer. Do I have any recourse?

Question:
I'm looking at new apartments, found a great place, applied and the landlord emailed me a virtual copy of the prospective lease, already signed. While reading through the lease, I noticed some typos and illegal clauses that I brought to the landlord's attention. After doing so, they revoked the offer to rent me the apartment. Is there anything I can do about this? All interactions are documented via email.

In case it's relevant, the clauses I brought up were the ability for the landlord to enter at any time (CA civil code requires reasonable notice), and the requirement that I move out at after the expiration of the lease (the unit is covered by Mountain View's CSFRA which only allows eviction for just cause).
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 >Is there anything I can do about this?

Rent control is complicated and obviously hyper-local.  There's probably not a great answer to this question except from a qualified local attorney.

But probably not.


Title: If I were to leave "brownies" out for a person at work.

Question: So I would like to get this person stoned. I am not going to go into why but let's say that he talks to much shit. If I were to leave some brownies where he sits , and the way he likes food he will automatically inhale said brownies . I will do as discreetly as possible. If he found out who left them there would there be any legal ramifications for doing so even though they were not his brownies and nobody told him to eat them? Thanks for all replies.

Answer:
 You mean poisoning someone? Yes. There are legal ramifications for poisoning people.

You should not poison people.


Title: Threatened with a lawsuit over a Wasp Nest

Question:
I live in a terraced house and part of the guttering and roof between my house and my next door neighbours house has a small Wasp Nest inside of it. With it approaching winter, and the wasps seemingly pretty docile I've not paid it much mind knowing they'll either die off or leave soon enough.

The only way to access this wasp nest is by going into my next door neighbours garden, and working from there as it's on their side in the adjoining wall/roof. Admittedly it seems like they've buried into the roof on my side but without tearing my roof off there's no real way to get to them from my side.

My Neighbour has knocked on our door today and because she is pregnant, she has threatened to sue me and my partner if any damage happens to her unborn child as a result of these wasps.

Without jumping over our adjoining wall and entering her property, there is nothing I can reasonably do about these wasps from my side.

Edit: UK

Answer: Try r/legaladviceuk - that said American common law derives from British common law, and what that means is that generally wild animals, such as wasps, are neither the responsibility nor the burden of any landowner.


Title: Foreign Teacher in Korea with a crazy hagwon boss. I need legal advice to help me get out of my contract ASAP!!!

Question:
I’ve been working in Korea for 4 months now (out of a 12 month contract) as a foreign language teacher. I work at a small hagwon, myself being the only foreign teacher, with 2 other Korean teachers, a receptionist/grader of student work, and my hagwon boss, who also teaches some classes.

Mostly everything has been wonderful about Korea so far. I love experiencing the new culture, making new friends- foreign and native, enjoying the delicious food and nightlife, and bettering myself as a teacher who plans to eventually end up teaching back at home after gaining some more experience.

When I signed my contract I was naive and too excited to start my life and begin living independently. I’ve heard horror stories about bad hagwons but at first mine seemed like everything was perfect. My coworkers were friendly, the school was small with manageable classe sizes, and my boss even paid for the employees’ dinners from Monday to Fridays. It wasn’t until I got to know my boss better and observing him teach some classes that I started to notice his violent mood swings, which have begun to make myself (as well as my coworkers) uncomfortable and unsafe at work. In these mood swings, my boss often becomes very violent and unpredictable. His moods are either extremely happy and giddy, or angry and physically violent. When he’s on his bad side, he throws things, gets up in people’s faces, screams at students and has even gotten physical with them.

The first time I witnessed his physical violence with a student was when I was about 1 month into my contract. I witnessed him throw a student (~14 years old) against a wall multiple times and hold him against the wall by the neck while screaming in his face. I was extremely disturbed by this behavior and have wanted to quit ever since this first happened. Since then, I’ve seen him scream at students, seen students frightened for their safety and heard from students of him hitting them in the face or on the head hard enough to leave marks or bruises. In my 4 months here so far, 2 students have quit this hagwon from this abuse and 1 of those 2 students has sued him (the police showed up at our school asking for him). However, I’m unsure if he ended up paying off he parents or the police. Knowing this, and his unpredictable behavior has made me afraid for my safety, as well as the students’. This is why I want to get out of my job ASAP.

Now, despite that I’ve run into a bad work experience my first year here in Korea, that doesn’t stop me from loving this country and my desire to work here. In fact, I’ve been researching more about teaching positions in Korea, and because I’m a certified teacher, my dream is to work at an international school this September, so I can gain some solid teaching experience before heading back home to start my career with confidence. I’ve even had some interviews with some international schools with positive feedback. The problem is that these international schools want a letter of release from my current employer, before they officially offer me a position.

The bigger problem is that I don’t believe my boss would even consider giving me a letter of release, and he has control over my E2 visa. I was hoping that I could give him a 45 day notice (as stated in our contract) that I plan to quit at the 6th month mark, and that I will need a letter of release for that day. But as I said, I feel that it’s very unlikely he would consider giving me a letter.

The reason I’m so concerned about all of this is that I feel like a crazy person has control over my future career (because he’s got a hold on my visa) and I’m afraid that if I get kicked out of the country I won’t be able to come back to Korea for teaching.

So here’s my plan, and tell me what you think (and this plan will likely be adjusted, after I speak to a lawyer).

Tomorrow, I’m going to consult a lawyer here in Korea about my situation to make myself aware of all my options. I’m also going to get proof of the fact my boss is not paying towards my pension, in case that helps my case somehow (Yes, I know I might have to pay back money in this case, but it’s worth it if it means I can escape this nutjob of a boss and have a potential future of working as a teacher in Korea).

After consulting a lawyer, and if my lawyer agrees, I will tell my boss that I plan to leave at the 6th month mark. I will also ask for a letter of release for that date.

If he refuses to give me a letter of release, then I will tell him I plan to quit on that day with a letter or not. I will then ask immigration to change my visa from a E2 to D10. In the mean time, I can explain the international schools that although my boss won’t give me a release letter, I now have a D-10 visa.

Now I understand that this is probably not going to go smoothly- which is why I’m reaching out for help. I want to know the legalities of this situation and if there’s anything I can do to help myself.

Here are my main questions, in case you have advice or answers already.

- Is it possible for me to cancel my own E2 visa at immigration (without my employer present and 4 months into my work contract), and apply for a D-10 visa?

- Is it possible to get a D-10 visa without a letter of release?

- Some other useful information: my boss hasn’t been paying into my pension plan (I check with the Pension board and can provide proof to immigration). Can I use this against my boss in helping me with my case?

Thank you for sticking through this post. I know it’s long, but I wanted to include as many details as possible to make sure my case is clear. Also, thank you in advance for your advice!!!

TL;DR Working for a physically abusive crazy hagwon boss that has control over my E2 visa and looking to somehow get out of my 12 month contract ASAP.

Answer: He will not give you a letter of release unless he feels like it, and in all likelyhood you will have to exit Korea. I did 3 years in Gangwon-do EPIK, and heard many similar horror stories. Switiching visas against your employer's wishes before the contract is over is very, very difficult. He could even blacklist you from having another work visa for the length of your current contract, if he feels nasty. The law is heavily weighted on the side of the employer. Most people in this situation do the classic midnight run, as Korean law offers few other options. Answer #2: I taught in Korea in 2012 and had 2 shitty hagwons too. So basically you will lose in court if you go up against a Korean. Their justice system is biased and everything will be in Korean so you'll need a translator and money. Do a midnight run and get out of the country the day you next get paid. Then you can always try again but w a public school which is a million times better than any hagwon. Also, you can switch to another country like Japan, China, Vietnam etc if you get blacklisted in Korea.


Title: Not your normal bank error

Question:
I’ve been strapped for cash recently so I took these uncirculated nickels my grandpa gave me years ago to a coin collector. He told me he couldn’t accept them as they weren’t the right type of metal or something so I decided to just cash them in.

I went to the bank and waited for a while while they examined them and then handed me $1000 in cash. I honestly figured they were just worth way more than I thought, because how could the teller fuck up that bad?

I spent around $500 dollars before getting a phone call saying they made a mistake and I had to pay it all back as they can only pay me in face value.

Call me what you want, but I have no moral qualms keeping as I’m completely broke rn. Am I legally obligated to pay it back? They’ve been calling all week, but my balance hasn’t changed nor have they threatened any legal action.

Answer:
 Banks don't buy coin collections.  At no point should you be offered more than face value for anything you take to a bank, this makes no sense to me.  Even if you bring in silver, the bank won't offer you bullion price, they'll give you face value.

The only way this story even makes sense is if a teller bought them from you for themselves at over face value, and that would be something that they would easily be fired for.  If they used bank funds (which at $1000 I can't imagine they didn't), they'd be trying to undo the transaction to prevent being fired, and probably would be once the situation was discovered.  And it would be discovered when the till was counted at the end of the shift.  No other explanation makes sense, and even this one makes little sense.Answer #2: Be sure to post back when they send you to collections and damage your credit.


Title: [Florida] Drug test off the clock

Question:
Hi, a few days ago my company decided to drug test everyone in my division.  The first test came out "inconclusive," so their protocol is to get me to the actual testing lab for a retest. Problem is that I was supposed to get off when they pulled me for a retest,   I did informed them that I was off the clock and they made me drive to the testing lab anyway.

If the test come out negative, then there's no problem. But if the test comes out positive, could I do something about it?

I'm a part time intern.  I do not receive any company benefit.

Edit: I do get paid, but no employee benefit.

Answer:
 >But if the test comes out positive, could I do something about it?

No.

You should be paid for the time it took for you to get drug tested though.


Title: company I work for hasn't paid me for 2 months now wants to work out a settlement for damages

Question: I'm Canadian first off. The company i work for hasn't paid me  for roughly 2 months. I have kept on top of the case and tried working it out with them for this whole time but nothing has happened. In this time they have put stop payment to a cheque they gave me and caused me to overdraft so i got charged for that as well i got charged for the stop payment which i believe is not supposed to come out of my money, I have had to spend money trying to fix the payment issue, and I have had my credit ruined because i haven't been being paid. I have never had credit problems in the past, I have always had it steadily increasing until now when i had to use my credit card because they weren't paying me and it went on so long it went past the due date, so far my credit dropped 120 points from that last time i checked and possibly more this month. I spoke with the company today and told them of the damages and they offered to settle and asked what would make me happy. now most of this problem has been solved so I believe and today they finally gave me a partial payment and people i trust in the company are taking action to get me the rest of what i am owed next week. I have absolutely no interest in taking it to court but i have not told them and do not plan to. But I don't know what a realistic settlement would be for this situation, they just said for me to come up with something that would make me happy so i told them i would think about it and get back to them. So I am wondering if i can get advice on what i should be asking for in the settlement.

Answer: Full back pay plus paying every overdraft and late payment fees a minimum.  I would not be sitting waiting for it, get another job, this one is sketchy and I would not trust any further business checks from them, ask for a bank draft/cashiers check.


Title: Can I use audio from a concealed video in court in Oregon? Involves child abuse.

Question: Just got out of a relationship, with an abusive, alcoholic wife.  During this time she would get drunk, and start calling my daughter (4 years old), a cunt, and a bitch, telling her that her father (me) is a piece of shit, I would quickly open my video on my iphone, and start recording from my pocket, or just having it set down on a table.  I did this to get proof of the abuse before leaving.  I never told her that i was recording, but she is aware of the recordings.  She has the kids out at her parents home, and is withholding them, only saying i can have a supervised visit with her at her parents.  In most of these recordings, i never spoke, just recorded.  This all took place in our apartment.  The recording is a video, but blacked out mostly, or just pointing at the ceiling.  She is obviously intoxicated on these videos.  I've called the police on her twice for drinking, but was always pretty much laughed at by the police.  So my question, is this admissible to court, or CPS to help me with my children.  I'm not worried about being charged with a misdemeanor, because I believe i would be acquitted for not knowing, and the situation, the videos are pretty bad.

Answer:
 > I believe i would be acquitted for not knowing,

Ignorance of the law is no excuse. ~~[Oregon is a two party consent state](http://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/165.540) so you needed her permission to record. CPS might look at them, but a court won't.~~

File for custody, make your accusations. The court can order drug and psych testing if needed. For now, you have equal right to the kid and no obligation for supervised visits until a court says otherwise.

edit: /u/paddypoopoo read further into the statute than I did, and subsection 3 allows for recording by family members in their own homes. So OP would be able to use these in court, assuming they were still married and the recordings were done at home. Good catch.


Title: Family living in shared commercial space--worried about kids living there (NC)

Question:
Location is NC.

I have a shop in a shared commercial space. We all have separate leases for spaces within one store front. We learned a bit ago that one of the other tenants and their family is living in their space (approx 8x10 feet) and in the hallway areas after hours. They do not have a kitchen or a shower (bathrooms are standard commercial bathrooms).

They have 3 school aged kids who are also living there. We don't know how long they've been living there, but it's been several months at a minimum. I don't want to be a rat that gets them evicted, but I'm also getting worried about their kids, who don't even have access to bathing facilities and sleep on air mattresses in a cold hallway every night. Is it possible to report this situation to authorities (CPS or someone else) who could possibly help them with resources to secure housing? Both parents work, and are perfectly nice people.

Answer:
 I worked with a family once who were in almost the exact same situation. Someone called cps, trying to "help." The children were detained in separate foster homes and the parents were given a case plan requiring them to "obtain housing." They were not given help to get the housing - they didn't "qualify" for help since the children weren't living with them.

The younger children were seriously neglected in foster care, and one of the older girls was sexually assaulted. Their parents had never abused them, but the state of Georgia certainly did.

It took the family almost a year to be reunited.

In the situation you describe I wouldn't call cps....Answer #2: Have you talked with the parents at all? I'd recommend trying to problem solve as a community first since the children aren't in immediate danger.

Are there factors that would make contact with law enforcement potentially hazardous to this family? (Ex. Immigration)

Answer #3: I used to live in the back of a car shop when I was very small, maybe 4. It was temporary while my grandparents, who suddenly got custody of me and my 2 siblings, figured out where they would live. I think it was less than a year.

Idk. But do you think they're in danger?


Title: (FL) Is there anyway I can get a restraining order against my husbands ex-wife?

Question:
She hasn't threatened me with physical violence.

She keeps reporting us to immigration saying that our marriage is fake and claiming that I'm mail order. It's starting to delay my citizenship.

She also makes fake online profiles under my name and uses my old pictures that she finds online.

Answer:
 She is allowed to call and make that claim. You can sue her for defamation if you have damages and can show it is not true. Answer #2: > She also makes fake online profiles under my name

This [article](http://www.bicklaw.com/SomeStatesCriminalizeInternetIdentityTheft.htm) is a little old but I don't see anything about a Florida law barring this online. (Some states do have laws against it.)

> and uses my old pictures that she finds online.

The photographers of those photos can issue DMCA takedown notices.


Title: [GA] Name change without parents finding out?

Question:
I apologize if this isn't "legal advice". If not please feel free to give me a pointer where else I could post this.

I'm in my very early 30's. Without going into too many personal details beyond the phrases "abusive childhood" and "narcissistic parents" I decided for my own mental health that I must get away. I already live on my own in another city but both mom and dad are ridiculously controlling and keep worming their way into my life despite all attempts to get them to leave me alone. My plan is to ghost my family by changing my name and moving somewhere out of state and try to start a new life for myself but I'm concerned about the name change part.

All of my research mostly tells me that they would never know I've changed my name, but I noticed that part of the process involves a birth certificate correction. This is bothersome because the Georgia Department of Health website lists the following:

> Birth Certificates are only issued to applicants having a direct and tangible interest, primary immediate family members, or legal representatives of the family.

>However, as explained below, there are instances in which specific documentation is required based on who is requesting the record.

>* The parent(s) named on the birth record- Must provide valid picture identification.

The way the site is worded makes me think that my parents would be able to request a copy of my birth certificate for whatever reason and would see my new name and then track me down that way. Is this possible? If not, is there any way I can actually effectively *legally* disappear from these people so I can live my life in peace? I found a comment on here after a brief search in which someone changed their names, but they didn't update their birth certificate and only had to keep a copy for various reasons though they've not had to use it in a very long time. If that's true am I simply misunderstanding the name change procedure?

Answer:
 I mean if they were that desperate they could probably find the record of the name change in the court records. While name changes can help you disappear, they are affirmatively not  to be used in such a way. If someone needs to find you, there will always be bread crumbs to follow to get to you.

Also, if your name is not terribly unique  perhaps one isn't needed. Answer #2: If your parents are that tenacious, they'll always find a new way to track you. Changing your name might end up being a costly and highly inconvenient waste of time. Nothing will stop them from hiring a private investigator to find you, or following a chain of other public records, or reporting you as a missing person.

Your best bet is to document your parent's harassment and go to the police and treat this like any other harassment situation.

FWIW I was in the same situation with parents. They forged their way into my bank accounts, called up employers, stole the title to my car...big old mess. The only way to deal with it is however you would deal with total strangers doing the same thing. Don't let the police dismiss this because "they're faaaaamily." Keep on making your voice heard, and document, document, document!


Title: Got fired for being a victim of aggravated assault.

Question:
I work as a groundskeeper at a country club. Today after lunch I had a knife (9-10 inches collapsible saw) pulled on me by a Co-worker and was threatened to be cut. After that happened I went to both of my bosses both seemed to not be concerned. At this point it has been about two months of threats and harassment. Two days before this he played a stop and go game with his SUV inches away from me trying to hit me with his car. So towards the end of the day I asked my boss again if he would do anything about it. He then proceeded to tell me that I'm just drama and I'm more trouble then I'm worth. I know GA. Is an at will employment state so he doesn't need to give a reason to fire me. But I feel that after having my life physically threatened twice in one week and wanting it solved is not a decent reason to be fired. I have called the GM of the course and he also does not seemed concerned. I called the police filed a report is there anything further I can do to clean this mess up. That man should not be in public and how are my other Co-workers supposed to be safe? Is there anything I can do like wrongful termination?

Sorry this is my first submission.

Answer:
 File for unemployment and call the police.  That's really all you can do here.

As you mentioned, Georgia is an at-will state which means you can be fired for any reason (or no reason) so long as it isn't for being a member of a protected class.

Neither being "drama" nor "more trouble than you are worth" are protected classes, so there is no wrongful termination here as far as I can tell.


Title: [NE] Can they take my dog if I don't pay for registration?

Question:
Hello all.

For the last 5 years I've ignored those $25/year registration 'bills'. Can I get in trouble or lose my dog if I don't pay them?

Nothing has happened, I'm just wondering so I don't need legal advice.

Answer:
 Probably yes, if for some reason animal control comes in contact with your dog they can seize it and either require you to register the dog or they will adopt out/destroy the animal.  Dog registration laws vary county by county but that would be the standard.  And most likely yes there are fines for not paying the fee, those should be listed on the bills you are getting.

I doubt they would require you to pay the back registration though


Title: WI: Caught shoplifting, don't understand "no contest," need help

Question:
I was caught shoplifting at Kohl's a few weeks ago. A police officer was called. It was my first time (and absolutely will be my last) so I just got a citation. I went to the municipal court and paid the fine the same day. Last week I got a civil demand from Kohl's in the mail. I paid that the same day too. My court date is in a few weeks, but my ticket says that it is not mandatory that I appear. I called the municipal court and they said that everything is taken care of and unless I want to contest the charges I don't have to show up. I am also banned from Kohl's for life; LP said that I could write an apology letter to the store and that I might have my ban lifted, but I did that a few weeks ago and haven't heard anything yet.

My main questions are these: what does contesting/not contesting the charges mean? How does my choice to pay my citation off right away affect that? The officer said that as long as I pay off the citation this will *basically* go away, there will just be a record of retail theft that is only available to law enforcement and not on a background check. Is this true? And do you have any other advice that would help my situation, unless I've done everything I can? I still feel incredibly shameful and guilty about the situation and I want to better it the best I can.

Edit: Based on talking to a lawyer, I think it's important to clarify that I didn't get my photo or prints taken when the citation was written. It was simply a citation and it's going to municipal court I think. I am realizing that it is in fact more serious than I originally thought, but I don't know if that helps.

Answer: Don't take legal advice from police officers. This is probably going on your criminal record, especially if you don't plead not guilty and work out a deal. If you've already paid the fine, it sounds like it's a done deal, though.


Title: [Colorado] Step-son keeps coming home from his dad's house covered in urine or feces

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Definitely document. I would recommend using date stamped photos as soon as he comes home.Answer #2: Document everything.   Photos, notes, etc.   When you make notes, be sure to mention the condition such as if everything seems old or if it looks as if it may have happened in the car on the way over.
Even potty trained kids have accidents when in stressful situations.


Title: [MI] In a group home, is it illegal to post pictures and videos of the residents on social media as an employee?

Question: This girl I'm acquainted with works at said group home. She is constantly posting videos and pictures on snapchat of the members of this home. She's obviously doing it with the intent of poking fun. It's like a "haha these people are retards!" attitude. I feel pretty bad for these people, and I have to assume it's violating some sort of confidentiality law, but is it?

Answer: Report her, along with links to/copies of the posts, to her employer and let them deal with it.


Title: [NL] To what extend is the whole killer clown situation legal?

Question:
A friend said that the whole thing was illegal to do, but I thought that the whole situation was legal to some extend.

For example when a killer clown doesn't follow someone with a weapon but if they just 'accidentaly' scare them.

Answer:
 It's not illegal to dress as a clown. It may be illegal to dress as a clown in an ominous fashion and do things that disturb the peace.  It is illegal to trespass dressed in whatever clothes you're wearing. It is illegal to harass people dressed in whatever clothes you're wearing. It is illegal to hurt and/or kill people dressed as clowns just because you're afraid of clowns.  It is illegal to hurt and/or kill people dressed as clowns on behalf of another person just because they're dressed as clowns.

Having said that, it's utterly stupid to just go around doing stupid things dressed up as a clown because according to the feed on facebook you're going to have another moron acting just as dumb as you put a bullet in your head. No legal remedy brings you back to life.


Title: MESA, AZ Bought a 'As Is' car from seller. Car needed to go through emissions 3 years ago. Can I sue?

Question:
I bought an as is car. I understood it would need a little work, as As IS tends to mean. However I take the title to my local MVD and I learn the vehicle was due for emissions... in 2015.

It's in no state to pass emissions. I know in some counties this means the sale was not legal and you have right to sue. In the city of Mesa do I have that same right?

I almost want to scrap it and come after him for the difference between the money I receive for scrapping it and what I paid. Petty I know but honestly, guy deserves it, he refuses to refund me the money by waving the "As Is" flag even though he was supposed to give me paperwork that the vehicle could pass emissions.

Answer:
 Unfortunately you purchased a car from a private seller “as is“. This means that once you took possession of the car it was entirely your responsibility and no longer that of the seller. Needing a little work or an emission has nothing to do with the “as is” term of the sale. As an “as is” contract, you each performed your part and I don’t see any options for you to challenge the contract /bill of sale.

Arizona law on this means that you purchased the car with no warranty or conditions, unless it was written in your bill of sale. If it wasn’t, you have no recourse. If it was, you do.

You could make an attempt to recover your cost, however I would recommend against it since you would almost certainly lose in any legal proceeding. I would have no idea on what basis you might even make a legal challenge. In the future you may want to have a condition of any used car sale be that the car can be successfully registered and insured.


Title: Being charged for public indecency (car sex in parking lot) after the fact. Texas.

Question:
My girlfriend and I spontaneously decided to have intercourse in the back seat of my car today. We parked in the very back of the movie theater parking lot under the shade of the tree. Around fifteen minutes later, a police car came by and flashed a bright light at us for a good ten seconds, drove somewhere else, and left. I was honestly unsure whether I should take this a warning or not, but we left right away. As we left the lot, we saw another police car, or possibly the same one, drive over to where we had been parked.

Is it likely the officer was giving a warning, or does he intend to use my license plate to charge me later?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 >Is it likely the officer was giving a warning, or does he intend to use my license plate to charge me later?

While he can charge you after the fact, it's more likely than not he was just getting you guys to stop and leave without having to deal with it.Answer #2: If you didn't get cited right then and there, that's the end of the matter.  In the future, have sex in places that are not public and you won't have to worry about this sort of thing.


Title: [CA] Yesterday I received a DUI. The police claimed I was in the driver seat of the vehicle, and claimed I attempted to run out afterwards. However, I have no recollection of this event.

Question: I don't remember or recall the events described by the police. I don't recall driving drunk or ever attempting to flee/resist. How likely is it that they will convict me with this fact?

Answer:
 Police don't usually just make up out of the blue that they pulled over someone they didn't. Did you wake up in a jail cell? If you were arrested, then they must have taken you to the police station, booked you, taken your photo, etc. What's the part you're questioning? That you ran?

You really need a lawyer, and get one who knows DUIs. Don't talk to the police unless your lawyer is with you. You'll want dash cam/ body cam footage if it exists.Answer #2: What do you remember and how did you find out about this?Answer #3: You are asking us to evaluate how likely it is that certain facts happened. None of us were there. But if you don't have a clear memory of the time when it occurred, why would you doubt the police's story? Answer #4: Yeah, getting blackout drunk will do that to you. Are there any mugshots on file from last night?


Title: Contracted Company to Design "Custom Website" and so far each design has been copies of other websites. Costs me close to $5K. (CA)

Question:
Okay so this is a long one and I don't want to get too specific in fear of retaliation from this company. Basically I signed a contract with a local company to redesign my small business website. The contract specifies that payment is made in 2 parts. 1st payment is made to start, and 2nd payment is made once the website is near completion and ready to transfer. When I made the first payment they over charged me. I brought this up and they claimed is was "Sales Tax". They never provided proof as to why.

They eventually presented the first mock up which was a complete copy of a competing company's website. He didn't even make any mention to this till I brought this up and this is when our communication went south. Eventually he made a second mock up and this was once again a copy of a competing company's website. He told me that they are going to make all these changes, etc. to the site. I didn't know what to do because I didn't want to break the contract and have him sue me so I gave him payment for the 2nd and final amount. Again he over charged me but this time is was more than the first charge. He also sent me a receipt not even showing the over charge. I emailed him demanding that the "Sales Tax" be noted, and he did. This is when things really hit me and I realized, I was being screwed. I looked up on the Board of Equalization and have already talked to their specialist and the "Sales Tax" was obviously a way to extract more money from me.

A lot of other exchanges have happened and now he's claiming that I'm being uncooperative. He also recently wanted access to my current website to make changes I told him no. I don't know if he's playing a game with me or what, but this has been causing me so much stress because I don't know what options I really have. I've contacted lawyers but I honestly can't afford it. I've received some consultations but the cost for them to help is really high. This website contract is worth more than the total revenue of my company... I really need help! I'm located in California.

Like I said I can't get too specific because I fear he may retaliate against me...

Answer:
 Well, first, you shouldn't have given him the second payment until you were happy with the website.  Just make sure not to give any more money.

Second, contact your bank.  You might be able to get the "sales tax" back that way.  I'm not completely sure, but I think you can dispute costs when companies charge too much.

I am not a lawyer, so I can't help too much more.  You may be able to go to small claims court, but I would wait for confirmation about that from someone who knows what they're doing.  They're might be some kind of minimum (or maximum) amount of money before you can go to small claims.


Title: Fractured ankle inside Wal-Mart [Illinois]

Question:
The day after Christmas, I stopped at WalMart to pick up a few household things.  As I was walking in, and about to retrieve a cart out of the cart area, I slipped and went down hard, fracturing my ankle.  I didn't think to take pictures, as I was in an immense amount of pain, and was carted away by ambulance.  There was water all over the floor, as my clothes were soaked, and I did not see any caution signs.

My fracture turned out to be an unstable injury, and I had to undergo ORIF repair on Jan 2.  I now have permanent hardware and am unable to walk until mid-Feb.  It sucks.

Walmart has a third-party claims/insurance, for injuries in-store.  I received a call from them last week, stating that they have reviewed what happened to me, and have determined that I am not entitled to any compensation by them.

I have never had to deal with anything legal like this before, so I just need to know what my next step is.  Do I retain a lawyer?  What kind of lawyer?  Does anyone know what the process is like?  I'm just looking for some guidance, as this is brand new territory for me.  Thanks!

Answer:
 You need a personal injury attorney. If your attorney agrees that there's something here, he or she will work for you on a contingency basis... that is to say that you won't pay up front, his fee will come out of your settlement.

Your attorney will look at the whole case, subpoena whatever he can, and negotiate with the insurance company for you. There's virtually no chance this would ever see a court room... PI cases are almost always settled.


Title: Can the owner of my restaurant make me pay for a meal he comped.

Question:
A few weeks ago I made a mistake entering a tip into the computer.  Instead of the tip, I entered the bill total (in my defense, it was March 18, I work in an Irish pub and I worked 13 hours the day before with only a 30 minute break at the 11 hour mark so I wasn't firing on all cylinders).  The customer calls a few days later rightly irate that she had been doiuble charged and even though my boss knew that it was just an honest data entry error the customer could not be convinced so not only did he reverse the charge on the tip, but he reversed the charge for the whole bill to try and appease her.

When my manager pulled me into the office the next day to tell me what happened, he told me that the boss wanted me to pay back the whole amount for the tab, bill plus the tip.  Now I understand giving the house back the tip as that was not my money, but to make me pay for the woman's meal I thought was ludicrous as although I had made a mistake, it was my boss's decision to refund the bill and I don't think he has a right to decide what is done with my money.

Can someone find me some federal or state (Illinois) law which will back me up that I only have to return the amount of the tip?

Thanks!

*edit: I resigned on Thursday for other reasons so no need to focus on if they can terminate me or how to qualify for unemployment.  I was just looking for some legal backup where an employee can't be charged for a bill an owner decides to comp.
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer:
 An employees wages are very much protected by legislation on the federal and state level.  Generally, employers have to pay you everything (minus taxes), every time, period.  Employee errors, screw-ups, equipment loss, etc. are NOT deductible from your wages, even possibly in cases where you've signed something to that effect.  (If what they make you sign conflicts significantly with labor/employment laws, it may not hold up)

See this link for info about Illinois:
https://www.illinois.gov/idol/faqs/pages/deductions-from-pay-faq.aspx

which answers the following question:

"Can my employer take money out of my wages to cover cash register shortages or damages to the employer's equipment/property?

No, an employer cannot deduct money from your pay for cash or inventory shortages or damages to the employer's equipment or property, unless you sign an express written agreement allowing the deductions AT THE TIME the deduction is made. See Section 300.730 and Section 300.820."

What they can do is fire you.  For no reason.  Illinois is an at-will employment state.
https://www.illinois.gov/idol/FAQs/Pages/default.aspx

If, however, they state a reason of why they are firing you, be sure to write it down and date it and the discussion as you remember it.  If the reason conflicts with labor/employment laws or amounts to unlawful termination, you may have recourse.

If they say are terminating you because they don't want you making more mistakes, they're within the law.  If they fire you because you complained that they unfairly deducted the amount of the mistake, then they may be in trouble.

What you have to decide is if you want to/need to keep working for them given what they are asking you to do.


Title: Airbnb won't answer to arbitration or pay fees

Question: Has anyone seen this before? I'm basically in over my head with this legal stuff, but figured I would give it a shot. I have an official case filed with the AAA. The answer deadline came and went yet still the case administration team has received no answer or fee payment. What the hell? Airbnb got what it wanted and now they don't want to play by their own rules? I am in Minnesota.

Answer: It's really hard to know how to answer when you aren't being clear about what's going on. Can you edit your post with the full story?


Title: (FL) After her divorce, fiancée was required to "time share" child with ex. After our wedding, fiancée wants to relocate to SC where I currently live(Active Army), can this be a difficult process to do?

Question: They both currently live in FL and are divorced with a child. They have a "share plan" that the state implemented with their 3 y.o. I guess FL doesn't really believe in custodial parenting anymore and does a 50/50. Now, hes "supposed" to see her every WED and EO weekend, but if he does get her he will only pick her up for the day on his weekend and maybe once in a blue, two days. Currently her ex shares a two bedroom apartment with another roommate(M). He doesn't have a bed or a room for her to sleep in. so when she sleeps over or takes her daily naps, she's usually in the bed with him. This negatively affects the bed training that shes been going through with my fiancée. Every time he drops her off, it takes her a few days to be okay to sleep alone. Either way, my fiancée wants to move to SC after the wedding, BUT i know he s going to fight this. He is spiteful and procrastinates on getting things done especially if they have to do with my fiancée, his ex. My fiancée said he waited until the last few days of the 20 day requirement after getting served divorce papers...this was after two months from the initial mediation. I've been hearing from close friends and people in my unit that FL has some of the strictest laws and hardest courts to fight when it comes to custody. It's making me feel a little uncomfortable, as were getting married in a few months. Im really praying that i can have my future wife with me and her and her daughter being able to move out of state legally. anyone have any experience with this as to how long the process would take and what would be required for the projected end state. Thanks in advance.

Answer: Yes.  She can be blocked from moving out of the state with her child.


Title: Sticky Situation Need Advice

Question:
Basically, I began working for a guy who was involved in the music business I met a lot of the biggest names and got to see a lot of places I even participated briefly on a tour. I saw the manager that I was working for bring in over a half a million dollars worth of cars, jewelry etc but he had an issue with ever paying me for my design work which turned it to business management, product distribution, product design/manufacturing, PR, you name it - even baby sitting. He told me that if I worked with him he'd insure I get a nice car. He'd fly me up to his home (nice three story home)for weeks doing work every other month even though most of what he needed me to do was based on the computer/phone.

I currently and for the last 2 years take the bus to my college 3 hours per way so a car would be greatly appreciated.

He paid me every few months maybe $800 to $1600 and basically used me to do everything he needed to do. I knew he was good for the money but he had to be willing to actually hand it to me because he has a gambling problem, he'd fly me to casinos with him so that I can bring his extra money in my bank acc and then leave me without a dime. (He's lost maybe $20,000 per session and he goes twice a month but he does win every so often)

Even though he does shitty things he's always brought me nice places and tried to network me with A+ clients but it was hard to maintain anything stable without having income. So a lot of unpaid gigs. "For experience"

PROBLEM

After about a year of open running around & asking me to send him cars I want him to get but getting nothing, I begin to save money for my car, he then tells me that he wants me to get a car from someone he's known for twenty years that works at a dealership/has an auction license he tells me to send the money I have over to the guy after we negotiate prices, cars and go down to the specific model sends him license info as requested and when he squires the car on his businesses line of credit I am told to BOA transfer money to his account. I send him the first $3000 which was from my account then the manager sends me $3000 towards it then I added my own $1500 then the manger added his final deposit it all totals to about $11,000 - we were going to square this off as the payment he owed me for not compensating me regularly and owning me a car. After months of daily contact from the car guy and weird stories about the car being shipping three times and sending me to locations to pick the car up but no car being there he gets upset with me because I contacted the companies directly to get some insight on the validity and disappears because he says he's rich and he would never steal $11,000.

I am out of my money, thats a lot of money for a college student and I worked for the manager for over 1 1/2 years and felt like it would have been a waste of my time if I didn't receive something deserving for my time. I was 18 when I started working for him 19 when the car situation started and now I am 20.

I have contacted the police but they're not sure which jurisdiction should handle it so my police case was closed a detective told me to call the police department in the city the guy lives - they route us back to our police department an say that the victim's police department is the starting point and its the detectives job to take the case to them/ same thing bank of america said.

I gave them a file with the car guys name, possible addresses (did a background check) text conversations,phone number, emails/email address, confirmation numbers for each of the the Bank to Bank transfers with the amounts and dates. You can't do bank to bank transfers without proper zip code/name verification and it being an active account. (Bank of America), dealership emails you name it. Photo's of the car etc.

What should I do

Answer:
 this sounds strangely similar to a client of mine and the 'employer' was actually just a super-effective con artist. is this guy still in the picture?  he's not in jail, perchance, is he?

threaten to sue unless you're reimbursed. get $$ if you can and then GTFO.

the way these guys work is they spin tales to get advances or lines of credit or get co-signed to their marks' bank accounts as an 'advisor'. then they wring them dry and move on. this usually involves all kinds of wire fraud and other crimes. accordingly, the proper law enforcement agency to contact would be the FBI.


Title: Bones in Chicken Burrito Bowl at Chipotle

Question:
Thanks in advance for replies: So I had a chicken burrito bowl at Chipotle that had a few pieces of bones in it.  One of them chipped a tooth.  I send them the pieces as they requested and went to the dentist who repaired the chipped tooth for $215.  I submitted the bill to Chipotle and they offered me $450.  Any advice on if I should accept it or not?

I'm in NY.  Happy, LocationBot?

Answer: They paid you more than double what it cost to repair, probably to compensate you for your time/lost wages, and you didn't even need to contact a lawyer. I think you made out pretty well.


Title: [CA] I drew blood from a person arrested for a DUI. I prepped the site using an alcohol swab which would have altered test results, so I had to draw again using correct cleaning agent. Arrestee knew I messed up and will use that to fight the case.

Question: I work in a lab and a DUI came in with a couple officers, so I draw his blood the first time cleaning the site with alcohol swab. I realized what happened and told him I needed to draw it again and he made a huge deal that he felt violated and he already signed consent for the test. He allowed me to draw a second time. Am I going to have to testify? Am I under legal trouble?

Answer:
 It's unlikely he would have a defense against the charge simply because the first draw was done incorrectly. You could be fired for not following procedure.  Answer #2: Possibly and not legally. Your employer could discipline you if they chose to.

At the end of the day, even if the case gets tossed based on your (exceptionally minor) mistake it’s just one of those things that happens. I wouldn’t lose sleep over it.


Title: Potentially terminally ill friend wants to leave her daughter to us should she pass away

Question:
Using a throwaway due to the fact that my main account has my name publicly displayed - and this is a sensitive topic.

My wife worked in a restaurant in Oregon for well over a decade. She made great friends there, and all of these friends watched each other have families and kids etc.  My wife and I have three kids of our own ranging in the ages of 17-11. At the beginning of this year, we left Oregon and bought a house out of state.

Prior to leaving Oregon, one of my wife’s friends took a nasty fall in the restaurant out of the blue - and she hasn’t been well since. This friend has a daughter who is 14 or 15, and since the accident, the two have been living with friends to make ends meet.

Today my wife got a call from the friend and was told that the fall was due to more than just exhaustion or simple illness - and she let on that there was something seriously wrong with her health. In fact, she took the conversation so far as to say that she wants to leave a notarized statement that if she should die, she wants us to take her child in to raise until she is out of high school.

Now that we own our home, we have become the most stable people she knows, and she wants her daughter to be well cared for. Also should add, father is long gone out of the picture. I have a feeling that if we lived closer, she’d probably be living with us at this moment.

So here’s my question: how would we go about making this decision for her stick should she pass away?  We still don’t know what her illness is, maybe she’s coming to terms with it herself. But she’s still mentally sound enough to make this decision, and I told my wife that we would honor her request if at all possible.

But is a signed last will and testament with a lawyer enough to make sure this change of custody happens should she pass?  Or will the state intervene and take the child into foster care if something critical isn’t done beforehand?

I’ll be retiring for the evening, but I’ll respond back to any follow up questions as soon as I’m able. Thank you all in advance for your time.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 It would be best if she can get a lawyer to help her write a will. It can be tricky for a layperson to write a valid one. Often there are organizations that will help write simple wills for low-income folks.  Google for options in her city/county.

But in short, yes, she can name a guardian (you and your wife) for her child in her will. The court has to approve it, but the court generally will. https://info.legalzoom.com/custody-minor-child-natural-parents-die-20730.htmlAnswer #2: The father might create a bit of an issue if nothing has ever been done in family court about him being long gone. Like if he just left and nothing has ever been done in court with him it's a potential issue. If there's child support orders out there, maybe even abandonment found, he's in prison for a long time, or he's dead there's less of a problem. But if he's just out there somewhere and there's no record of his involvement or lack of involvement I would be more proactive about that instead of waiting.


Title: I'm really scared, I lost my wallet that had my social security card in it. Please help! (Nevada)

Question: I lost my wallet that had my social security card in it(I needed it for a new job I was getting hired for), along with my driver's license and a debit and credit card. What exactly can I do now? I froze my credit lines, told my bank about it, and shut down the cards, but if someone has it they can basically do whatever they want to me. I heard under certain circumstances you can get a new SS number issued. I'm fairly young so I don't have a lot of credit history or much of anything in my name, so that wouldn't seem so bad. I've been worrying about it ever since and I probably won't ever stop until I get a sure fire way that no one can access anything of mine ever again.

Answer:
 Take a breath. It's really unlikely anything bad will come of this.

I've had my PII compromised repeatedly over the last decade to no harm, and those were intentional data breaches.

Your wallet probably had the cash taken, maybe the photo ID if you're over 21 and look vaguely like the finder, and the rest in a garbage can.

If a credit card was in there, check your accounts online and report it lost.


Title: [CA] Right in front of me, the valet backed my car into another car. Valet company owner refuses to disclose his business insurance

Question:
While waiting for our car, my family and I watched the valet get into our car and back up into another car.  The damage on the car is minimal, but there is definitely noticeable damage (a small dent and some scratches).  There is no dispute as to liability - both of the valet employees on duty admitted to the accident.

We contacted the valet company owner, and he initially wanted to do this without insurance, which we were fine with.  He wanted us to take it to his friend's shop, but it's located very far from where we live.  Instead, we went to three different body shops that we have used before, and got estimates from all three.  All three were apparently too high for him and he refused to pay.  So, we contacted our insurance company.

We do have a current insurance claim pending against them, but the insurance company is also having difficulty getting the valet owner's insurance information.  He just refuses to disclose it and says that if we want him to pay for getting our car fixed, we have to go to his friend's auto shop in order to get it fixed.

At this point, we are thinking of just getting the car fixed and having our own insurance company reimburse us.  And, obviously, we can just leave it at that.  One reason why we're reluctant to do so, however, is that our deductible is $500, and the cost of fixing the car is going to be between $600-700.  The insurance agent told us that if we go ahead with fixing the car first before they settle this claim, the insurance will only reimburse us if the valet company owner admits liability and they are able to recover from the valet company.

I'm hesitant to proceed with this option because of the way the valet company owner has been acting - he called us today and flat-out said that he will stall until the end of time because he doesn't believe that "this small accident" should go through insurance.  Yet, he refuses to pay us or any auto shop out-of-pocket unless we go to his friend's shop.  So, I have no idea when or even if we would get reimbursed for our deductible if we fix the car first.

Any advice as to any other actions we can take?  Or should we just let it go?

Edit:  Added some more insurance information

Answer:
 Just go through your insurance and let your insurance go after him.  Thats what you pay them for.Answer #2: If the business that the valet was parking for has any risk management at all, they have the valet's insurance information.  That said, don't be surprised if he doesn't have any.

You can tell the owner that you have a right to take the car to any shop you choose, but the insurance company/financially responsible party does not have to guarantee the work outside of the network. That said, most good body shops will guarantee their work anyway.

Your path of least resistance is to let your insurance company handle this.  Alternatively, you can have the damage repaired and then sue the valet service in small claims court.Answer #3: You can get it fixed yourself, then sue this guy in small claims court.


Title: I moved to Virginia with the Navy. My wife and son stayed in NY. Now she wants a divorce.

Question:
As stated, my wife is living in NY with my 1 year old son. While we have problems in our marriage, we've said we would work them out when everyone moved here. She signed a lease with me and has started transferring her social work license to Virginia. (My point being, until today she displayed every intent on moving).

So my question is could this be seen as abandonment on my part?

And is there anyway the court could order her to move to Virginia? (Being in the Navy, I can't just quit and find a new job)
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 The court is not going to order her to move to VA.  Nor will it be viewed as abandonment by you.

Talk to the legal services people on your base.


Title: I went to a youth facility and it turns out that non of the doctors were licensed and the “doctors” and “therapists” were abusive....

Question:
*** because some of the details of this are really personal I made this post as brief as possible. If I need to detail more I will.***

When I was in high school I was sent to an inpatient facility that was run by a “Doctor” who was not licensed in any way. He was just claiming to be a doctor. (There is proof of this, keep reading)

Over the course of my stay there I was abused physically/sexually and emotionally/mentally. It damaged me pretty badly and has caused lasting life problems. To this day I don’t know if any of my diagnoses at that time were real or not.

The facility has since then been involved in several suits against them, and all of these cases are based around the same types of abuse I underwent.

I was in the facility in 2006, the last known case update was in 2014.

Do I have a case here or do I just let it go?

I’m just asking because I only literally found out today that other people came forward about the abuse. I just don’t know what to do here.

Thanks in advance.

Answer: Is the facility still in operation? An important first step would be to obtain your records. Now, there are records and then there are records. You want the whole shebang. Specify therapy notes, progress reports, ANSA assessments, treatment plans, day notes, etc. If there are any obvious holes in these records some hinky shit is up.


Title: Is a temporary (paper) drivers license acceptable form of ID when flying within the US?

Question: My brother is supposed to fly from Austin to Kansas City but he only has a temporary license from the dmv since his wallet was stolen.  Any ideas if they’ll accept this at the airport?

Answer:
 Officially, the TSA says they do not accept temporary credentials.

Unofficially, it varies based on the travel document checker.

Either way, if he's lost his ID, there are procedures to allow someone to fly without it.Answer #2: No.  He needs a government issued photo ID.  If he doesn't have one, he needs to allow an *extra* two hours earlier than he would usually arrive.


Title: US-CA: Could my loans be dismissed based upon predatory lending practices by my financial institution (B of A)???

Question:
USA-- CALIFORNIA-- SACRAMENTO

Long story shortened (because not sure if it belongs here and r/legal advice) is that I took out numerous private student loans (~$3-8k) over the course of 2 years which were "consigned" by the mother, however, she didn't know anything of them until I joined the Navy and I couldn't defer any longer.

I have medical documentation showing my social anxiety, substance dependence, and other chronic psychological issues during this time period. While I don't excuse my actions and I'm willing to take any consequences because of, I feel like the bank(s) made no effort to verify my mother's existence other than through some signed papers. There are several loans taken out a month or two apart on two or so occasions which seem to show no correlation when compared to a "standard" academic semester/quarter. If credit card companies watch for fraudulent spending, wouldn't it make sense that financial corps also show some prudent safety for the borrower and/or co-signer?

Not wanting to get out of them (eventhough I've paid $20k of which maybe 25% is principal), however, I also don't want my mom having to use her pension to pay my loans in order to keep her house/pension/financial security.

I will be in touch with legal services, but just wanted some thoughts and opinions (about resolving this, not how fucked up I was in some illness). Please keep it relevent.

Thanks,
J

Answer:
 Ok, let me get this straight. So you fraudulently borrowed money (by lying) and now you think that because you got away with lying, that you don't have to pay back the money? Am I reading that correctly?Answer #2: Even if there were any grounds for you to escape liability for the student loans (and none of what you describe would constitute such grounds), your mother would still be on the hook for the loans. So if you want to keep the burden of your poor decisions from falling on the moms better plan on paying the rest of the loans.

Or, maybe, your mom could escape her liability if you cooperated with her in making a criminal compliant against you for forgery. You would still have to pay, of course, but it may be a way for her to be protected. Obviously legal advice for you as an individual is no to confess to a crime.

Answer #3: Your mom will not have to pay for them. You will. If she didnt sign the papers herself, she isnt responsible. Unfortunately this means admitting to all of this.

Which you are going to do, because otherwise your own mother is going to pay the consequences


Title: Pharmacy gave me a generic & charged for brand name

Question:
Please let me know if there's a better subreddit to post this to- didn't know where else to go....

My cat got diagnosed with Glaucoma. Vet prescribed Cosopt & advised to ask the pharmacist if there is a generic. Went to Rite-Aid & asked if there was a generic. The lady quickly dismissed me with a 'NO' as if she'd been asked a million times before. I gave her a coupon for the brand name.  They charged me for the brand name but gave me the generic. ($98 after coupon). According to goodrx.com, when the coupon is applied, the cost is $50.41 for the generic @ Rite-Aid (it costs $19.85 @ Costco & $19.25 @ Giant Eagle).

So not only did they tell me there was no generic, they gave me the generic and overcharged for it. They also inflated the hell out of the price, as compared to everywhere else. I've already used the prescription. Is it reasonable to bring it back and ask for a full refund?

Answer:
 I work in the pharmacy so take from that what you will.

Cosopt is brand for Dorzolamide / Timolol which is fairly common in pharmacies and not sure why they would even carry the brand in the first place. GoodRX give cost approximations, not exact, but the fact that it would even work for the brand kind boggles me they don't always work like that or when they do they will give you a inflated cost like you did. So they may not have technically overcharged for it but this is a bad situation regardless for them.

What do you do? If the label says Cosopt and is in fact the generic then you have fair cause to bring it back and tell them to either price it correctly by rebilling it or give you the generic. You make not get a full refund but you should get the difference back. If you aren't getting the resolution you like from that pharmacist ask for the pharmacy manager and if she then either try to go there when the staff pharmacist is there or go above her and ask for the contact information for the pharmacy district manager or call 1-800-Rite-aid. Could you post a pic of the bottle hiding the label including rx number, name, etc.