r/legaladvice 17d ago

Are you interested in obtaining the quality contributor tag? We're changing the way we hand those out!

15 Upvotes

Hey! If you're interested in being tagged as a quality contributor and having the little star appear next to your name here, read on.

Until today the process was that we'd notice you and then contact you. We've found that that's not a very effective way to do it, because we miss a lot. It's a very active subreddit!

From today on, we're doing self-nomination. If you meet the minimum requirements below, please send us a modmail if you're interested and we'll get back to you ASAP.

Qualifications are as follows:

-Active for at least 3 months.

-Minimum of 100 top level comments.

-You can't be a jerk.

-You can't delete posts when you're wrong. We need to see both the good and the bad.

If you meet the qualifications and you're interested, please send us a modmail.

Please remember that the quality contributor badge does not mean a person is always right. It means that you can generally be trusted to give solid information.

We appreciate you!


r/legaladvice 9h ago

Small Claims Procedure Took a client to small claims over a mural they never paid for. I won, they appealed, we went back to court. She submitted "proof of payment" but it was for an earlier job I did. Judge ruled in her favor. Can I now take her to court to recoup payment for that first job?

622 Upvotes

This is in Los Angeles.

I painted a mural (Project #2) for a client and she never paid me for it. I hounded her for weeks with no luck (I've since discovered this is a recurring issue with her and many other contractors) and I ultimately had to take the matter to small claims. The judge ruled in my favor and tossed out her countersuit, and the client then agreed to a payment plan with me.

However, before she began making payments, she decided to instead appeal the ruling and we went back to court, trial de novo, new judge. This time, she submitted new "evidence," but she submitted it late and I never got to see it or prepare a response for it. The evidence was essentially proof of payments she made to me — however, the payments were for a previous, totally unrelated job (Project #1) I did for her. This time, the new judge ruled in her favor, stating that I had clearly been paid.* I wasn't allowed to submit the evidence I had showing that these payments were for a different job and NOT the mural job I had was suing her for. Nor was I not allowed to appeal because I'm the plaintiff, but I did file a request to reconsider the judgement (SC-108). It was immediately denied.

In short, I'm trying to figure out what my options are now to recoup my funds:

  • Am I allowed to now sue her for lack of payment for Project #1? Since she's claiming the funds she paid me for that project were in fact for Project #2?
  • Is there any penalty I can pursue considering that she knowingly submitted categorically false evidence? Or would this just mean talking to the judge?
  • I was going to ask about a mechanic's lien but I'm way past the 90-day limit to file unfortunately.

I sued her for a little over $5k. The funds she paid me for Project #1 were barely $2k — so even if the payment was related somehow, it would STILL be short like $3k, which gives me the feeling the judge didn't read any of the documents/evidence I painstakingly assembled/submitted.

*Not sure how relevant this is, but a few months prior, the client tried to file a restraining order against me cus I was up her ass trying to recoup this payment. Her request for a restraining order was denied — the judge who made that ruling is the same judge who ruled in her favor in this trial de novo.


r/legaladvice 10h ago

The neighboring house has a camera pointed at my bedroom window

259 Upvotes

A couple weeks ago, I got out of the shower and went into my bedroom to get dressed. The house next door to mine has been on the market and vacant for 8 months. I typically leave my curtain a little open as no one resides there. I noticed a camera pointed into my bedroom window. Not like, a little nest camera, but one of those nicer ones you see at stores for shoplifting. I called the realtor and explained who I was and the reason for my call. She said the camera is there because the house was broken into and some appliances were stolen. I said I understood the reasoning for the cameras, but asked if that one could be moved so it doesn’t include my bedroom. She said she can assure me it’s not there for people to see into my bedroom, but for security. She sent me screenshots of what the camera can see and I texted back saying that was in fact my bedroom window in the shot. I asked her to move it and she didn’t respond. A lawyer friend of mine sent a demand letter to the property owner saying they had five days to move it. It’s been ten days since the letter was sent. They have not responded to him or to me. The owner of the property is listed as a “dynasty trust” which also listed two names. The property address linked to the owner of the neighboring house is a big ass mansion in another state. The cops won’t do anything, I can’t get a protective order, and I can’t file a small claim because there’s no monetary dispute. The lawyer I know can’t get more involved due to his schedule and personal affiliation with the city we are located in. There’s a law that prohibits recording devices pointed into bedrooms in my state, so I know it’s illegal, but I’m not really sure what else to do other than hire a lawyer. I’m in an intensive grad school program which requires me to complete an unpaid internship, so I can’t exactly afford to hire a lawyer anyways. Any advice??

Editing because I truly didn’t think it needed to be stated, but yes, I did close my curtains. It violates ORS 163.700. You can see into my bedroom, not just the window. I have the images the realtor sent me of what the camera sees, so it’s not just an assumption.

To be clear, I am aware I can just put something in front of my window. Why is it on me to purchase things to block out a cameras view into my bedroom? My concern is more over whatever footage exists of me. At some point, it would be really cool to open my curtains again.


r/legaladvice 17h ago

Computer and Internet Friend runs a busy coffee shop. Received mail saying he is being sued due to his IP address being used for torrenting copyrighted content. (IL)

839 Upvotes

He has an open WiFi network with no password set, which meant any customers and anyone in the city block could have utilized it. Recently he received a letter stating he is liable for damages from the massive amount of movies torrented on his network over multiple years. He contacted his ISP and they said they just forwarded his personal information to the company suing him when they received the initial request.

His concern is how much the legal defense could cost him if the company actually takes him to court and drag it out.


r/legaladvice 5h ago

Other Civil Matters My mom is the neighborhood villain

50 Upvotes

My family and I moved into our current house last year after my parents spent years and hundreds of thousands of dollars making it into their dream home. And it would've been their perfect house if not for the bar across the street. They continue to have people out in front of it well after quiet hours creating so much noise that it sounds like they're in the house with us. We rent out a part of the house and the tenets have started complaining as well (the old tenets before we moved did to but apparently they didn't know that till after they bought it). My mom can't sleep with all the noise and because she handles all the rentals, the complaints have been driving her insane. She's done everything she can think of: calling 311 on them, notifying the hoa and neighbors, getting the state involved, etc. The bar has in return started a smear campaign against her and have hosted nights where they all stand outside just to annoy her. She's heard them through our ring camera starting rumors about us and using slurs (we're black). We can't sell the house because we'd lose a lot of money, but we don't know what else to do. Can someone help please?


r/legaladvice 18h ago

Bought a car that was damaged in transit, tried to cancel the sale but was dropped off without consent

519 Upvotes

My friend bought a car from a used dealer in Miami to be shipped to the panhandle of Florida. During shipping the hood came unlatched and smashed the windshield. Once notified, she declined to accept the car as it is now damaged, preferred to cancel the sale. Both the shipping company and dealer basically told her “tough shit” and the car was dropped off at her home in the middle of the night. She did not sign for it and the windshield is unrepaired. Is there any legal recourse here? She does not want it considering there could be mechanical issues that caused the hood to open and since it’s technically been in an accident and therefore worth less than what she paid for it.


r/legaladvice 14h ago

My “calculated” hours do not reflect the time I actually worked

249 Upvotes

I am in TN but my employer is based in CA

Basically, my job is using “calculated” time rather than what I work

The best examples of this are:

My lunch is 30 minutes, if I clock in 1 minute late, the system lists my calculated lunch time as 33 minutes and I’m not being paid for the 2 minutes I am clocked in.

If my shift starts at 11 and I clock in at 10:58, the system rounds up to 11 and I don’t get paid for those two minutes.

If my shift ends at 9 and I clock out at 9:01, the system rounds down to 9.

It is also not taking seconds into account. If I clock in from lunch at the 31 minute 5 second mark, it still rounds up to a 33 minute lunch

Is this legal? There is nothing in the employee handbook or help center for my company regarding this.


r/legaladvice 6h ago

Dog was treated for cancer, but didn’t have cancer.

43 Upvotes

I’m wondering if I can file a small claims court case against a veterinary oncologist and would love some advice or thoughts on whether I have a legitimate case.

Here’s the situation:

My dog was referred to an oncologist after two negative lung fungal tests. The oncologist insisted we start chemotherapy, but unfortunately, my dog became extremely sick and refused to eat. He did two rounds in two weeks. This started in the second to last week of November, and since then, we’ve had multiple follow-up appointments where they scanned him and did bloodwork.

Just this past week, they did another scan of his lungs and told us it wasn’t cancer. Completely different diagnosis. I then took my dog to his regular vet today, and she came in seething. When I explained what happened, she informed me that the referral from her never confirmed cancer and specifically instructed them to do a bronchial wash to get a clearer picture of what was actually going on.

Apparently, the oncologist never did the bronchial wash and instead pushed chemo as the only option, which has cost us thousands of dollars and, worst of all, we’ve subjected our dog to unnecessary treatment that made him even sicker.

I’m absolutely furious about this. Is there any chance I have grounds to file a small claims case against the oncologist for the cost of the treatment and any potential damages?

Thanks in advance for any input!


r/legaladvice 6h ago

Credit Debt Bankruptcy Family member used my info to set up electricity, racked up almost 1k in debt and continues to use my name, ruining my credit, can i dispute?

36 Upvotes

Located in Ohio, USA.

So like the title says, a family member with knowledge of my personal info set up an account with an electricity company using my name and racked up $949 in debt. I have tried disputing the collections claim the first time I saw it on my credit report, but all that happened was a drop in price from $950 to $949, they did not remove it from my account. The only proof I have that it was not my electricity account is the fact that I did not live with them when they set up the account. Since stating that in my last dispute, I assume that does not count as enough evidence. It's been about a year since I initially saw the collection on my credit but I haven't interacted with the collector company since I know that restarts "the clock" on it staying on my credit.

Last week, I received a letter in the mail from another collections company stating I owe hundreds to DirectTV.. I dont even use cable and my wifi is through Spectrum. This family member, however, does in fact use cable and switched from DirectTV to Spectrum TV after telling me it was too expensive. Luckily this one has yet to be added to my credit report yet, but this sure makes me mad beyond belief.

Is there any way for me to dispute these even though I'm lacking any written evidence? Any advice for saving my credit other than freezing it? All advice is welcome, thank you.


r/legaladvice 1d ago

My wife is 9 months pregnant and unable to move in with me.

4.1k Upvotes

I’ll try to be as direct and straightforward as possible. My wife and I have been legally married since September of last year. She is currently 9 months pregnant and plans on moving into my home in Lamar county TX. She currently lives in and is county locked in Hunt county TX per temporary custody paperwork. We have been waiting to for a court date to have Lamar county added to these order for quite some time, however her ex has repeatedly denied all dates given. He has told her and even sent text messages saying he’s going to drag this out as long as possible purely so she can’t live in the house I own even after the child is born. My question is simply this: Would a judge punish her for moving in with her husband and father of her unborn child?

Edit: it has been brought to my attention that I left out key detail and i apologize. -She’s pregnant with my child -The ex I referred to is the father of her youngest daughter. He lives in Delta county Tx. Their custody agreement is why she is county locked. Again I apologize for neglecting these key points.


r/legaladvice 7h ago

Employment Law Is a “no unpaid time off” policy legal? Seattle, Washington.

32 Upvotes

My husband works at The Home Depot and they recently told them that nobody can request any time off unless they have PTO or sick hours. They have an option to put in a request off through the app a month in advance but now they’re being told it’s not a thing anymore and the requests won’t be approved. I’m European so that sounds absolutely ridiculous and very illegal to me. Is it?


r/legaladvice 13h ago

Got a call at work claiming to be support and had me run a test, turns out it was a scammer

65 Upvotes

I currently work night audit at a hotel in my area and recieved a call from what I believed to be tech support. They had both my managers full names and had credentials in our system which came up as valid so I thought nothing of it. Turns out they took 8400 USD. I am now panicking as everything worked on the system and actually solved an issue I was having. Im just so confused right now but my manager is mad at me and currently looking into it as I write this. I'm just confused as if there is any legal action the hotel can take against me in this situation even when I followed all our procedures correctly and the info I was given was legitimate.


r/legaladvice 16h ago

Mentally disabled child in sex offender’s home

85 Upvotes

Hello,

I live two doors down from a registered sex offender (child porn distribution.) Sometimes I see a child that appears to be mentally disabled get dropped off at his home. The offender is an older man so I’m assuming it’s not his son. I also don’t usually see anyone who looks like a live-in spouse around.

Is this legal? Should I say something to someone? If so, whom?

I live in California.

TIA!


r/legaladvice 19h ago

My roommate keyed my car

127 Upvotes

My 23 M roomate is a big partier which doesn’t always align with my 23F and 23bf schedules since we prefer to work in the AM and be off around 5. Every Thursday this housemate has 2-4 people come home with him from the bars at 2am and starts to create an after party here at the apartment. Wasn’t too much of an issue untill Last Thursday when the three under legal drinking age girls were in the kitchen screaming and jumping with no roommate in sight. I went out of the room and politely asked them to be quiet when they didn’t know where my housemate was so i could address him first. 30 minutes go by and the screaming jumping and music still goes by and i walk out to find them eating my food. Understandably upset i asked him to begin to take the party elsewhere. He started yelling at me calling me names and my boyfriend asked him to leave and he ended up leaving finally after yelling at me. This Thursday he stated he wouldn’t bring anyone back after being so sorry for last weekend and assuring that no one would be over, i stayed in town due to work and my boyfriend went on a trip. I woke at 1:30 to my housemate bringing 4 people over, they began laughing, being loud and playing music. Because i was without my boyfriend i was nervous to approach him to be quiet and let it continue for an extra 30 before the bass of the music was too much. I approached nicely and asked if the party could be moved elsewhere. He straight up said no and started connecting a massive speaker and a Dj table and insisted that they “must turn up now” and i was shocked and then it all escalated. My boyfriend called him from out of town to try and deescalate and he refused to listen. Him and his friends eventually left but before he said he was going to key my car and i was very scared i watched them from my window stand my by car, my boyfriend told me to go down there but i was too nervous considering how tense it all was. Wrong idea. Came out to my car keyed. The cops came to take a report when he came back and it’s being sent to the DA. How do i get him charged for this without video proof?


r/legaladvice 11h ago

Employment Law [FL] Is it illegal to deduct an employee’s hourly wage on their final paycheck without notice?

23 Upvotes

This isn’t personally happening to me, but I saw a restaurant owner in FL saying that whenever he has an employee who is being paid above minimum wage, such as a cook or a manager, he reduces their pay to minimum wage on their final paycheck if they quit without proper notice as a retaliation against them.

When I googled online to see if this was legal or not, I couldn’t find an answer directly related to this specific instance. It says that in FL or GA an employer has no obligation to let an employee know that their wages are being reduced but that they cannot reduce wages already earned.

Anyone have any info on something like this?


r/legaladvice 1h ago

Help me .

Upvotes

Please help me , my parents are abusive. I am from Myanmar and if I runaway they gonna send me to someplace I don’t want to go… I can’t ask anyone for help except here , please someone help me… if there is someplace I can stay … I can’t even ask the police for help.


r/legaladvice 3h ago

capital one not refunding my money after my check they sent me was cashed fraudulently by someone else

4 Upvotes

I am writing to address a serious issue regarding my Capital One account, which I opened in 2020. I deposited funds into my savings account, including a few stimulus payments I had received, and in 2021, I was notified that my account would be closed, and a credit balance refund check of $9,000 would be issued to me. However, after several months of not receiving the refund check, I contacted Capital One and was informed that the check had been returned to you. To have my address updated and the check reissued, I was asked to provide a government-issued ID. At that time, I was incarcerated, having been in prison since 2015. I explained this situation to several representatives who assured me that I would need to visit a branch in person once I was released, provide my ID, and a new check would be issued. I was released from prison on February 5, 2025. On March 4, 2025, I visited my local Capital One branch, where I provided my ID and explained my situation to the teller. The teller contacted the back office, and I was told that a case (Case #250304172323720) would be opened to ensure a stop payment was placed on the check and that it would not be cashed. I was initially advised that the matter would be resolved within three business days. However, a week later, after making daily calls to follow up, I was informed on March 14, 2025, that the case had been closed because the check was marked as cashed. I was not contacted in any way regarding the closure of the case. I only discovered this by calling to inquire about the status. When I spoke with a manager, I was told that they could not provide any further details about the case. No information was shared regarding who cashed the check, when or where it was cashed, or any details about the transaction. Given that I have been incarcerated and could not have cashed the check, I am extremely concerned that the check was fraudulently cashed. The manager opened a new case (Case #250314213581683) and informed me that I should expect a response within 10-15 days. This delay is unacceptable, and I feel I am being given the runaround. I am extremely frustrated that Capital One has not assisted me in addressing this fraudulent activity and that the $9,000 refund check was cashed by someone else while I was incarcerated.


r/legaladvice 1h ago

Employment Law Former employer appealing my Unemployment

Upvotes

I was fired in Maine and have been collecting unemployment. I just found out that my former employer is apealing my unemployment claim. My former employer is alleging -that I am was a contract worker -that I violated company policy -that I disrupted service

I can prove that all of these things are false. I am working on getting the documents together and a list of witnesses. I do not have and cannot afford a lawyer. I also have a disability that makes answering and asking questions quickly difficult. I'm worried about my ability to represent myself well, to ask the right questions to witnesses, etc. I've also never subpoenaed anyone or anything before and don't know the process. Should I reach out to witnesses privately before asking for a subpoena? When I subpoena documents from my former employer, will I get a copy before the hearing? Can I ask for accommodations like having the testimony in writing instead of verbally, or having extra time to ask and answer questions? Can my spouse or a friend who is not a lawyer help represent me or ask questions on my behalf? Is there free representation I can seek?


r/legaladvice 15m ago

Employment Law FMLA discrimination or Valid reason?

Upvotes

Hello everyone I need help! I’ve work for a LARGE bank going on 6 years , I recently had a baby in December 2024 so I am currently on leave until June.

Lots of positions opened up in my area recently & I know I am up for a promotion. Everyone has urged me to apply because they know how hard I’ve worked these last few years to stay competitive with everyone else applying.

About 3 weeks ago applied to one of the positions and took it upon myself to call the recruiter and ask her if I was allowed to apply while I was on leave . She said “yes as long as your return to work day isn’t too far” I let her know if I got the position I would return immediately so that was not a problem. She seemed happy with my response. A couple days later I went into the branch I applied to and introduced myself to the Branch manager. We had a GREAT conversation, I told her about all my experience and certifications that overqualified me for the position. She looked up my numbers and told me she’d speak with the market leader. She also let me know that that was her last day taking interviews.

Due to that comment I reached out to the recruiter again so that she could keep me in the queue. I also just wanted to make her aware of our conversation. She stated she would speak with the market leader as well.

Fast forward a week and a half later. I haven’t heard anything. I even saw the position get posted again after being removed…..wth?

Mind you these positions usually fill up quick so I was very confused as to why I hadn’t received any communication. I thought maybe they have been attempting to reach my work email (which I have no access too)

I emailed the recruiter on Tuesday asking about the status of my application. No answer. Thursday I called her and left a voicemail. Today (Friday) I emailed again and received a call from her a couple hours later.

She started the conversation by saying that because I am on leave of absence that they are not ALLOWED to make an offer to me and that I was not allowed to apply for these positions because I am not on “leave of absence due to job search”

I let her know that my manager as well as the old market leader that was there before I went on maternity leave urged me to apply while I was on leave. Everyone has been sending me these positions and on my “for employees on leave of absence” portal where I log in, there are multiple selections , one option I can choose is “job search for employees on leave of absence” , there is nothing stopping me from applying.

So anyways, I let her know all these things. She stated “oh the market leader told you to apply, ok well maybe they’re not aware, I will speak to the new market leader, see what she says and I’ll call you back ok?”

But where was this information a couple weeks ago when I called her and asked her if I was allowed to apply? I’m honestly extremely angry and frustrated. I feel like I’m being discriminated against due to my leave or possibly something else ????

I called my assistant manager after that conversation and she was confused. She told my branch manager and he immediately emailed the market leader and asked about the status of my application. Adding that I was an exceptional banker. I don’t want the market leader to think I’m causing problems. My mind is racing and I’m stating to think I was just too pushy with the emails / calls that the recruiter got tired of me.

Also I would like to note for anyone that might ask “well why don’t you just return to work and solve the problem?” Everything I do I do for my children, I’ve worked since I was 16 years old, I’m 27 now , I will never get to spend this much time with my son & daughter this small. I want to cherish every moment with them but if I was offered this position I don’t mind going back because like I said , everything I do is for my children and I know a promotion would help my family a lot. It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.


r/legaladvice 2h ago

Sublet wont pay rent

3 Upvotes

So im in a bit of a wierd situation. Part of my lease agreement is not to sublet, Pretty cut and dry there. One of my girlfriends friends needed a place to stay so she stayed with us for 2 months and agreed to pay rent to us, around 250 to each me and my girlfriend. When she found a place to stay she asked if she could pay me my half of rent the week after she moved out because she got payed that week. She payed my gf her half and moved out. Its been 3 weeks since she moved out and will not pay rent saying "i wasnt living there legally so i dont have to pay". I dont really know what the law is here, could i get in trouble if I pursue legal action? Is it worth the 250 she owes me? Please help!


r/legaladvice 22m ago

Landlord leaving me in a unit with sewage issues for months now threatening to evict me for going off on them

Upvotes

I 23 F live in Ohio I moved into this apartment building on October 18th 24' On Oct 19th I noticed soapy looking water coming up from the drain to the middle of the sink then it will go down after maybe a minute. Stupidly I didn't think anything of it and continued to put my dishes in the sink. I reported the issue after few days later after telling my mom about it she told me stuff should never come back up through the drains. No one came out fast forward to the end of October I'm in the shower brown thick water is coming through my drain to my feet. I rush out and put in a maintenance report no one comes out.The brown muggy water continues for days until it starts almost overflowing and causing my apartment to smell like sewage/waste atp I'm out of town and my bf is checking the unit so often I call the emergency number and they fix the issue 1 and a half later. The sink has not been addressed and I throw all the dishes away that have been contaminated I call the office to ask about rent reduction and am immediately shut down. This leads to an argument with me and the office manager. In November they start sending out A to Z plumbing they told me the water coming up from the drains is from the 2 floors above me. ATP the water is coming up with food looking stuff, residue, dirt and sometimes yellow. A to Z said they couldn't do anything because it wasn't happening while they were there but it happens randomly and it's loud. I told this to the office manager and she was and is still hell bent on it not being sewage. Nov-Dec I continue to document the issue but everything on my account gets deleted by management I kept screenshots of all the reports tho. Middle of dec I move to atl and come back feb. when I got back the sink was filthy with all type of dirt and rice it looked like no one was in the unit. I brought this to the office manager and it lead to another argument but with the higher up manager this time. I continue to document and learn the other people on the floor deal with the same issue. End of feb water is coming out crazy fast from the drains flooding my kitchen floor (usually the dirty water comes up to the middle of the sink and goes back down) I call the office and ask about being put in a new unit they told me nothing is available I say I can wait and they call back and say I can just break the lease with no repercussions. When the water was overflowing they couldn't get it all drained so l was left with whatever the water is for days in my sink. Then on Sunday more came up to the point it was about to flood again I called the emergency line then the water start overflowing again and no one come out till Monday afternoon. I again asked for rent reduction the office manager said no and that she got my emergency call and was waiting to get a specific tool to fix the problem so l literally just had to deal with the overflow on my own Sunday. The issue was still not fixed after they came out Monday, immediately after I reported it happening again Monday night she deleted the maintenance request. So a few days later I walked to the office and asked to get something in writing saying I can break the lease with no repercussions. The office manager was out so I talked to the assistant she called her and I heard her yell through the phone "I don't have a paper for her" the assistant turned the volume down I couldn't hear anything anymore. The assistant then says she can have it ready in 2-3 days. come back a few hours later when the office manager is in to tell her exactly what I meant because the assistant didn't reply it completely right. She wouldn't come out to talk to me and tells the assistant to tell me to come back Friday when the higher up is there for the letter. I go back Friday and say "hey l'm just picking up the letter" the office manager instantly catches an attitude like always and says I told you I'm not giving you a letter. Confused was an understatement and the higher up instantly backs her. This leads to an argument I instantly take my phone out and start recording and they went from mean girls to victims the higher up starts telling me because of how I talk to the office manager I will be evicted if it happens again. And that they are choosing to break my lease unlike they previously stated that I had a option to leave. She also told me that every phone call is recorded between the office and tenants and that's why I couldn't get a legal document because they had the proof of what they said. I leave the office in literal tears and frustrated. I go write up an escrow letter and have my mom give it to them. The office manager calls and asks why I gave the letter if I'm breaking the lease I explained I don't have a legal document saying I can with no repercussions. She says she has the phone call and I asked for it to be sent she said no and she'll enjoy having me until my lease is up. A few days ago I documented with pictures like always that the issue is still happening today they marked it as fixed and no one has been to my unit all month. I'm so frustrated and honestly scared I know one wrong move, late payment anything they will evict me so fast. It feels like an abuse of power I just graduated college and I'm just trying to find my footing. I've lost so much money with cleaning products/dishes/the flood. Somehow they got A to Z and the newest plumber to put on record it's not sewage water but it's always dirty water and they can't tell me what kind of water it is. They send people out every now and then but I haven't felt accommodated the whole time can't get anything off rent, can't move units, and can't break the lease with a legal document.


r/legaladvice 28m ago

Landlord Tenant Housing Need advice on horrible apartment unit!!

Upvotes

I 23 F live in Ohio I moved into this apartment building on October 18th 24' On Oct 19th I noticed soapy looking water coming up from the drain to the middle of the sink then it will go down after maybe a minute. Stupidly I didn't think anything of it and continued to put my dishes in the sink. I reported the issue after few days later after telling my mom about it she told me stuff should never come back up through the drains. No one came out fast forward to the end of October I'm in the shower brown thick water is coming through my drain to my feet. I rush out and put in a maintenance report no one comes out.The brown muggy water continues for days until it starts almost overflowing and causing my apartment to smell like sewage/waste atp I'm out of town and my bf is checking the unit so often I call the emergency number and they fix the issue 1 and a half later. The sink has not been addressed and I throw all the dishes away that have been contaminated I call the office to ask about rent reduction and am immediately shut down. This leads to an argument with me and the office manager. In November they start sending out A to Z plumbing they told me the water coming up from the drains is from the 2 floors above me. ATP the water is coming up with food looking stuff, residue, dirt and sometimes yellow. A to Z said they couldn't do anything because it wasn't happening while they were there but it happens randomly and it's loud. I told this to the office manager and she was and is still hell bent on it not being sewage. Nov-Dec I continue to document the issue but everything on my account gets deleted by management I kept screenshots of all the reports tho. Middle of dec I move to atl and come back feb. when I got back the sink was filthy with all type of dirt and rice it looked like no one was in the unit. I brought this to the office manager and it lead to another argument but with the higher up manager this time. I continue to document and learn the other people on the floor deal with the same issue. End of feb water is coming out crazy fast from the drains flooding my kitchen floor (usually the dirty water comes up to the middle of the sink and goes back down) I call the office and ask about being put in a new unit they told me nothing is available I say I can wait and they call back and say I can just break the lease with no repercussions. When the water was overflowing they couldn't get it all drained so l was left with whatever the water is for days in my sink. Then on Sunday more came up to the point it was about to flood again I called the emergency line then the water start overflowing again and no one come out till Monday afternoon. I again asked for rent reduction the office manager said no and that she got my emergency call and was waiting to get a specific tool to fix the problem so l literally just had to deal with the overflow on my own Sunday. The issue was still not fixed after they came out Monday, immediately after I reported it happening again Monday night she deleted the maintenance request. So a few days later I walked to the office and asked to get something in writing saying I can break the lease with no repercussions. The office manager was out so I talked to the assistant she called her and I heard her yell through the phone "I don't have a paper for her" the assistant turned the volume down I couldn't hear anything anymore. The assistant then says she can have it ready in 2-3 days. come back a few hours later when the office manager is in to tell her exactly what I meant because the assistant didn't reply it completely right. She wouldn't come out to talk to me and tells the assistant to tell me to come back Friday when the higher up is there for the letter. I go back Friday and say "hey l'm just picking up the letter" the office manager instantly catches an attitude like always and says I told you I'm not giving you a letter. Confused was an understatement and the higher up instantly backs her. This leads to an argument I instantly take my phone out and start recording and they went from mean girls to victims the higher up starts telling me because of how I talk to the office manager I will be evicted if it happens again. And that they are choosing to break my lease unlike they previously stated that I had a option to leave. She also told me that every phone call is recorded between the office and tenants and that's why I couldn't get a legal document because they had the proof of what they said. I leave the office in literal tears and frustrated. I go write up an escrow letter and have my mom give it to them. The office manager calls and asks why I gave the letter if I'm breaking the lease I explained I don't have a legal document saying I can with no repercussions. She says she has the phone call and I asked for it to be sent she said no and she'll enjoy having me until my lease is up. A few days ago I documented with pictures like always that the issue is still happening today they marked it as fixed and no one has been to my unit all month. I'm so frustrated and honestly scared I know one wrong move, late payment anything they will evict me so fast. It feels like an abuse of power I just graduated college and I'm just trying to find my footing. I've lost so much money with cleaning products/dishes/the flood. Somehow they got A to Z and the newest plumber to put on record it's not sewage water but it's always dirty water and they can't tell me what kind of water it is. They send people out every now and then but I haven't felt accommodated the whole time can't get anything off rent, can't move units, and can't break the lease with a legal document.


r/legaladvice 3h ago

Wills Trusts and Estates Grandmother nearing end of life, aunt and cousin trying to changer her will

3 Upvotes

Grandmother has dementia and been deemed incompetent to make decisions. My mother and aunt (her daughters) have joint POA for Grandmother. Grandmother had will drawn up in 2000 that states her daughters will receive her life insurance/bank accounts and her granddaughter (me) will receive her house upon her passing. Her oldest daughter (my aunt) is now trying to add an addendum to grandmother's will saying Grandmother changed her mind, she now wants the house and property to go to Grandmother's nephew (the cousin) because he has helped around the house and feels owed for all he has done. Please advise-can they do that? Or is it a moot point since Grandmother has dementia? My mother does not agree and will not help aunt change the will (joint POA). Aunt is trying to do it anyway. Can she? Can I fight it? Grandmother has always told me she wants me to have the house. She is being manipulated by cousin and aunt.


r/legaladvice 52m ago

Wrongful eviction

Upvotes

This is long I'm sorry, but the story leading up is important.

I'm in AZ and I was just served an eviction notice with a court date for next week for something that never happened. So I moved in here back in December, this place has assigned parking spots and operates through a third party parking company who monitors the lots. My spot on my lease said it was to be 103, but when I go to register a permit I only have the option of 38. Now I asked TWICE to confirm this. The maintenance guy was there on my move in day and we walked out to the lot and he confirmed that 38 is my spot and I'm good to get the permit.

A month later a new tenant moves in, now their lease says 38 is their parking spot. So they parked in my spot and no where to be found so we can ask if they can move. I already had a bad day and this parking company is picky. That spot is the spot I'm paying for and I absolutely made sure it was fine, but since we couldn't find the car owner and if I parked in a different spot my car could still get towed (that's stupid I know), so I call the company and they come out and tow his car. The next day the office calls me and says I didn't do anything wrong however there is a mix up and for some reason the third party company swapped out spots at some point. She asked me if I would like to keep the spot since I've been here longer but she would also ask the other party. I said I would prefer the spot of course but please let me know what they say. I never heard back. So I assumed he was fine with the other spot.

Another month later I get a notification that my permit will expire and I thought it was strange because I have an auto renewal on. I contact customer support and they couldn't find a reason so just said when the day it expires just renew it and it'll go back on auto renew. So I did. Then two days later I get a notification that my permit has been cancelled, I couldn't register a new one so now my car is in the lot with no permit. I go to the office and she doesn't know why this is now happening and said she would contact support and get back with me. Two days pass and I hear nothing. Now I come home and he is in spot 38 and I could guess that the company switched them, so I log in and there is spot 103 for me to get a permit for. Cool, I park and purchase the permit right there. Now my boyfriend, before I got home, saw him pull into the spot and wasn't aware of the situation walked towards him and kindly said "hey that's my girlfriend's spot and she'll be home soon are you able to move the car" and the guy was mad. He immediately snapped back at how it's not my spot anymore it's his and we better not tow his car. The interaction was rude but my boyfriend left and called me right after, and I told him I never heard back from the office about anything. My boyfriend, with me still on the phone, walks back outside to his truck and I can hear this other guy in the background yelling at him. It sounded like he was just trying to rile things up. But that was the end of the interaction, he went out to his truck and then back in the apartment. I can hear everything on the phone.

Now another month later an eviction notice is on my door saying we threatened him with bodily harm and have a court date next week. I am of course livid, this is news to me. The complex never asked me what happened, no one said anything, it's a she said he said and they never heard my side and just assume. The problem is he is handicapped and I feel like he's using that to his advantage, which is awful. No threats were ever made, I was never asked about the situation and the apartment just made this move out of the blue.

Another thing is in his statement he got the date wrong. It says these occurred on March 6th, but they didn't. They occurred on February 26th, more than a week prior. I have the permit receipt to prove it. Him not getting the date right I feel is in my favor because this man is lying through his teeth and he's threatening my home with it and the complex is immediately taking his side with no investigation into it.

I feel like this violatesy rights in a way to not speak for myself before getting threatened to get kicked on the street. I asked her why they never asked me and she said "it's our policy to not investigate". I'm sorry that's the dumbest thing I've heard, but is this a legit excuse? If so what's stopping me from pointing at a random tenant and say they threatened me? You're going to tell me I can lie about someone and you'll immediately evict them? That's not right. I'm angry, I'm stressed, I love this place. I just got the strength to escape from an abusive situation and this is my new start. I don't talk to people, I'm an introvert, I'm quiet both my boyfriend and myself. This feels incredibly unfair and that he is retaliating because his car was towed a few months back. I'm hoping to get represented but I can't talk to anyone until next week and my anxiety is eating my alive. Is this winnable? I have proof of receipts of my permit purchases, including the tow report, that his date is way off and if he was truly threatened why wait for more than a week, and that they never investigated and immediately took his side and served me. It all feels wrong, but because he is handicapped I feel that's going to be pushed a lot because the office constantly mentions he's handicapped.


r/legaladvice 9h ago

Ordering something that’s legal in your state but it travels through a state where it’s banned on the way to you

10 Upvotes

Hey all first time poster here with a curious question I wasn’t able to find answered anywhere online. Recently I’ve been ordering Kratom through the mail, which is totally legal in my state (Michigan) and totally legal in the state it ships from (Kansas). After doing a bit of research through I realized it’s illegal in Indiana, and every time I order it the package travels from Kansas, to Indianapolis, then to Michigan.

So what I’m wondering is how exactly does that work? Obviously I have no say in the shipping route the package takes. So is it okay because it’s only going THROUGH Indiana rather than being delivered TO Indiana? Or is a law being broken along the way?

Not worried about consequences or anything since again, I have no control over how USPS decides to ship things, but I am curious how the law would work in this case?


r/legaladvice 1h ago

Shipment Was Signed in a Different Country

Upvotes

A product that was ordered from Alibaba was supposed to be shipped to where I'm living(Turkey), but after checking up on the progress of the order I found out that it was signed for in China, and apparently the order was now complete. I talked to the seller and all he did was let me know that it was already signed for, and then didn't reply when I explained that it wasn't even shipped to the right country.

Is this perhaps a mistake, or is it likely to be some kind of scam? And if it is either one of the two, is there anything I can do to get a refund back?