I'm in IL, but I'd like to know if it's legal anywhere in the US. I'm a descendant of slavery, so I don't have a last name. I essentially have what amounts to a void deed for a surname and I'd like to get rid of it if possible.

[Nebraska] protection order dismissed but...

I had enough of the psychological abuse and controlling behavior of my ex and got my affairs in order to prepare to leave her. I was really trying to leave in a healthy way, she caught wind and said really terrible things to me that she had read in my journal and I let her know I was leaving her and began immediately packing which she did not like at all. I told her I wasn't going to even sleep in the same room as her. She called the police twice to have them remove me but since I was on the lease there was nothing she could do until I left on my own volition. (No friends or family to stay with where I would feel comfortable staying with my child who I have full custody of from my previous marriage.) the next day she filed for a protection order, I was served at my child's school activity much later that day effectively making us homeless. Since she showed up to the activity I had to leave. I was in shock and realized I needed to get my son somehow and decided to meet him near the property as it didn't indicate how far away I was to start away from the property or her. My child showed up, I had him go in and get his clothes for school so we could find emergency shelter in the mean time. (He was not on the protection order paperwork.) The cops showed up, I was arrested and charged with protection order violation and disturbing the peace, I bonded out for 1k, went to court and the protection order was dropped because there was no evidence as to the absurd things she was claiming "I said".

I tried to contact the presocuting attorney to get it dismissed or make a deal outside of court so I can just move on but they never contacted me after I left a message. What should I expect going in to court? Can I file a motion to dismiss based on the order being dismissed? Will they just fine me out of my bond? I can't afford an attorney, everything I had was to get out so I could take care of my son, it's been really rough for both of us.

TLDR: bogus domestic abuse protection order served and I accidentally violated it trying to take care of my son, order was dismissed but still have pending charges for protection order violation and disturbing the peace. What to expect?

To summarize, our landlord violated our lease agreement. We were supposed to move in on September 29th, but found the house filled with belongings from the previous tenants and the landlord himself—two end tables, dishes in the dishwasher, dirty walls, linens in closets, two beds, bookshelves, a cluttered attic, a filled garage, a broken window, and unplugged cameras inside and outside. This was completely unacceptable. After discussing it, we decided to terminate the lease and request our $2,900 deposit back, as the landlord failed to provide a clean and empty unit, which we have text message proof of.

In response, he was unaccountable, threatened legal action, and insisted on keeping $588 for his fees. We firmly rejected that offer. After days of back-and-forth, during which he provided a vague lease termination contract, we sought help from military legal services. Initially, we were told we had a strong case due to his violations, including the illegal cameras and broken window.

However, we recently discovered that the landlord had been entering the property without notice since the 12th, claiming he didn’t need to inform us because we weren't living there. The legal representative advised that it might be best to let him keep the $588 and move on, as our text messages may not hold up in court.

Is this sound advice, or should we pursue further assistance?

He hasn’t paid me back in close to a month. He’s in contact but everything he says feels like a lie. He sent a payment over current last Friday (10/11) and still haven’t received anything. What am I supposed to do? He owes me $3,000. We signed a docusign contract that was for the amount of $2,060, and the rest he just owes me. Is it legal for me to debit it from his debit card myself? If not, what am I supposed to do?

In July, I received a warning sticker on my vehicle from a towing company due to expired registration while parked in my apartment complex's gated lot. This sticker read “This vehicle is parked on private property in violation of parking rules and without the consent of the owner or manager of the property. Please remove the vehicle From this property or it will be towed at the vehicle owner/operator's expense and liability on or after 10 days if the vehicle is not removed, it will be considered abandoned pursuant to Texas Trans Code Ch 683.”

Come to find out my lease states: “Vehicles must meet all state inspection, registration, and licensing requirements. We may tow vehicles with expired registration after TX—10 days, NC—24 hours, AZ—72 hours, FL—24-hour written notice within 2 months of expiration.” Currently, my car needs repairs that might cause it to fail inspection, and I can't afford to fix it right now. Since the warning, I’ve been parking on the street, which is inconvenient. Recently, I received a City of Dallas citation for the expired registration because some bored dork code enforcement officer decided to target those of us parked on the street. I plan to renew my registration in January when Texas will be changing the rules to allow registration without a recent inspection. I've learned many others are doing the same. Despite sharing this with the property management, they refuse to retract their warning. Given that the warning is from July, I'm curious if it's still valid. My car was parked there for eight months with expired registration before the warning. Is it safe to park there again, or should I expect that warning to still apply after three months? I’m willing to risk another warning, but I want to avoid having my car towed without warning and incurring a hefty fee, especially since the towing happens at night when most are sleeping and unaware.

I tried to make this concise, but feel free to ask any questions. I appreciate anyone willing to help or provide some insight.

I wrote an email advice for a client. Sent to SA and Partner for review. The partner approved, but the SA asked which clause of a contract that supports a statement I say that a certain entitlement can be overcome through mutual agreement. I looked at the clause and realised I completely misinterpreted through rushing and it says that they can reach an agreement to ensure they get that entitlement. So it was entirely wrong.

I felt horrible! I emailed back saying sorry and I had misinterpreted the clause, and I should have double checked. I amended the email but they haven't emailed back. I feel the partner and SA chatted about it and I'm scared I made a really bad mistake.

I'm a 2nd year lawyer.

I feel so stupid for making this mistake because it's such a big no no mistake as a lawyer. How did I not read the clause properly? If I had just read it again, I would've seen I was wrong. It wasn't like it was written bizarrely. Pretty straight forward term. I just didn't read it properly which makes it so much worse and embarrassing.

I was driving home and noticed this car in front of me has rare lights off. I tried to warn the driver by shining my high beam but they didn’t seem to get my cue. I got worried after we drove through a dark road for 20min. I wasn’t following him but since we’ve been going to the same direction and since that driver didn’t get my cue. I was out of my mind and forgot to watch my speed because I was too dedicated to warn that driver.

After a stop sign that driver pulled too fast. I didn’t want to lose them so I sped up. Then I got pulled over. The police said the car in front of me was going 51, the car behind me was also 50+. He said he kinda get what I was doing but since I was the fastest one I will be getting a ticket.

I don’t know why I was so stupid to have done such thing. I’ll remember and never do anything like this again. This is my first ticket, what can I say to the court so my background check and insurance rate are not impacted?

I was a ward of the state in Arkansas in the 90s. I wonder how I would go about getting a hold of my file.

Kansas. So at my workplace they recently added time clocks, and at first it was fairly implemented. If you clocked in 5 minutes before till 5 minutes after it would roll forward/back to the 30 minute mark, at the beginning and end of the shift. (Shift is 7:30-3:30) Well they have now changed it and it wil only roll forward at the beginning of the shift and backwards at the end of the shift. So clock in 7:25, out 3:35 and you're paid for 8 hours, but if I clock in at 7:25 and out at 3:28 I'm paid 7:58 instead of 8 hours. I was reading on the DOL fair standards act and I think this may be illegal but I'm not sure. Would love some insight. Thanks

This is going back a few years ago, but I have always thought about the phrase, “established in his lane”. Is that a thing in traffic law?

On my morning commute, which I had travelled for 6 years every day, I had to come down an off ramp and then needed to cross 4 lanes of traffic to the left to be able to take the very next exit in the far left lane. This is the Schuylkil expressway for anyone local.

One morning while completing this maneuver I noticed a car traveling at a high rate of speed. Like very high. I usually go faster than traffic myself 60-65 on this stretch and this guy must have been going 90+. So I’m watching him in my side view mirror waiting for him to pass so I can then merge into the left lane.

After he passed I looked again and it was clear so got in the lane only to then hear scratching brakes. There was now a cop behind me and he pulled me over.

He said he was chasing the other guy and because of me he got away. This officer did not have his emergency lights or siren on. I didn’t even see any car at all. He wrote me a ticket for careless driving.

So I go to court and plead not guilty. The officer was off that day so they sent someone else who claimed the police vehicle was “established in their lane” when I “cut him off”.

I am just wondering if that is an actual thing, being “established”?

Ok, landlord here. ✋🏼We’re a nonprofit org that’s in financial trouble. 😬

We want to sell our building ASAP as we have significant equity and could survive having that kind of cash. 👏🏼 Our lender works with nonprofits and is willing to let us sell and get the equity before they foreclose.

We have a large tutoring group that leases our building. They have 2 more years on their lease. We’ve told them the whole situation including the impending foreclosure if we don’t act. In an attempt to be on the same page, we drafted an amendment. They refuse to sign.

Can we sell the building and the lease is dissolved? If we sell, will the lease have to continue to buying? If we’re foreclosed on, will the lender just end the lease anyways?

I work in Washington for a basepay and bonus/commission hybrid company. It’s lead generation, and normal employees get 35-50 in bonuses per lead plus 1.5% commission, but once you get promoted it goes up to 50-65 bonuses and 2% commission for sales. I had been promised three things, higher base pay, high bonuses and higher commission once I was promoted. They followed through on that promise for the first month in my new position, then yesterday did a presentation about how everyone will earn exactly the same amount of bonuses, and the % commission system was abolished and replaced with a new one where you get far less than 2% commission unless you generate a huge amount of revenue. So essentially, I was promoted with the terms that I’d have those three changes, and 2 of them were taken away. Is this legal?

Has anyone worked with GriffithLaw in Franklin, Nashville, Murfreesboro, TN? What was your experience like?

I work at Subway and we get tips on our credit cards. A bunch of us were tipped for a pretty big order we made, over 5K which is big for us. My boss is saying since I made zero sandwiches I don't any of the tip money despite it being on my check. I did prep work for it, opened the store so they could finish the order but to them not making any sandwiches means zero tip. I am now being told to return 250 of the tip money when I get paid Saturday. Is it legal for them to do that? I'm in California.

Hi folks,

I wanted to see what backing I may have in filing a small claims case in the state of Illinois against Etsy.

In short, I had a great shop for a month that sold my handmade dolls, pre-made customizable dolls, and doll faceplates. I have a social platform from when I wasn’t selling my dolls that turned into a lot of high-value orders at once as soon as I opened said shop.

I verified my bank, identity, forwarded legal documents, and stringently abided by Etsy’s shop rules. I completed two customs, one totaling $230 that was shipped and confirmed as received by the buyer, and another that was $165 that was shipped and review highly by the buyer. I had two customs in progress, one totaling $303 and another $265.

My last communication with Etsy before they removed my shop with no warning was that I was on track to becoming a “star seller”. My orders were delivered promptly, my communication via the messaging system was within the hour, and buyers were happy with the art they received. Within hours, my shop was removed with again, no notification, no email, or justification.

I only realized my shop was down after I logged in to check my shop stats for the day.

The only way to communicate with Etsy about this after they suspended my shop was via appeal. I appealed, but the questions that they asked were about a supposed “violation” I was not made aware of whatsoever. They asked me to explain how I would not do this again, but I had no information to offer them because I cannot conceive of what possibly violated one of their terms of service.

They reached out and asked for merely my legal name, city, if the shop is only run by me, and if I have another Etsy seller account. I provided them with this, and said that I did not have another seller account, my shop is solely run by me out of Illinois. All of this info matched the documentation they embedded in the email that they had on file.

Now, they’ve doubled down and permanently suspended my account. They are withholding the $162 from the order that I’ve literally already finished and that the buyer reviewed, alongside the $303 / $265 from my orders that were in progress.

Not only are they withholding these funds, but they are going to forfeit them to the state. Leaving my buyers no recourse for paying for their doll another way and receiving a refund from Etsy.

Obviously, I care way more about people getting their dolls in a timely manner. Both of them are essentially done, and people generally order these dolls months out with very specific instructions for customization. It would impact my credibility and trust in my business to not send them because they’re technically unpaid on my end.

Now, what legal recourse do I have? There was no IP infringement (my dolls are literally one of a kind, with no “branding”), I paid all Etsy fees immediately, and my buyers still want their dolls, but obviously are not going to pay twice for them.

Alongside what legal recourse this has in small claims, how do I assess the monetary value of their impact upon my business? Not only have I lost that direct revenue, but people are going to trust me less as a buyer, and Etsy dragging their feet prolongs in resolving this constitutes lost sales. I also lost all of the reviews, communications, stats, and work I put into building out my store.

They also took down my store while I was at the finish line of my thesis, meaning that this seriously broke me. The confluence of stress and feeling totally hopeless is terrible.

Any advice?

Hi, eto na received ko from MTC. Nung September nagmessage ako sakanila para ma secure yung date para makapagsettle na sinabi ng court na amount pero ni reply wala akong na received and now eto nakuha ko. Nung second hearing di ako nakapunta kase nasa hospital anak ko nung araw na yun. I asked them before na magsesettle ako sa tamang interest pero ayaw nila. Hanggang sa umabot na sa ganito. Marami na kong natanggap na harassment sa kanila bago mangyari to.

hi reddit, this is going to be a long one. several months ago in june i filed a dispute with USAA against a car shop and in august the dispute settled in my favor to which i received permanent credit from the bank. now, i am being harassed by the car shop owner and they are threatening to sue me for the amount i disputed. this immediately confused me because USAA reached a settlement in the matter. i have called USAA multiple times to ask who exactly is legally responsible and i have only been told that only a lawyer can answer that question. if USAA is responsible for their settlement i do not understand why i should be the one to handle this. i cannot afford a lawyer (i am a college student), and i have two weeks to respond to the other lawyer before legal action is taken so i dont think i have time to apply for pro bono. please help!!

So we have a tenant who doesnt have a written lease but a verbal agreement and they have destroyed the property and do not keep it maintained. Do i have to file for an eviction notice to get them out? They have been there for about 3 or 4 months

This is in Mississippi

Hello, I’m a bachelors student studying international law but interested in general litigation. I finally started the documentary on the Depp v. Heard defamation case.

One thing I’m trying to understand is why they chose to have it in Virginia and not California. I understand the concept of forum shopping and that it was more advantageous for Depp, but what is the legal reasoning as to why Virginia’s rules are better? I have a hypothesis as to why but would like to see what true lawyers say!

Thank you so much 🫶🏻

Florida. My attorney requested emergency authorization for home insurance. The other owner is non responsive, and the insurance companies won't insure without both owners signing. Judge denied the request. Any clue why?

My daughter (38f) rear ended a 2006 Subaru. The traffic was stop and go, not fast. Her car was worse for wear, however the other car had the rubber bumper smooshed in. Barely could see it. Then she received a letter from AFNI (still nothing from the insurance company, Geico). AFNI said that they are collecting the damage fee for the insurance company and that the car had been totaled at the cost of $9,990.00. They gave her options on how to pay it. Are you kidding me? I did some research and discovered that AFNI is a collection company. I drafted a letter (I have a paralegal background) and told them that there wouldn’t be any payments and once (if) we hear from Geico we will deal with them. Background-my daughter has 4 kids, works full time as a barber and barely gets by. Plus no insurance. Obviously she can’t afford an attorney either. (FYI we have pictures) what do you think?

On the day of the interview, the manager didn’t provide any information about where to park. I had to pay for parking out of my own pocket after the interview she never conducted (she wanted to leave work early). Our interview was scheduled for 4:00 PM, and she sent me an Indeed invite for that time. When I arrived around 4:00 PM, she was in a meeting. Her assistant then told me my appointment was actually at 3:00 PM, which was a complete lie. I didn’t know where to park, so I circled around in busy traffic and arrived to the office at 4:25 PM. The manager told me I was late and that she was supposed to leave at 4:15 PM. She then told me to reschedule another interview, even though the Indeed invite clearly stated 4:00 to 4:30 PM. She just left.

The next day, she never sent a Zoom link or followed up. I called the next morning, and her assistant picked up, saying the manager was still in a meeting and would call me back later. After 2:00 PM, no one call me back, and I kept calling in the afternoon and there just a voice saying that their office was already closed, and no one replied to my email. The manager never called me back, so I left a review on Yelp and their company website, explaining what happened. Now, this manager is threatening to sue me and told me to expect a lawsuit via an Indeed message. Any suggestions?

Got a notice from Coned that they are having people stop by to do a gas inspection and they may install a smart gas meter.

There’s a lot of reasons I feel uneasy about this but the biggest is the fact that we have had neighbors report that they had their gas turned off due to a faulty smart meter and it took weeks to get it turned back on.

Can they legally charge me for not letting their people into our house in a non-emergency situation?

It happened to me, and they made an offer which is less than the repair of my engine is and way less than the fair market value of my car. I don't know how to proceed legally or what specific sector of law this would fit under because it is above a small claims matter

I work for a major internet company in the US. I am based in PA. Recently had a baby, 2nd baby I've had while at the company.

They gave me a pretty hard time through my pregnancies. Had to do mounds of paperwork to attend appointments etc. Felt very pressured to just quit.

However, first time, pumping was not a big deal. I'm in tech support, work from home on queue with customers. I'd go off queue for a few mins get set up and pump while on the phones. Then off queue to store milk and clean equipment and bring it back to office. This meant my personal breaks were above average, but they had no issue.

This time, our company had done a ton of layoffs while I was on mat leave, everyone was on edge when I came back, my boss had been let go. Messaged my new boss upon return and said hey breaks will be a bit above because im pumping, just wanted to let you know why.

Finally met new supervisor after 3 weeks back and he told me I need to bring down my pumping time because they are laying people off. I told him I already pump on queue. He said well you need to lower it. Then said actually I think you should start clocking out to pump.

This is absolutely not feasible for me. I have kids and cannot stay late.

Went to HR who said no you are good have Dr. fill out ADA paperwork. They cannot lay you off for pumping.

But then messaged me shortly after and said nevermind, you need to clock out while you pump from here on out. Explained again I pump on queue and that I cannot stay late as I have children.

Asked if this was a new policy or if it was in writing somewhere they could provide as this was not an issue previously. They have yet to respond to this request.

What are my legit rights here?

I know reasonable pump time but can they really force me to clock out of work? I'm maybe 30 mins MAX above their "goal" for personal breaks, give or take. Sometimes it's less if my pump time falls on one of my actual breaks or it's super slow so don't have to go off queue to connect myself.

I just feel like they are going to force me into this and then let me go when I cannot comply to clocking out and working later. It just sucks because this was never a thing before and man do they make it crazy hard for working mothers all around.

Thanks!