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Q: Can I keep the security deposit if tenant leaves early without notice?
I'm a landlord with a property in Brooklyn, New York. A tenant signed a lease for two months and provided a security deposit equal to one month's rent, along with the first month's rent. After moving in, the tenant changed his mind and left after five days. The lease specifies a... View More 
Scott Kennedy
answered on Sep 30, 2026
answered on Sep 30, 2026
While we do not have an attorney-client relationship and I am not giving you legal advice, I will note that I think it would be inadvisable to keep the security deposit.
It is possible for a tenant to recover punitive damages if you willfully withhold their security deposit longer than... View More
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Q: How can I remove my brother-in-law from the condo to fulfill my trustee duties?
I am the sole trustee of my late sister's condominium in New York, which is governed by a Family Trust drafted by a trust attorney in California. My sister's husband, who resides in the condominium, is functionally illiterate and suffers from severe psychiatric and medical issues. His... View More
Elaine Shay
answered on Sep 30, 2026
answered on Sep 30, 2026
Since you are a Trustee you will be required to retain an attorney to commence any eviction proceeding on behalf of the Trust. Although individuals are not typically required to be represented by an attorney to commence an eviction proceeding, your role as Trustee means you are not acting on your... View More
Q: How can I find out if I’m entitled to royalties from my deceased ancestor in Massachusetts?
I am a grandchild of an inventor from Massachusetts. I suspect I might be entitled to royalties related to my ancestor's inventions, but I have not met him. My grandmother has been reticent to discuss him or any potential royalties. I have no existing documents or agreements concerning these... View More
Nadine M. Catalfimo
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answered on Sep 30, 2026
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answered on Sep 30, 2026
If you have the full name of your relative and his/her date of death and know where they were domiciled then you could try to see if there was a probate or estate administration opened for that individual. Probate records are public information. Royalties, depending on the state where they are... View More
Q: Can NH charge breach of bail after 1 year statute of limitations?
In New Hampshire, if someone was arrested for driving while certified as a habitual offender on June 12, 2025, and was later charged on September 22, 2026, for breach of bail related to that offense, has the statute of limitations expired for the breach of bail charge, considering it is a Class A... View More
Leonard D. Harden
answered on Sep 30, 2026
answered on Sep 30, 2026
The breach-of-bail charge is not necessarily time-barred. The one-year period runs from the alleged breach of a release condition, not automatically from the June 12, 2025 arrest for driving while certified as a habitual offender. If the alleged breach occurred on June 12, 2025, and no process... View More
Q: Is it too late to pursue legal action for a needle left after heart transplant?
My husband had a heart transplant in January 2017, and a suture needle was left in his chest under his new heart. We were informed about the needle a day or two after the surgery, and they mentioned they would keep an eye on it without discussing risks or complications in detail. It's not... View More
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Emery Brett Ledger
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answered on Sep 30, 2026
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answered on Sep 30, 2026
A suture needle left under a transplanted heart is a retained foreign object case, and the hard part of your question is usually timing, not whether that kind of event can support a claim in the abstract.
In Texas, most health care liability claims have a short statute of limitations,... View More
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