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Q: Do I disclose an expunged felony on an Oregon small estate affidavit?
I have a Class C felony conviction for a marijuana grow operation that has been expunged. I'm currently completing a small estate affidavit in Oregon, and the application asks if I've ever been arrested for a felony. Since my conviction has been expunged, should I disclose this past... View More 
Theressa Hollis
answered on Jul 23, 2026
answered on Jul 23, 2026
The state form doesn’t ask if you’ve been arrested. It asks you to state “I have not been convicted of a felony in Oregon or another state.”
The Oregon Judicial Department website says, “ A motion to set aside (expunction) is a legal proceeding for sealing a record of a criminal... View More
Q: Can my mother-in-law in Maryland force me out despite living rights in a will?
I've been living in my house in Maryland for 46 years. The house is owned by my mother-in-law, but there is an amendment to her will that gives me living rights should anything happen to my husband. Our children are to inherit the house once I pass. I have consistently contributed to household... View More
Cedulie Renee Laumann
answered on Jul 23, 2026
answered on Jul 23, 2026
One can certainly imagine how difficult it could be to contemplate moving out of a home one lived in for decades but the length of occupancy in someone else’s home does not change the owner’s right to do with the property as they please.
In a word, yes, a property owner can ask... View More
Q: Can my mother-in-law in Maryland force me out despite living rights in a will?
I've been living in my house in Maryland for 46 years. The house is owned by my mother-in-law, but there is an amendment to her will that gives me living rights should anything happen to my husband. Our children are to inherit the house once I pass. I have consistently contributed to household... View More
Richard Sternberg
answered on Jul 23, 2026
answered on Jul 23, 2026
If your grant is in a will that hasn't come to fruition, i.e., the testator is alive, then the grant is nothing at all. You have no right from that document unless it is an example of a rather rare device called a contractual will. Your facts don't sound like that at all, but you should... View More
Q: Can my mother-in-law in Maryland force me out despite living rights in a will?
I've been living in my house in Maryland for 46 years. The house is owned by my mother-in-law, but there is an amendment to her will that gives me living rights should anything happen to my husband. Our children are to inherit the house once I pass. I have consistently contributed to household... View More
Mark Oakley
answered on Jul 23, 2026
answered on Jul 23, 2026
The Will is irrelevant until your mother-in-law dies. It doesn’t matter what it says until then. You cannot enforce any of its provisions while she is alive. She can revoke or amend her will at any time and exercise her legal rights as sole owner of the property during her lifetime. You are a... View More
Q: Can I dispute trash company charges for unused service since May 2025?
I am being sued for $495 by a trash company in Pennsylvania for past due balances. I initially requested service for only three months, but they have continued to bill me since May 2025, even though I haven't used their service since then. While I did receive the charges, I have been disputing... View More
Tim Akpinar
answered on Jul 23, 2026
answered on Jul 23, 2026
A Pennsylvania attorney could answer best, but your question remains open for two weeks. It's possible you could dispute the charges. Your starting point could be to review the terms of your contract, in particular, any provisions about cancellation, termination, or auto-renewal. If the... View More
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