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Q: Can my 17-year-old choose to stay with me instead of returning to his father's custody?
My 17-year-old son, who lives with his father in Florida, is visiting me in Indiana for the summer. I have a court agreement that grants me visitation rights. Recently, my son has been refusing to return to his father. His father has made him work alone for 10 hours at a gas station he owns,... View More 
Andrey Mangushev
answered on Jun 8, 2026
answered on Jun 8, 2026
Your situation is serious and legally significant under Florida law. Under Florida Statute § 61.13, Florida courts consider the reasonable preference of a child — and at 17, your son's preference carries substantial weight in any custody modification proceeding. More importantly, what you... View More
Q: Uninsured motorist claim: multiple payments, no settlement?
I have an attorney handling my claim against my uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. He informed me that the insurance company has sent him three separate checks, yet the case is still unsettled. I thought insurance companies would provide one lump-sum payment rather than multiple payments during... View More
Randy Bryan Ligh
answered on Jun 8, 2026
answered on Jun 8, 2026
More information is needed here, especially if your attorney has received 3 separate checks and you have not had a sit down to negotiate and discuss the distribution of those checks thus far. Anyway, the issuance of 3 checks seems odd, it may not be depending on the date of your accident, your... View More
Q: Can I avoid probate and take a loan on my home's equity after my husband's passing in Louisiana?
I am in Louisiana, and my husband recently passed away. We both are on the title of our house, and I have a current mortgage with no liens. Both of us have wills, and I understood that probate might not be necessary. I am looking to take out a loan to consolidate my bills using the equity in our... View More
Randy Bryan Ligh
answered on Jun 8, 2026
answered on Jun 8, 2026
I am sorry for yoour loss. To transfer the title of your husband's interest to whomever it is supposed to go, either a succcession/probate needs to be opened or if conditions are met, a succuession via affidavit can do it. I believe the succession via affidavit is not a possibilitiy because... View More
Q: Is pushing an intoxicated woman who tried to enter my car considered domestic violence?
In California, while I was in my car at around 12:30 am, an intoxicated woman who is not my girlfriend tried to open my car door and get in. I responded by pushing her back and closing the door. An officer was present at the scene but mentioned he didn’t see her attempting to enter my car.... View More
Victor A. Orsatti
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answered on Jun 9, 2026
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answered on Jun 9, 2026
What you described is not Domestic Violence, since you and the woman are not, and presumably were not, in a dating relationship. What you described is a possible simple assault charge under PC 242. However you also have a very strong self defense argument in that you acted reasonably and (again... View More
Q: Can HR's error on leave be job abandonment?
In Georgia, my HR only recorded 2 days of grieving leave, although I was supposed to have 3 days based on company policy. I also had 40 days of available vacation time. Could HR's failure to properly account for my leave be considered job abandonment, or is there a process to dispute this? I... View More
Adeash A.J. Lakraj
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answered on Jun 8, 2026
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answered on Jun 8, 2026
Based on the facts you've described, HR's failure to properly record your bereavement leave would not automatically constitute job abandonment.
Generally, job abandonment occurs when an employee fails to report to work without notice or authorization. If you requested bereavement... View More
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