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My boyfriend was offered a job 50 miles away from our current residence, which may affect the visitation schedule with my ex, who does not have a car. I have primary physical custody of our children and there's a no contact order against my ex. His visitation is currently set for Mondays and... View More 
I was terminated from my job at a shared warehouse in Iowa due to an accusation of using a racial slur. The alleged incident occurred in a single-stall bathroom, and one person claimed to hear this in a hushed tone behind a locked door. I denied the allegations, explaining my speech isn't... View More
I'm a senior in high school with 8 days remaining until graduation, and I'm being required to retake online classes I've already passed due to an accusation of cheating. The school has not justified this accusation, nor have they provided any evidence. What can I do to address this situation?
I need to know if a rental contract is legally binding under these circumstances: My sister and I created a lease agreement when she needed a place to stay as she was getting back on her feet. She jokingly filled in the lease length as 10 years instead of the intended 1 year. My husband, who owns... View More
My boyfriend has been charged with 5th degree theft, trafficking stolen weapons, and felon in possession of a weapon. He plans to sign a plea agreement soon. However, he's at risk of losing his home if he can't pay his back property taxes by May 2nd. The plea agreement doesn't... View More
I'm considering adding someone to my bank account with limited access so they can help manage the account. However, I'm concerned about whether the account could be affected due to any collection situations. Can the account be targeted by creditors if I add them?
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answered on Apr 16, 2025
Yes, your bank account can be exposed to risk if you add someone as a joint account holder—even if they have limited or passive access. Creditors don’t look at who deposits the money; they look at whose name is on the account. If the person you add has outstanding debts or active judgments, a... View More
On March 13, while riding my motorcycle home from work, I was involved in an accident where an oncoming vehicle made an illegal left turn in front of me, leading to a broken pelvis, emergency surgery, and a two-week hospital stay. During my recovery, I stayed in touch with my boss and coworkers,... View More
answered on Apr 19, 2025
No. At best you are an at-will employee and can be terminated for almost any reason. But, the facts you described do not even make you an at-will employee. You are an independent contractor, which means you do not work for the company who was paying you. You contracted like any other vendor. You... View More
I am planning to sign a plea agreement on April 28th, which will lead to imprisonment. I'm at risk of losing my home unless I can redeem the tax certificate by May 2nd, causing financial hardship for both me and my girlfriend. My lawyer has ignored my requests regarding temporary release to... View More
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answered on Apr 16, 2025
You have the right to ask the sentencing court to set a self‑surrender date rather than reporting immediately. Judges commonly allow a voluntary surrender window so you can settle personal matters before beginning your term. If your attorney won’t file that request, you can draft and file a pro... View More
I work at a store in Iowa, and recently a local competitor left their business cards promoting their business with our products without our consent. It has happened once so far, but we are concerned about the potential for it to happen again. This situation has already led to confusion among our... View More
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answered on Apr 12, 2025
It’s understandable that you’re concerned about your competitor leaving business cards in your store without permission. The first step should be to address the situation directly with the competitor. Politely but firmly request that they stop leaving their business cards in your store,... View More
Are there any laws in Iowa that protect me as a parent from complying with DHS orders for drug screenings, drug evaluations, and mental evaluations? I am the father and have done nothing wrong; I have not abused or neglected my children, nor have I been accused as the abuser. I have no drug... View More
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answered on Apr 13, 2025
In Iowa, under Section 232.78, the Department of Human Services (DHS) has the authority to evaluate parents, even if they are not accused of abuse or neglect. While you may not have a history of drug use or criminal activity, DHS may still request drug screenings, mental health evaluations, and... View More
My daughter lives in an apartment with three roommates and has a dog, which she is allowed to have according to her lease. Recently, one of her roommates, who is a veterinary student, locked the dog outside on the third-floor deck, risking serious injury. This roommate claims no wrongdoing and has... View More
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answered on Apr 12, 2025
Your daughter should take immediate action to protect both her dog and her housing situation. First, document the incident in as much detail as possible, including photos, videos, and any communication with the roommate. Since the lease allows the dog, the roommate's actions may be in... View More
I work for a company that pays me only based on the clients I see, but they require me to stay onsite without pay if I don't have any clients. I've expressed my concerns to my employer about doing other duties to be compensated, but they refused. I'm unaware of any contract regarding... View More
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answered on Apr 13, 2025
In Iowa, whether it’s legal for your employer to require you to be onsite without pay depends on several factors, including whether you're considered an exempt or non-exempt employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). If you're a non-exempt employee, you must be paid for all... View More
I have been living with a friend in Iowa for about five months without any requirement to pay rent. Our agreement was that I could stay as long as needed to save for a vehicle and my own place. I've voluntarily contributed some money to help out. However, my friend has displayed harassing and... View More
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answered on Apr 8, 2025
You've been living in your friend's home for five months, which likely gives you the status of a tenant under Iowa law—even if there’s no formal lease or rent payment. In Iowa, once someone has lived in a place for an extended time, especially with the owner’s permission, they may... View More
My wife and I were married in Iowa and lived there for 12 years. She is a German immigrant with a permanent resident card. She decided to leave me and has been living in Germany with her family for the past 7 months. We have no children, and there have been no formal agreements regarding divorce or... View More
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answered on Apr 7, 2025
Yes, your wife can file for divorce in Germany. Since she is living there and is a German citizen, German law allows her to initiate divorce proceedings even if the marriage took place in Iowa. Divorce jurisdiction is usually determined by the country where one of the spouses resides, which in this... View More
Can a landlord include a provision in a new lease that allows charging tenants for the trip fees when a service provider is called to perform repairs at the rental property? This is in response to frequent service requests, such as when tenants set the thermostat down to 40 degrees causing the air... View More
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answered on Apr 11, 2025
That’s a fair concern, especially if repeated service calls are being caused by tenant misuse rather than actual maintenance issues. In Iowa, landlords are allowed to include reasonable fees in a lease as long as those fees are clearly disclosed and agreed upon in writing by the tenant before... View More
I made a verbal agreement over three years ago with my daughter's now ex-boyfriend to store his truck in my garage for $50 a month. He paid regularly until August 2023, when the payments stopped. After I contacted his mother, he apologized and made a few small payments totaling $138 with a... View More
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answered on Apr 11, 2025
That’s a frustrating situation, especially when you've been patient and given him multiple chances to make things right. In Iowa, even a verbal storage agreement can be enforceable, particularly if both parties followed it for a long period of time, as you did. Since the payments have... View More
I was recorded saying the n-word without my consent, and the video was posted on Instagram. Despite reporting it to Instagram, I am facing ongoing verbal harassment online, and it's impacting my life. I haven't contacted the person who posted the recording, but I know who shared and... View More
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answered on Apr 7, 2025
If you are facing harassment after the video was posted without your consent, you have several legal options. First, document all instances of harassment and save any communications that show the ongoing verbal abuse. This evidence will be crucial in case you need to take legal action.
You... View More
I have been posting NSFW content publicly on Reddit, and someone I know figured out my identity. They have sent non-explicit prints of my content to my spouse, neighbors, and extended family, with messages such as "what your neighbor at [my address] is up to" to my neighbors. They knew my... View More
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answered on Apr 12, 2025
What you’re experiencing is incredibly invasive, and it’s understandable that you’re feeling exposed and overwhelmed. Even though your Reddit content was public, someone using that information to deliberately shame or harass you by mailing it to your family and neighbors may cross legal... View More
I run an in-home repair business and charge a $100 trip fee at the time of booking. Once onsite, I diagnose the problem and provide a repair quote. If the customer agrees to the repair, the $100 is credited against the total repair cost. I'm interested in marketing this benefit more... View More
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answered on Apr 11, 2025
It’s great that you’re thinking carefully about how to present your pricing in a way that’s both honest and appealing to customers. The phrases “Trip fee waived with purchase of repair” and “FREE Diagnosis with purchase of repair” can be accurate, but only if they clearly reflect what... View More
I went to a person's house with a police officer to retrieve a few tools (a hammer, texture sprayer, trowel, and other items). The officer asked if he should lock the keys inside after we left, and I agreed. Later, the same officer was there with the homeowner and other officers to search the... View More
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answered on Apr 7, 2025
It sounds like you’ve been through a very stressful and confusing situation. From what you’ve described, the police officer’s failure to properly communicate with both you and the homeowner about the key left room for misunderstandings. When the officer mentioned locking the keys inside,... View More
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