Get free answers to your Municipal Law legal questions from lawyers in your area.
I live in a New York State village where a drainage pipe was installed under my driveway about 10 years ago. Over the years, this pipe has heaved significantly and damaged my driveway. Despite discussing the issue with previous mayors, no action has been taken. I recently spoke to the current... View More

answered on Apr 12, 2025
In New York State, the village may be responsible for maintaining public infrastructure, including drainage pipes, but it depends on whether the drainage system is considered a public or private responsibility. Since the drainage pipe was installed under your driveway, it could be a part of the... View More
I visited a mall in Queens, NY on 08-04-20. To open the doors of the mall I used my foot to press the handicap door opener button. In the elevator I pressed the button for the floor of Target. A male janitor appeared in front of the elevator & stuck a broom he had into the elevator activating... View More

answered on Feb 7, 2025
Record retention statutes typcially apply to certain businesses and its records or practices, and vary in application and duration. For example, hospitals are required to keep certain records for a fixed periof of time because these are medical records. You want to obtain records of a complaint... View More
Facility hosting event is a Moose Lodge. Is it possible state &/or local laws in Town of Huntington/Suffolk County may also extend legal responsibility to 'volunteer' planners of reunion event who rented Moose lodge (where alcoholic beverages will be served as part of the fee to... View More

answered on Jan 23, 2025
Hard to say without reviewing the terms and conditions of the Moose Lodge's liability policy. It might be easier (and cheaper) to speak with the lodge's insurance broker and ask to have the volunteers added as "additional insureds" under the existing policy. Either way, if the... View More
Town Board passed new ordinance limiting type and quantity bird feeders a private homeowner can have, based on one address being harassed by one neighbor for four years. Even though we have complied with all DEC restrictions and suggestions. I need to fight this. I've had same bird feeders for... View More

answered on Oct 4, 2024
Dear Jamestown Home Owner:
It is not you alone. Many jurisdictions place restrictions on wildlife feeding.
https://dec.ny.gov/news/press-releases/2022/4/dec-issues-guidance-to-reduce-conflicts-with-bears#:~:text=... View More
This is a very dangerous situation for my family and my property. 3 to 4 times in the past, his customers crashed through or over his guardrail hit my fence, and ended up on my property. He has a poorly
constructed and damaged guard rail only 1 foot from my fence. It is not providing the... View More
I finally found hard evidence that he killed my sister with his medication which showed on the toxicology report that it was his meds. The prescription read his name on the bottle. The detective had taken a picture of the meds. There is way to much to tell on here... I am living a nightmare, I am... View More

answered on Apr 17, 2024
My advice is to contact the New York State Police and provide to them the toxicology report and other hard evidence while explaining that you are having difficulty with the local police and sheriff's dept.
The New York State Police may have received other similar reports regarding... View More
I was very aggressive with words when he approached my car. He tried to coax me out the car to fight I guess. How do I get his name to license plate and take him to court

answered on Apr 6, 2024
If you feel the other driver acted recklessly in a way that endangered you, the appropriate course of action is to file a police report. Provide them with as many details as you can recall, including the location, time, vehicle description, license plate if you saw it, and a factual description of... View More
I am disabled, working through repairs from an electric fire. Are they responsible for broken pipes because they filled the lines with water, allowing the electric on, then caused the freeze with no notice removal. Fresh foods frozen, botled water froze(no electric no waterpump no toilets)

answered on Mar 24, 2024
I'm sorry for the stressful situation you have been placed into. It could be difficult for an attorney to offer a simple, direct answer to your question in the brief post without knowing more details, and figuring out what happened here. Until you're able to discuss with a local attorney,... View More
Boyfriend/driver was found with drug paraphranalia while being transferred to hospital. Troopers got court order for blood test. My daughter (owner/passenger) was killed. Bill was for towing to NYSP impound, rather than local shop nearby.

answered on Mar 2, 2024
Based on the limited details provided, here is a summary of the key considerations around who pays the $900 impound bill:
- As the registered owner of the vehicle, your daughter's estate would likely be considered responsible for the accrued impound fees. However, fault in the accident... View More
We were told we could report.Real Estates who do not accept the Voucher or ask us for money to find an apartment. Legally what can we do in this case?

answered on Feb 24, 2024
In this situation, it's essential to understand your rights and the legal protections available to you as someone seeking housing assistance with a City Voucher. Firstly, you should familiarize yourself with the local housing laws and regulations that govern the acceptance of vouchers by... View More

answered on Jan 4, 2024
Whether you can work as a bartender serving alcohol in Oneida County, NY, while employed as a Peace Officer in Herkimer County, depends on the specific rules and regulations governing Peace Officers' secondary employment and any potential conflicts of interest. It is advisable to consult your... View More

answered on Nov 30, 2023
In general, residential areas in Monroe County are zoned for single-family homes. This means that you would need to have a permit to live in a tent on private land in a residential area. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, you may be able to live in a tent on private land... View More

answered on Nov 16, 2023
Inform the DPW about the sewage backup problem and request their assistance in repairing the sewer line. They should be able to provide you with a timeline for when they can inspect and address the issue
Keep a detailed record of the sewage backup incidents, including dates, times, and any... View More
I recently filed a name change petition to change my name, and the judge quickly granted it. But there is a problem: I regret the name I have chosen.
I have not reported my court granted name to any government agency. Would I be required to reference my court approved name in my new name... View More

answered on Nov 8, 2023
Yes, it is legal to change your name more than once in New York City courts. If you've had a change of heart about the new name, you can file another petition for a name change. In your new petition, you would need to reference any previous name changes, including the one recently granted by... View More
Late Tuesday morning I fell all the way from the top to the bottom of the stairs. There are 17 stairs and I have 17 stitches above my eyebrow. I wasn't intoxicated or on any drugs. It could have been from my shoes, but I am unsure of what happened. My leg is also messed up from the fall, it is... View More

answered on Oct 19, 2023
Sorry to hear what happened to you. I am unaware of there being any Code requirements as to the maximum width of an interior staircase (they have to be at least 36" wide). With regard to staircases in NYC, the riser height can be no higher than 7". Tread depth can be no greater than... View More
There's a certain ex president that is being tried on fraud about lying about the square footage of their comercial realestate. but Louis Rossman exposed this SOME time ago that you can go anywhere on loopnet and show that commercial realestate listings and they lie about it all the time.... View More

answered on Aug 7, 2023
If your vehicle was damaged as a result of the crash and was not drivable afterwards, then the police would certainly be authorized to tow it. It will remain impounded until such time as you pay the towing fee. Here's something I found online which you might find helpful,... View More
Town adding 65$ to water bill for its debt.

answered on Jul 12, 2023
Consumer law attorneys (the selected category for the question) don't usually deal with these situations - it might be closer to Municipal Law. Some questions remain unanswered on this forum, but if you wanted to try reposting, you could add "Municipal" and "Government &... View More
FDNY broke a hydrant after putting out a fire. The streets were flooded, Catch Basins and Sewers were clogged and there was no where for water to drain but into our all our basements causing extensive damage. Comptrollers Office just rejected our claims. Three property owners filed claims with the... View More

answered on Mar 27, 2023
Sorry to hear what happened to your property. Before you can formally sue a municipality such as the City of New York for negligence, you must first file a Notice of Claim within 90 days of the occurrence. Once you've filed a Notice of Claim (a prerequisite to any lawsuit), you have 1 year... View More
I have called the electric co. no response It is grandfather in. I have called the public comm.,town of Owego. I get no replies. To have it removed I was told back then in2000 it would cost me 20,000 dollars to move the poll. Can u help me? Thank you. From
Apalachin NY.

answered on Feb 23, 2023
From your post, it looks like you've already reached out to the electric utility and the Public Service Commission. Given the fire hazard you describe, you could also try reaching out to local fire & safety departments and elected officials for guidance. Good luck
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