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In Texas, a student I know filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in May, and the case was closed as a discharged non-asset in September. During this period, the student withdrew early from classes, resulting in a portion of the Title IV funds being returned, leading to a debt of $4,321 owed to the... View More 
answered on Apr 11, 2025
Generally speaking, even debts owed to creditors that do not receive notice are discharged in no asset cases.
The answer to your specific question will likely depend on the timing of when the debt arose. If the student withdrew after she filed her chapter 7 petition, there is a possibility... View More
I recently discovered that multiple utility accounts were fraudulently opened in my name, resulting in my electricity being cut off. The energy company informed me over the phone that I must pay $4,900 within 24 hours, but I have no knowledge of who committed this fraud or how it happened. I... View More
answered on Apr 10, 2025
Welcome to the world that we live in now. Fraud is everywhere and the first step is to contact your local police department. After that, you need to contact the customer service at the electric company and talk with them. The power company is going to assume you are wrong and it is your job to... View More
In North Carolina, is it legal for an independent car salesman to avoid obtaining a dealer's license by purchasing and selling cars under multiple LLCs to stay under the five-cars-per-year limit? In this scenario, there are active complaints as the salesman sells cars under a "rent to... View More
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answered on Apr 10, 2025
Please refer to North Carolina General Statutes Section 20-286(11)(a)(2) which states that a Motor vehicle dealer or dealer is defined as "[a] person who... [o]n behalf of another and for commission, money, or other thing of value, arranges, offers, attempts to solicit, or attempts to... View More
I'm looking to find an attorney who works on a contingency basis to help with a breach of contract and deceptive trade practices case concerning a leased premises. For about a year, I've been living with mold and bad water. Despite my written complaints over the past 11 months, the... View More
answered on Apr 9, 2025
In the absence of significant damages, it will likely not be possible for you to locate an attorney willing to work on such a case on a contingency fee basis. You would need to show some sort of "value" to the leased premises. If it is a commercial property in a prime location with a... View More
My sister was involved in a car accident where she T-boned a vehicle that was stationed sideways, blocking both lanes on a long road. Despite having the right of way, the police mentioned that she had enough time to stop but miscalculated the distance because the other vehicle was turned sideways.... View More
answered on Apr 9, 2025
So the police do not determine who is at fault for an accident. The police report is not admissible as evidence of who was negligent. Your sister should retain an attorney here in Florida on contingency fee, which means she pays nothing unless she wins.
After several months of back and forth, the insurance company informed me that the tow yard would handle the issue of compensation for my totaled truck. The tow yard and I cannot agree on a fair compensation amount. The Kelley Blue Book value of my truck was $5,000, but the tow yard claims they... View More
answered on Apr 10, 2025
Hard to say. Could be a huge amount if the insurance company and/or the tow yard failed to follow the law. The auction thing is laughable since in most cases the tow yard runds the auction themselves and sprinkle their own people into the bidding.
OR
Could be a nothing burger as... View More
My mom is planning her retirement, and recently, we worked with an agent to move her federal savings into a SPIA annuity account. However, we discovered that the agent electronically signed my mom's name on the annuity application without her knowledge or authorization. He claims that to... View More
answered on Apr 8, 2025
I am questioning if your mother did not authorize an electronic signing. I am guessing that this is the situation, and I also believe that she signed something to move money into the account. Electronic signatures are binding in most situations.
How was the money moved to the annuity if... View More
I separated from my employer in California on 3/13/25 and received my final pay in the form of a debit card on 4/5/25. However, when I tried to activate the card, I was informed that I needed to contact my former employer to enroll me as a user. I contacted my employer by phone, and they mentioned... View More
answered on Apr 7, 2025
In California, providing you with a card for your final paycheck is a violation of the California Labor Code. You likely have a legitimate claim or Waiting Time Penalties in the amount of one day of pay for each day you are made to wait for your final pay. You should consider reaching out to the... View More
Despite having no late payments, my car was repossessed in Santa Ana, California, without any notification, and returned to the dealership. The repossession occurred without the repo person identifying themselves or involving law enforcement. My car, with my dogs inside, was later reported... View More
answered on Apr 6, 2025
I'm very sorry to hear about your experience and especially what happened to your dogs. There are no facts here that make this sound like a repossession other. It's common that a thief will dump a vehicle shortly after taking it. There are certainly horror stories and I have represented... View More
I pay for two cell phone lines under my account. A family member, who is over 18, uses one of these lines. There are no formal agreements; it was offered for cost-saving purposes. I'm considering installing parental control software, like mSpy, on the device. Is it legal to do so without their... View More
answered on Apr 4, 2025
Since they are over 18, no. As an adult they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. mSpy can be used to perform covert surveillance, including surveillance of conversations without the consent of at least one party. This could result in you inadvertently committing a felony. In addition, if it... View More
I'm frustrated with a daycare's policy of charging a full monthly fee even when they are closed for holidays, spring break, Christmas break, random "professional development" days, and a three-week summer break. In December, for example, they are only open for two weeks, which... View More
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answered on Apr 4, 2025
Typically this will be spelled out in any contract you have with the daycare, so my first suggestion to you is to look there. If the contract says they do not charge for those days but they are charging (or have charged) you, you have a basis to complain and perhaps even get any monies paid in... View More
Is it legal for a repo truck to hook up a car that is up for repossession while it is occupied? In my case, there was no interaction before the car was hooked up, as they claimed they didn't see the driver sitting in it. The repossession occurred on a public street, and no documents or proof... View More
answered on Apr 4, 2025
There is no legal prohibition on repossessing a car just because it is occupied; however, it is a traffic violation to tow a vehicle with a person inside. So, the repo company will not be issued a citation simply for hooking up the repossessed vehicle to the tow truck, but the driver could be... View More
As an employee, my compensation includes a 45% commission and 100% of my tips. However, I've noticed discrepancies where tips are entered incorrectly; for instance, a $23 tip was recorded as $20. This issue happens frequently, and accessing the computer system to document it is difficult... View More
answered on Apr 3, 2025
More information is needed to properly answer this, but generally, you should begin documenting everything if you haven’t already. Include dates/shifts worked, tips received v entered, communications with the employer / manager about your pay. Ask them directly what the process is, in writing, if... View More
I would like to know if I can sue a bank and a car dealership for fraud. My wife and I purchased a used car at a dealership in Miami, FL on February 15, 2025, and encountered several issues: my last name was spelled incorrectly on the documents; the down payment was recorded as $4,200, despite us... View More
answered on Apr 3, 2025
You should take your documents to a lawyer right away. We do not have any way of reviewing your purchase agreement and contracts in this forum.
Most used car sales are "as is" and it's up to the buyer to have the car inspected prior to purchase irrespective of what the... View More
I was offered a job with Graceland Logistics, Inc for online chat support and provided a contract, which I received through Tik Tok. They requested personal and financial information, including my bank account details. Recently, they asked me to carry out transactions involving Apple Cash, bank... View More
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answered on Apr 1, 2025
You are being scammed! No legitimate company does things that way. They also wanted you to Commit fraud and/or money laundering for them. Your desperation for a job is clouding your judgment. You should report this to the FBI.
Do not do something like this again! Not trying to be harsh,... View More
I was involved in an accident where my truck's brakes failed while going downhill, causing me to crash into a dumpster and the side of a building. When the first officer on the scene ran my truck's tag, it showed as registered to a green Mustang instead of my green Dodge truck. How might... View More
answered on Apr 1, 2025
A Georgia attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for two weeks. A starting point could be to check DMV records for the discrepancy. In terms of pending claims from the dumpster owner or building owner, the license plate discrepancy is not likely to present any kind of defense -... View More
I am a landlord of a small family commercial retail space considering a potential tenant application. The applicant has two last names: one on state documents like their driver's license and US passport (which they claim is their birth last name), and another on years of IRS tax filings and... View More
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answered on Apr 1, 2025
On the assumption that you want to bind "all" tenants and individuals occupying the space, you will want all names and any "aliases" that they may be using. One of several "focus points" you will want as the landlord in the lease, along with any personal guarantees ...... View More
I signed a lease agreement for my rental property, but my landlord did not disclose any information about possible lead paint. I recently discovered that my child has lead in his system. The landlord has offered $2,500 to help us move out. What are my legal options in this situation?
answered on Mar 31, 2025
Sorry to hear what happened to your son. There is no safe lead level in the blood which can cause developmental delays in children. Depending on your son's lead levels and whether it can be causally connected with your apartment, he could have a viable claim against the landlord for lead... View More
I signed a lease agreement for my rental property, but my landlord did not disclose any information about possible lead paint. I recently discovered that my child has lead in his system. The landlord has offered $2,500 to help us move out. What are my legal options in this situation?
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answered on Mar 31, 2025
I’m sorry to hear about your child’s health issue and the stress this situation has caused. Exposure to lead, especially for young children, can have serious and lasting effects. In New York, landlords have specific legal responsibilities when it comes to disclosing and addressing the presence... View More
I live in Maryland and want to own and operate a decommissioned ambulance as a personal vehicle, possibly converting it into a camper van. I'm concerned about the legality, insurance, and registration requirements for such a vehicle. Are there any laws in Maryland preventing this, and what... View More
answered on Mar 31, 2025
Yes, you can register and drive a de-commissioned ambulance as a used truck. You must remove all emergency lights and logos/wording/markings designating it as an emergency vehicle (the words “emergency,” “EMS,” crosses, etc.). You should check with the MVA whether anything else must be... View More
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