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I was served a lawsuit by Patenaude & Felix, A.P.C., regarding a debt owed to Synchrony Bank amounting to $2,927.65. On May 9, I attempted to dispute the charges with Synchrony Bank and sent a letter requesting validation and documentation, but I have not received a response. Synchrony Bank has... View More

answered on May 15, 2025
Put up your best defense, including and counter-suit. Then, if the debt is valid, show what has been paid and negotiate a settlement.
Note, You must respond in the legal way and on time with, for example a motion or an answer with affirmative defenses. Failure to do so could result in a... View More
I was involved in a civil lawsuit in California over three years ago regarding a business-related fraud claim, which was closed without prejudice due to my lack of assets at the time. The case never made it to court and there was no judgment. The statute of limitations has now passed. Recently, the... View More

answered on May 9, 2025
Your post is unclear in a few ways, for instance:
You said, "I was involved in a civil lawsuit in California over three years ago"
but, also said: "which was closed without prejudice... due to lack of assets at the time."
AND "The case never made it... View More
We sold a 2006 Toyota Corolla "as is" to a customer in California, and they signed and acknowledged that the vehicle was sold without warranties. The alternator failed 25 days after the sale, and the customer is now planning to sue us in small claims court, alleging that we should have... View More

answered on May 8, 2025
IF the sale of a vehicle in CA is from a consumer, even without an AS IS designation, the presumption is that no warranties are given, short of warranty of title. You've stated you sold it marked AS IS. Short of knowingly misleading the buyer, the equities lie in favor (here) of the seller.... View More
I was evicted from my apartment in Ventura, CA, but the court papers contained the wrong apartment number (210 instead of 201). During the court proceedings, I wasn't allowed to speak or present evidence. The eviction was prompted after I provided proof that my neighbors were using my... View More

answered on May 8, 2025
I suggest you contact a tenant's rights lawyer as soon as possible to get help setting aside your eviction judgment on the grounds of fraud and/or mistake, based on the erroneous listing of your apartment. A good lawyer in that situation could leverage that case into a position where you could... View More
I have operated my Etsy shop since 2010, and it was recently suspended due to a handmade piece of jewelry containing Jade from Zinjiang, China. Etsy claimed this conflicted with their policies on sanctioned items. However, their policies do not mention Zinjiang as a prohibited source. Initially,... View More

answered on May 8, 2025
I think the better question is why would you continue to appeal instead of just taking them up on their offer to reinstate for a promise of not breaking the law in the future. Your best case scenario is that, after a lot of time and effort, you win your appeal and your shop gets reinstated.... View More
I was taken advantage of by a contractor recommended by my husband's nephew during my house renovation. After my husband's passing in September 2023, I didn't realize I hired someone unlicensed and without a contract. He continually asked for money until my savings were depleted, and... View More

answered on May 7, 2025
Yes, you have a case. In CA, unlicensed contractors are not permitted to do the remodel work on your home without serious consequences. You have statutory rights to sue the contractor for the return of ALL money you paid him, as well as other civil penalties. Contact an experienced civil litigation... View More
I received a notice for a pending trademark cancellation demanding $1170, which I suspect is fake. The notice threatened to cancel our trademark "Spirit Hustler" (filed on Dec 17, 2021, number 97178378) next week. It was sent via mail with instructions to send a check to an address in... View More

answered on Apr 23, 2025
You can check the current status of your trademark registration directly on the USPTO’s official database by visiting:
https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=97178378&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch.
To determine whether a petition... View More
I experienced a house fire in October 2024, leading to severe damage and the need for reconstruction. During the reconstruction process, the contents of my living areas were packed and stored, but my insurance company is refusing to cover these costs, stating that personal property packing and... View More

answered on May 2, 2025
It depends on the nature of the insurance policy. If it is an occurrence policy, you are correct. However, it is an a claims made policy, the insurance company may be correct. Occurrence policies protect against incidents during coverage regardless of when claims arise. Claims-made policies only... View More
My dog was severely injured when an Amazon delivery driver ran him over near the end of my driveway in Apple Valley, CA. The driver did not stop, and my neighbors and father attempted to chase him down. Amazon has identified the driver, who submitted a video of the incident from the truck's... View More

answered on Apr 22, 2025
Hire a lawyer right away to protect your rights and ensure Amazon takes responsibility. Since Amazon has acknowledged the report and has video evidence, a lawyer can push for immediate reimbursement or coverage of your dog’s medical expenses. Gather all documentation—vet quotes, witness... View More
My dog was severely injured when an Amazon delivery driver ran him over near the end of my driveway in Apple Valley, CA. The driver did not stop, and my neighbors and father attempted to chase him down. Amazon has identified the driver, who submitted a video of the incident from the truck's... View More

answered on Apr 22, 2025
My heart goes out to you and your dog. The legal system is not always the best route to solve issues?
Please note, I do NOT have THE answer but only a few thoughts, so here goes nothing:
a- FIND the money asap to helpl the dog, if at all possible, to lessen his/her suffering and to... View More
I am a victim of identity theft; someone took out a loan in my name with Net Pay Advance. The fraud department of Net Pay Advance is asking for my Social Security number and driver's license number, but I'm concerned about the misuse of this information. While I have placed fraud alerts... View More

answered on Apr 16, 2025
I would contact one of us Justia consumer protection attorneys that assist consumers with identity theft. You'll want to file a police report and an FTC Fraud Affidavit.
Make sure that any dispute that you have made to Net Pay Advance is in writing and save any correspondence that you... View More
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
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 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

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 am a tenant in Los Angeles, and my landlord has posted signs around the building that lockout fees will be charged, even if a locksmith is not needed. This fee was not mentioned in the lease agreement when I signed it. Is it legal for my landlord to impose such a fee?

answered on Mar 28, 2025
If a landlord wants to change a lease term, written notice is required in most cases. However, as you state, nothing is stated in the lease regarding such a charge. Since a landlord is not required to let a tenant in, there is nothing keeping them from charging for such a service. If you get locked... View More
I am an overseas user of WePhone Apps Inc. and paid $79 for a six-month membership due to misleading advertising. The ad suggested the membership included a phone number subscription, but it only removed advertisements and provided no call services. I immediately requested a refund, but they... View More

answered on Mar 26, 2025
Related Details: I am an overseas user of WePhone Apps Inc. and paid $79 for a six-month membership due to misleading advertising. The ad suggested the membership included a phone number subscription, but it only removed advertisements and provided no call services. I immediately requested a... View More
I purchased a collector motorcycle through an online auction where the auctioneer, based in California, provided documentation stating it was an original model, according to factory records. Despite the Terms and Conditions stating that any legal action must occur in California, I argue that... View More

answered on Mar 22, 2025
Sorry to hear of your unfortunate experience. "Failure of consideration" would not be a viable theory. The damages related to the alleged fraud and failure to maintain the bond would be recoverable in your legal action. It would likely be worth your while to have the contract terms... View More
I received an email from someone claiming to be Mr. Powell, Chief Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank, stating that I owe a lump sum of money. The email includes his contact information and offers three methods for me to receive funds but requests my bank account and routing number. There were no... View More

answered on Mar 22, 2025
The Federal Reserve Bank doesn't collect money from taxpayers. That's the IRS. If you must, the contact info for the Federal Reserve for the western US is here:
federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed/federal-reserve-system-san-francisco.htm
I opened an online Chase bank account years ago and transferred money from my E*TRADE account. Chase locked my account in December 2021, asking for proof of identity. At the time, I didn't have the requested documents. Over time, I obtained my ID and presented all required documents at... View More

answered on Mar 20, 2025
Sorry for your issues. Seems really odd. For 'easy' fix, try going in based on the following:
"Despite having documentation from Chase stating a check for the remaining balance would be issued, I never received it." Go into any chase branch, note that they said they... View More
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