r/AskLegal

My e-bike battery malfunctioned and exploded on its own. Unfortunately, one of the battery cells flew into a neighbor’s shed and damaged his tools. Some caught on fire, and others were blasted with water by the firefighters. Some of the tools were technically still in okay condition, but the neighbor wanted to replace them out of caution, which I understand.

He originally quoted me $3,000–$4,000 for the damage, but when I actually priced out the brand-new cost of everything, it was just under $2,000.

They didn’t want to go through their homeowner's insurance because they didn’t want their premiums raised. They feel like since it’s my fault, and because of the inconvenience I caused, I should just pay up out of pocket. I am completely willing to take responsibility, but I don’t think paying full retail price for brand-new replacement items is fair, considering this accident was out of my control.

I asked via email for a possible reduction regarding depreciation, and he replied with "Sounds good." Because of that, I thought a reduction was on the table when I walked over there, until he rejected it in person. I paid him $500 right then just to be cooperative, and we loosely talked about a payment plan because I was leaving to have surgery, meaning I wouldn't be able to work for 3 months. I never agreed to pay his full amount, but he is under the impression that because I made that initial payment, I am legally bound to the rest.

During my recovery, I’ve had time to thoroughly research. Even if they went through insurance, standard practice is to pay Actual Cash Value (depreciated value) for used items, not full replacement cost.

If they actually took me to small claims court, I think the judge would likely rule in my favor with the depreciation argument in mind, but I’m not 100% sure.

Also, a little bit salty and irrelevant, but as wealthy boomers, I thought they’d be more gracious about this considering I’ve been so obliging every step of the way, especially as a broke millennial.

I guess I just want perspectives: who has more leverage here? For me, I think offering $1,000 (out of the total $2,000) is fair. I brought this up again, and they are already getting defensive, saying they could have charged me more for their labor and interest, but I know that doesn’t hold up in court. It is true that I am strapped for cash, but I think I’m fighting on the principle of fairness. What is the best resolution for this?

I played in a band for 2 years. We got paid for many gigs but I never got a cent out of it. We played regularly 2-3 times per month. In this time I bought instruments, equipments, drove to practice and gigs, invested a lot of time and money. Our band leader got paid and never gave us anything at all, alwayskept all the money.

You might think I'm stupid for accepting it, but I just loved the music and being part of the band. 2 weeks ago I joined another band where I'm getting paid a fixed amount per month + extras for every gig we play. The leader of my former band was not happy about it and kicked me out of the band.

Now I'm thinking, would that even be possible, to claim the money I didn't get during all this time?

Yes, I'm angry for being kicked out and maybe just being petty, but now seeing how dumb I was all this time to end up being treated like nothing in the end just makes me even angrier

Location: NYC

Looking for some advice here. I got a traffic ticket for a stop sign violation about a month ago. I didn't want to get any points on my license so I called a lawyer to help me. The fee was $500 and he said he will take care of it.

2 weeks pass and I haven't heard any updates from the lawyer, I called him up and his assistance told me that it will be taken care of.

Come now, I just got a notification that my license is suspended and I have to pay a fee to get it back. The lawyer was no help and basically scammed me out of $500. Is there a way for me to get back my money from the lawyer?

I need advice. I’m about to file a pro se Federal discrimination lawsuit against a major financial institution.
The EEOC gave me a right to sue but couldn’t take it. I wasn’t clear enough in the intake. They are busy and spread thin. No Law Firms want it because they are pursuing other types of employment law at the present time.
I promise you I have a case. I just have difficulty with the organization and communication of the whole thing.
Anyway,
I’m doing it. My deadline is July 15.
I have all the forms and tried desperately to have Ai fill them as I have a hand condition that well, hurts.
Ai just messed up the forms. It made them wonky. Attorneys? I wish I could pay that fee but I’m on SSDI. This was a denial of reasonable accommodation and then retaliation for NO response to several requests for clarification. No active process.
Do I need to do it all by hand?
Any suggestions?
Thank you. So much.
Please don’t be ugly. I have to work as the economy made it impossible to live on social security. I had a great career that was cut short. I have to keep trying. I just have no choice. I’m 55 if that matters.

Hello,

Location: California

I live in california and have had an on going issue with a downstairs neighbor in an apartment complex. I have filed multiple complaints about this person to the property managements office regarding them smoking in non smoking areas. The neighbor in question is also a maintenance technician here at the complex. They just had someone serve me with a temporary restraining order stating that i cannot be within 15 yards of their home or work place. How is this even possible when they live directly below me and are also an employee of the complex? The restraining order states that it doesnt prevent me from going to or from my home but what if I was just walking my dogs outside? This restriction is impossible to follow

I was called for jury duty years ago and the experience brought up questions that bug me to this day.

During voir dire, the prosecution proposed a scenario where a person was accused of failure to stop at a stop sign. In this hypothetical, I got her to clarify, there were no third-party witnesses and no camera footage. The only witness was the police officer making the citation, and the accused maintains her innocence.

Under these circumstances, I said I couldn’t reach a guilty verdict.

My internal reasoning was this: during instructions, the judge made it clear that a charge alone is not evidence of guilt. If a person maintains their innocence, the word of a cop should not carry more weight than a person’s presumption of innocence.

In the end, the prosecution used a peremptory challenge to dismiss me. But I’m curious: am/was I misunderstanding the law?

If I remember correctly, it was a weapons charge possession case, so I could only infer that there was no actual physical evidence in the case they put forward either.

Thanks in advance!

Location: Unincorporated Eastern Fresno County — you know, the nice part.

Creek Fire survivor operating 4 tent sites, reservation-only, groups capped at 5, 24/7 owner on site.

I want people to know the new controversial homeless camping ban has a big, unforeseen impact on rural property owners. The ban gives Clovis code enforcement jurisdiction in rural, unincorporated Fresno County. I think the problem there is obvious — and it was admittedly acknowledged by a code enforcement officer we’ll call Not Smart, who stated he could find 100 code violations on every lot out here. He’s focused on mine, however, because there was a complaint — they are complaint-based. In fact they have a new app to submit violations anyone sees, anywhere, anytime, very conveniently.

The code enforcement division has been expanded by the past two mayors, and now its jurisdiction has been expanded to the whole county.

I’m looking for advice, visibility, and anyone who’s dealt with something similar. What’s happening feels like a serious misuse of a new county camping ordinance — and I’m worried they’re trying to run out the clock until I can’t operate or lose my uniquely extraordinary property.

───

Background

I run a small, owner-operated campground on a large lot of private land down a gated private road with clear no-trespassing signage. It’s not a public road, and it wasn’t blocked. This is not a junkyard or hazard — it’s a regionally acclaimed area experience. Very upscale. Definitely not a single piece of trash on the ground anywhere, ever.

I need to withhold many details to avoid further problems while reaching out for help. What I now think may be an internal attack from somewhere in the county. None of this makes sense.

• The land was hit hard by the Creek Fire — structures burned years ago, lots were cleaned up. I use my RV to stay only when performing land stewardship duties. Shipping containers hold nothing but organized tools and some camping equipment.

There was considerable opposition in the community at first. People expected large groups of tourist traffic through a small neighborhood into the outskirts — the kind of commonly discourteous campers and tourists that often plague the area and overcrowd facilities. One neighbor expressed concern he couldn’t go skinny-dipping there now that we’re here. I told him that’s not true — he just has to tell me when he wants to, and I block the calendar for them.

Over the years, all but one neighbor has warmed up. The campground is only 4 sites, and the caliber of campers has been the cream of the crop — very courteous and environmentally conscious. It has been a significant economic boost to the community and funds land stewardship on this big lot, which is shared with the local community as well.

───

Long story short

One neighbor is determined to shut me down. Every year he calls the county with false allegations. The county comes out, then leaves when they see the claims are unwarranted.

The last call: a homeless encampment with vicious dogs blocking a public road to my 40-acre rural property — which is down a private road past a gate with no trespassing.

Enforcement agents showed up with a sheriff to disperse a homeless encampment, capture vicious dogs, and clear a public road that is a private road and not blocked.

Not one single piece of trash anywhere, ever. They admired the landscape, complimented the camp, and left saying if anyone ever camps here uninvited, let them know. I assured them I have 4 sites, and every guest has had a reservation for some time. After some chuckles and back-and-forth, I thanked them and said they were welcome anytime — even for a picnic. Big mistake.

3 days later they came through my gate again and served a cease and desist. They said it was just a formality, that as long as I was getting proper permits, no further escalation would be required. They said they were not pursuing fines. All of this was in writing via email to the my mother person the deed.

I applied for the permit immediately — another story entirely, as it’s the same process required for a raw meat packing facility, not 4 tent sites with 24-hour owner-operator oversight and a composting outhouse following strict guidelines (the area’s only carbon-negative campground).

2 days later, the same officer said I’m getting fines and a notice of violation — specifically requesting I remove my RV from my own property immediately and shut down all facilities.

I filed an appeal because the codes I supposedly violated didn’t line up:

• No homeless encampment

• No public road being blocked

• No immediate risk to human life

• Building violations cited when there are no buildings — they all burned down and were cleaned up 100% years ago

I filed immediately because the officer had said things were good, fines weren’t being pursued — and then he said he was going to fine me. This sounds like extreme prejudice from inside the agency. He said he’s just the messenger. I asked where the threat to the community was. He said he didn’t see one, everything looked amazing, and it came from above him.

The two officers were extremely unprofessional — saying they could find 100 violations at each property up here but only investigate complaints. This was admittedly a false complaint. Then they noticed an unpermitted shipping container (tools to manage 40 acres) and started adding more violations to everything they could see — most of them false.

When I asked about specific codes — camping on private property without permission and blocking a public road, substandard housing (building code — no buildings), improper sanitation to the extent it warrants immediate risk — I asked if he meant our carbon-negative outhouse, inspected by an environmental officer who commended the process (I even taught him the word humanure). He said he’s not a dictionary, just the messenger.

Appeal denied — name on deed isn’t mine, even though they’ve spoken to the owner and I have written permission to speak on behalf of the lot. Appeal deadline is 15 days from notice but it did do some things because they returned to further escalate with a revised notice to abate public nuisace that had removed 1 violation. and reworded some things I had issue with in my first appeal like this one had the appropriate appeal instructions which they had not provided before which was one of the reasons on the initial appeal and this one has less ornidance listed but still most of them way off like being on private property without permission blocking a public road the same things that are used against the homeless this is all on private land down a private access road.

I’m not sure why this aggressive enforcement is happening. I know which neighbor makes false accusations every year. It seems like they want me frozen in place while they escalate — possibly so they can take my property. I inherited the land; it was quite the gift. I’ve tried to do right by it — sharing locally and abroad responsibly, with regional mention of the important land conservation and land stewardship practices

I’ve reached out several times to the district supervisor , which everyone Ive spoke to, is very responsive , who also helped author the camping ban bill. To which Ive received mysterious and total silence. Ive been downtown and passed around to several departments all off someone who has given me a card to another department This feels like a grievous misuse of power. And my paranoia is , I admit getting severe

I cannot understate the unprofessional of these two enforcement officers were — let’s just call them Not Smart and Not Smarter — although they were very friendly appearing, and if you weren’t in this situation would have been utterly hysterical , every word they said , and I mean every single word it was like I was on candid camera was like scripted comedy. It would be the funniest code enforcement interaction blooper reel ever. Nothing personal to either of them; I’m sure they’re great drinking companions.

While one is looking me in the eye telling me how "they used to not do things the smart way — then we went through and exhaustive two-week training and now were doing, everything the smart way." — the other one whom we will call Not Smarter is feverishly shaking his head and staring daggers at the first officer.

Then I ask the smarter of the two, “Can you show me what is of such immediate danger to me or the community?” and he says" I don't see anything. I personally think the place looks great." There is another person in an RV in the adjacent lot visible form where we are talking and I say does he have to leave his property ? and this is whyRURAL HOME OWNERS SHOULD BE AWARE He says " I can find 100 violations with everyone of the homes around here but they haven't had a complaint." It was a false complaint . They also have an app that easily allows for reporting your neighbor for code violations anonymously and easily

This bill that passed had an unforeseen problem: code enforcement out in the rural community, which is nothing but code violations and homesteads one after another. Add all this to it, and people should know — whether they are homeless or not — that this ban is directly creating homelessness in the rural community among landowners who have houses.

I think the people who voted for this bill did not see that expanding the jurisdiction of Fresno’s already beefed-up code enforcement unit was always going to be a bad idea, and people should know.

Please help — has anyone dealt with something like this?

Won’t share parcel, case numbers, or neighbor names in comments — permit file is active.

the police at target arrested me because I was shoplifting 600$ of products, but my intention was not to leave the store. I had a lot of stuff in my grocery bag because I had to make a basket for my friend’s birthday. the other friend that was getting stuff with me had to go to the car to get the basket that she previously bought, I was waiting for her at the entrance so when she was leaving a man came and took us into a room where they checked the bags and documents. then they called the police and arrested us.
we have to go to the court, what will happen to us?
we had the same products in different sizes or colors because we wanted to see what would fit better in the basket..

Location: Washington State

I am currently on a joint lease in a large property not an apartment that is going to expire at the end of the month. The landlord has asked me and my roommate about renewing for another year and also will be increasing the rent later in the year. I wish to not renew as I need to leave the state to move closer to one of my family members whose health is declining but my roommate wants to stay. Since we are on a joint lease I understand it is trickier for one party to end their part if the other refuses to cooperate. I have been trying to get the answers from the internet on this about how much trouble this could be. The lease only says we need to vacate the property at the end and turn in the keys and does not specify when we need to give renewal or termination notice but I understand that in my area leases that expire roll into month to month after expiration. My roommate is very unhappy that I am leaving and we have had a few arguments about this already I know for sure they really want to stay but I was wondering about my options if they refuse to also leave or help find someone to replace me. I have heard horror stories about people being trapped indefinitely on joint leases but am not sure how much that is a possibility. I do not know if my roommate would actually be that uncooperative but I was wondering about my options if worst comes to worst. One of the ai answers I got stated that one party refusing to renew on a lease essentially causes it to terminate and the landlord needs to draft a new lease if my roommate decides to stay. I have also heard that one party can not unilaterally terminate the lease without mutual consent of the others even if it is expiring. If it is the worst case scenario could I get legal representation to force their hand? I can afford an attorney if necessary.

I got a state jail felony in Texas and lost my gun rights is there any way to get them back? Besides a pardon from the governor which would never happen?

I know there is probably a textbook definition about being in harms way or whatever, but what can you most likely get away with in court as self defense, does it count if someone is harassing you? Stalking you? or is it only physical contact?

So long story short, I had to give my cat Bigby to someone my social circle trusted to take care of while I was in the military, as the first couple years we have to live in a place that doesn't allow pets any larger than a fish. I drew up a contract stipulating the conditions of the care of Bigby, and that I would be allowed to get him back after my contract with the military was up. During my enlistment, I kept in contact with him whenever I could, checking up periodically on him and occasionally even taking care of medical expenses and covering whatever possible. Due to this, I was under the impression that we were on good terms.

We both signed, and after my enlistment ended, I contacted him again to get my cat back. As per the contract, I sent him the agreed upon money to get the cat back. Since then, he has blocked my number, and has refused to respond to emails from me. I contacted a lawyer to proceed and sent him the contract, but I haven't heard anything since from him. Any advice is much appreciated.

Additional information that may be necessary: -The cat and caretaker in question is in Florida, I am in New York

• I do have the original and copies of the signed contract with his signature on it -I have contacted the caretaker 3 times by phone and have attempted multiple times to solve this amicably and reasonably over email, even telling him that if all else failed I would need to use legal recourse.
• It's been a little over 8 months since this started, however I am disabled and it takes a lot to get the smallest things done sometimes.

If any more info about the situation is needed please ask.

Hello, first time here. Here’s the basic rundown. PROCCESS server tried to serve me today, which he didn’t complete, (but he will). I’m being sued by a debt collector who bought my debt of a little under 10k. This debt is roughly 4 years old. The case has been filed with my local court system. Anyways, basically I’m asking for advice, I’ve thinking about a cheap lawyer, but is there really anything I can do? Is that just going to add to the debt pile? Anyone had any luck settling? I essentially have no money, very little income, and own a used truck valued at maybe 4k. I want to protect my truck because that is how I make money.

I'mm trying to understand my rights as an employee. I was flown out to work in a different state and while I was given a paybump to compensate doing tasks outside of my job description, I was told that my travel time will not be paid. Is that legal?

Edit to add, I'm a supervisor and I went to a store to act as a store lead. I traveled a total of 24 hours portal to portal. (From company paid Airbnb to airport and work location)

So i live in Minnesota and my step brother who is 20 went to jail for the first time for assault, disorderly conduct and domestic assault what might happen to him? I don't have all the details of what he did i just know this is his first time being arrested i just know the 3 charges and that they are all misdemeanors