Legal Q&A Topics
Browse published legal information questions. Pages are sorted by recent reader activity.
Can my landlord keep my deposit for damage I did not cause?
In general, a landlord may only keep a security deposit for reasons allowed by the lease and by state law. If the claimed damage was not caused by you, your household, or your guests, the landlord may have a weaker basis...
My roommate changed the WiFi password even though I pay half. Is that a legal issue?
In general, a roommate changing the WiFi password can be more of a housing or relationship dispute than a clear legal problem, but it may become a legal issue depending on how the internet service is set up, who is the a...
Is it legal for an apartment complex to ban a dog after it bites another tenant?
In Arizona, an apartment complex may be able to restrict or remove a dog after a bite, but it usually depends on the lease, the property’s pet policy, the severity of the incident, and whether the dog is covered by any d...
Is it legal for a landlord to keep renting to someone whose dog already bit a neighbor?
In general, yes, a landlord in Hawaii may be allowed to keep renting to a tenant even if the tenant’s dog has already bitten a neighbor. But the answer can depend on the facts, the lease, any pet rules, the seriousness o...
Do I have to pay an early termination fee if my internet service was down for 18 days?
In general, maybe not automatically. If your internet service was down for 18 days, that outage may matter when a provider tries to charge an early termination fee, but the answer usually depends on the contract language...
Is it legal for a landlord to charge me for replacing appliances that were already old?
In general, a landlord cannot usually charge a tenant for replacing an appliance just because the appliance was already old and reached the end of its normal life. Ordinary aging, normal wear and tear, and depreciation a...
What happens if my ex refuses to follow the Alabama custody schedule ordered by the court?
If your ex refuses to follow an Alabama custody schedule ordered by the court, the issue is usually treated as a custody order enforcement problem. In general, court-ordered custody schedules are meant to be followed unl...
My Employer Changed My Timecard After I Clocked Out — Is That Legal?
In California, an employer may sometimes correct a timecard after an employee clocks out, but not in a way that causes unpaid work, hides hours actually worked, or reduces required pay. The key issue is usually whether t...
How do I stop wage withholding after my child support order was paid in full?
If your child support order has been paid in full, wage withholding does not always stop automatically. In general, the employer, the child support agency, and the court record may all need to reflect that the support ob...
Do I have to pay taxes on student loans that are forgiven through PSLF?
In general, federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is designed so that forgiven federal student loan debt is not treated the same way as regular taxable income. For many borrowers, the forgiven amount under PSLF...
My Employer Won’t Let Me Take Meal Breaks but Edits the Schedule to Show Them — What Can I Do?
In California, workers generally have meal-break rights, and employers usually cannot simply show a break on the schedule if the break was not actually provided. If your employer is changing records to make it look like...
Can I face criminal charges for secretly recording a conversation to protect myself?
In Massachusetts, secretly recording a conversation can create criminal risk depending on the facts, especially if the recording is done without the required consent or in a setting where a person has a reasonable expect...
Is it legal for an apartment to charge a mandatory valet trash fee I never agreed to?
In general, an apartment complex may charge a valet trash fee if the fee was part of your lease, a lease addendum, or another agreement you accepted. If you never agreed to the fee, the main question is usually whether t...
Do I have to pay rent if my apartment ceiling collapsed and I cannot use the bedroom?
In Alabama, a ceiling collapse that makes a bedroom unusable may affect whether full rent is still owed, but the answer usually depends on the facts, the lease terms, and the landlord’s response. In general, if part of a...
What happens if my spouse says they will quit their job to avoid support?
In Colorado, a spouse generally cannot control a support case simply by saying they will quit their job. If a court is asked to decide support, it usually looks at the parties’ actual financial circumstances, not just a...