Legal Q&A Topics
Browse published legal information questions. Pages are sorted by recent reader activity.
What happens if my boss secretly recorded our closed-door meeting without telling me?
In California, secretly recording a private or “confidential” conversation can raise serious legal issues. Whether your boss broke the law usually depends on the setting, who was present, whether everyone knew the conver...
How do I challenge a confession made after police ignored my request for an attorney?
In general, a confession may be challenged if police continued questioning after you clearly asked for a lawyer and the request should have stopped the interrogation. In North Carolina, as in other states, the details ma...
Can I record a threatening phone call if I am afraid the person will deny it later?
In Massachusetts, the answer usually depends on whether recording the call would comply with state and federal privacy laws. Massachusetts is generally considered a two-party consent state, which means it is often illega...
What happens if my child was bitten at a friend’s birthday party?
If your child was bitten at a friend’s birthday party in Michigan, the first concern is usually medical care and making sure the injury is properly documented. Depending on the facts, a bite may lead to a claim involving...
What happens if my insurance policy was canceled without proper notice in Vermont?
If an insurance policy is canceled without proper notice, the policy may not have ended when the insurer says it did. In general, notice requirements matter because they are often part of the insurer’s legal and contract...
Do I have to prove who wrote the anonymous defamatory post before filing a lawsuit?
In general, you do not always need to know the anonymous poster’s real identity before starting a defamation case, but you usually do need enough information to describe the defamation claim and ask the court for help id...
Can I record a private phone call with my landlord in California if I am part of the conversation?
In California, the answer is often no unless the other person agrees. California is generally considered a two-party consent state, which means that recording a private phone call usually requires the consent of everyone...
Do I have to give a recorded statement to the property owner’s insurance company?
In Pennsylvania, you may be asked to give a recorded statement to the property owner’s insurance company after an accident or injury on someone else’s property. Whether you must agree depends on your role, your insurance...
What are my rights if my landlord issued an eviction notice after I called the health department?
In Kansas, a landlord generally cannot use the eviction process as retaliation just because a tenant complained about housing conditions or contacted a housing or health authority. If the notice came soon after you repor...
Is it legal for a tow company to refuse to release my car until I pay in cash?
In Indiana, a tow company may sometimes require payment before releasing a vehicle, but whether it can demand cash specifically depends on the facts, the towing arrangement, and any applicable contract, local rule, or le...
What are my rights if child support was calculated using the wrong number of overnights?
If child support was calculated using the wrong number of overnights, you may have the right to ask for a correction. In general, overnight time is one of the facts that can affect child support calculations because many...
What are my rights if my landlord is trying to raise rent two months into a one-year lease?
In Washington, a landlord usually cannot change the rent in the middle of a fixed-term lease just because time has passed. If you signed a one-year lease at a set rent, that rent generally stays in place for the full lea...
Do I have to consolidate FFEL loans to qualify for income driven forgiveness?
In general, many borrowers with older FFEL loans ask this question because FFEL loans do not always work the same way as newer federal student loans. Whether you must consolidate usually depends on the specific forgivene...
What happens if a defamatory video was shared thousands of times before removal?
If a defamatory video was shared thousands of times before it was removed, the main legal concern is usually the size and spread of the harm. In general, the more widely a false and damaging video is circulated, the more...
Do I have to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company?
In Pennsylvania, you usually do not have to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company unless you have a legal or policy-based reason to do so. In many situations, the other insurer is asking becau...