Legal Q&A Topics
Browse published legal information questions. Pages are sorted by recent reader activity.
What happens if my spouse filed for divorce in another state before I filed locally?
If your spouse filed for divorce in another state before you filed in Michigan, the other state may be able to handle the divorce first if that court has jurisdiction and the case is properly served and moving forward. I...
My Airbnb Host Accused Me of Damage I Didn’t Cause — Can They Charge Me?
In Florida, an Airbnb host may try to charge a guest for damage, but whether the charge is valid usually depends on the booking terms, the platform’s policies, the evidence, and the facts of what actually happened. A hos...
Is it legal for the insurance company to total my car even though I want it repaired?
In general, yes. In Florida, an insurance company may be allowed to declare a vehicle a total loss even if you would prefer to have it repaired, depending on the policy, the damage, the car’s value, and the insurer’s est...
Is it legal for an insurance company to escheat life insurance proceeds without contacting the beneficiary?
In general, an insurance company may have obligations to search for or contact a beneficiary before life insurance proceeds are treated as unclaimed property and transferred to the state, but the exact rules can depend o...
What happens if several small damage incidents are added together over six months?
In Minnesota, several small damage incidents may sometimes be considered together, but not automatically. Whether they are “added together” usually depends on the legal claim, the facts, and how the incidents are connect...
Can I sue if I was injured by a defective ladder I bought six months ago?
In general, you may be able to bring a claim if a defective ladder injured you, even if you bought it six months ago. In Wyoming, as in many states, the key issue is usually not how long you owned the ladder, but whether...
Do I have to divide a 401(k) if my spouse never worked during the marriage?
In Pennsylvania, a spouse’s lack of outside employment during the marriage does not automatically prevent a 401(k) from being divided in divorce. In general, retirement accounts earned or built up during the marriage may...
Apartment management lost my rent money order and says I’m late. How do I prove I paid?
If apartment management says your rent is late because it lost your money order, the key issue is usually proof. In general, a tenant may need to show that the rent was actually delivered or cashed, or at least that paym...
How do I stop my bank account from being considered dormant while I am living overseas?
If you live overseas, the main way to reduce the risk that a Massachusetts bank account is treated as dormant is usually to keep the account active in the ways your bank allows and to monitor all account notices closely....
What are my rights if a tenant in my building keeps threatening me in the laundry room?
If another tenant in your building keeps threatening you in a shared space like a laundry room, you generally have the right to feel safe where you live. In Washington, repeated threats may raise issues under housing, ha...
Do I have to ask the platform to preserve evidence before the post disappears?
In general, if you think an online post, message, account record, or platform log may matter in a legal dispute, it is often a good idea to think about preservation early. Once content disappears, gets deleted, or change...
Can my landlord keep my deposit because I didn’t give notice if the lease already ended?
In Virginia, the answer often depends on what the lease says, whether the tenancy truly ended, and whether the landlord can point to a lawful reason to keep some or all of the deposit. If the lease ended and you simply m...
Can an HOA tow my car from my driveway because the registration sticker is expired?
In Florida, an HOA may sometimes be able to have a car towed from a driveway if the vehicle is violating the community’s recorded rules, parking restrictions, or property-use requirements. An expired registration sticker...
Do I have to pay rent if my landlord failed to fix a broken heater during winter?
In Washington, a broken heater during winter can raise serious habitability concerns, but it does not automatically mean rent can be withheld without risk. In general, tenants still need to be careful about withholding r...
Do I have to pay for a service that was not completed as agreed?
In California, whether you have to pay for a service that was not completed as agreed usually depends on the contract, the work that was actually performed, and why the service was not completed. In general, if a provide...