Legal Q&A Topics
Browse published legal information questions. Pages are sorted by recent reader activity.
How do I cancel a student debt relief company contract that promised fast forgiveness?
If you signed up with a student debt relief company and later decided you want out, the first thing to do is read every document you received, including the contract, payment authorization, welcome emails, and cancellati...
Do I have to sign a settlement release before I know whether my knee injury needs surgery?
In general, no one can force you to sign a settlement release before you are ready, but a defendant or insurer may make that a condition of paying a settlement. A release is usually a final agreement that ends your claim...
Is it legal for a landlord to charge a nonrefundable application fee and never run my application?
In general, a landlord should not charge an application fee as if the application will be reviewed and then simply keep the fee without doing the promised screening, but the answer can depend on the lease paperwork, the...
Dry cleaner shrunk an expensive wool coat and offered a $25 credit. Is that all I can get?
In Massachusetts, the answer is usually “it depends.” If a dry cleaner damaged or shrank your wool coat, the amount you may be able to recover often depends on the terms on your claim ticket or receipt, the cleaner’s pol...
Can I register copyright for a song if AI generated the melody and I wrote the lyrics?
In general, you may be able to register copyright in the parts of a song that were created by a human author, but not in material that was generated entirely by AI without sufficient human authorship. If you wrote the ly...
Can a Car Dealer Refuse to Return My Deposit After Financing Fell Through?
In California, whether a car dealer can keep your deposit after financing falls through usually depends on the exact paperwork, what kind of deposit it was, and whether the sales agreement was truly final. In general, a...
What are my rights if a store display fell and hit my head?
If a store display falls and hits your head, you may have rights under general premises liability and personal injury law. In Idaho, store owners and other businesses generally have a duty to use reasonable care to keep...
How do I handle a landlord who says California is a one-party consent state?
In California, a landlord saying the state is a one-party consent state is usually referring to audio recording rules. That phrase may be relevant, but it does not mean a landlord can record any conversation whenever the...
How do I file a claim after hitting debris that fell from a truck on the highway?
If you hit debris that fell from a truck on an Iowa highway, the first step is usually to focus on safety and documentation. Move to a safe location if you can, check for injuries, and call emergency services if anyone i...
What happens if my auto insurance company says my car is totaled but their payout is $2,400 less than my loan balance?
If your car is declared a total loss and the insurance payout is less than what you still owe on the loan, you may still be responsible for the remaining balance. In general, the insurer’s payment is based on the car’s a...
How do I value a family business for divorce settlement purposes?
In a divorce, valuing a family business usually means figuring out what the business is worth as part of the marital property division process. That value may affect how property is divided, whether one spouse keeps the...
How do I protect rental property income in a prenuptial agreement?
In general, a prenuptial agreement can be one way to define how rental property and rental income will be treated during a marriage. For example, the agreement may state that a particular building remains separate proper...
Can an old money order or cashier’s check be sent to the state as unclaimed property?
In Utah, an old money order or cashier’s check may sometimes be turned over to the state as unclaimed property if it remains unclaimed for long enough and the holder is required to report it under Utah’s unclaimed proper...
How Can a Landlord Take Action Against a Problem Rental Next Door in Georgia?
In Georgia, a landlord who is bothered by a neighboring rental property usually has limited but sometimes meaningful options, depending on the facts. The available steps often depend on what the “problem” is, who owns th...
What are my rights if my spouse is hiding income from a side business during the divorce?
In general, if you are going through a divorce in Washington and you think your spouse is hiding income from a side business, you may have the right to ask for full financial disclosure and to challenge incomplete or ina...