Legal Q&A Topics
Browse published legal information questions. Pages are sorted by recent reader activity.
Can My Landlord Require Professional Cleaning Even If the Lease Doesn’t Say So?
In general, a landlord may expect a rental unit to be returned in a reasonably clean condition, but that does not always mean the landlord can require professional cleaning if the lease does not say so. In Minnesota, the...
Is it legal for a landlord to serve an eviction notice through a maintenance worker?
In general, a landlord may be able to use another person to deliver an eviction notice, but whether that service is legally valid depends on the rules that apply in the specific jurisdiction and on the facts of the deliv...
Do I have to pay HOA fines from my landlord if the lease never mentioned HOA rules?
In Maryland, the answer usually depends on the lease, the HOA governing documents, and what caused the fine. If the lease did not mention HOA rules, that does not automatically mean the tenant can ignore HOA-related obli...
What are my rights if my spouse is trying to alienate the children against me?
If you believe your spouse is trying to turn your children against you, you may be dealing with a serious co-parenting and custody issue. In general, Idaho family courts focus on the best interests of the child, and beha...
Is it criminal damage to property if I smashed my ex’s phone during an argument?
In Minnesota, smashing someone else’s phone during an argument may be treated as criminal damage to property if the phone belonged to your ex and you did not have permission to destroy it. In general, intentionally damag...
What happens if we lost the signed original copy of our prenuptial agreement?
If you lost the signed original copy of a prenuptial agreement, that does not always mean the agreement is automatically gone or unenforceable. In general, a court may still consider other evidence of the agreement’s exi...
What happens if I violated probation after a DUI by missing a treatment class?
If you are on DUI probation in Delaware and miss a required treatment class, that may be treated as a probation violation. In general, probation conditions are court orders, so missing treatment can be viewed as not foll...
Is it legal to record a private conversation with a school administrator about my child?
In Pennsylvania, whether it is legal to record a private conversation with a school administrator about your child can depend on the circumstances, especially whether the conversation is considered private and whether th...
How do I handle a claim if the store’s surveillance camera recorded my fall?
If a store’s surveillance camera recorded your fall, that video may become an important part of a premises liability claim. In general, footage can help show what happened before, during, and after the incident, includin...
Do I have to report my injury to the store manager before leaving the premises?
In general, there is no single universal rule that says every injured customer must report an injury to a store manager before leaving the premises. But if you are hurt in a store, telling a manager or another employee a...
What are my rights if a loose dog attacked me in my apartment hallway?
If a loose dog attacked you in an apartment hallway in North Dakota, you may have rights under general animal-liability, negligence, and premises-liability rules, depending on who controlled the dog and what happened. In...
What happens if my ex says I cannot see the kids until I pay overdue support?
In Connecticut, child support and parenting time are generally treated as separate issues. That means a parent usually cannot decide on their own to stop visits or parenting time just because support is overdue. If there...
Is it legal for a hotel to deny responsibility after I fell on a wet lobby floor with no warning sign?
In Arizona, a hotel may be able to deny responsibility, but that does not automatically mean it is legally correct. In general, a hotel’s responsibility after a slip and fall depends on the facts, including why the floor...
What are my rights if my car insurance lapsed for one day and I had an accident that same night?
If your car insurance lapsed for one day and you had an accident that same night, your rights can depend on several things, including what kind of coverage you had, whether the policy was actually canceled or only unpaid...
Can a Landlord Make Me Pay Rent After Finding a New Tenant?
In general, a landlord may not be able to collect the full rent from a tenant for the same time period after the unit has been rented to someone else. If a landlord finds a new tenant and starts receiving rent from that...