Legal Q&A Topics
Browse published legal information questions. Pages are sorted by recent reader activity.
What are my rights if my spouse refuses to leave the home after I filed for divorce?
In Maryland, filing for divorce does not automatically make one spouse entitled to force the other spouse out of the marital home. In general, both spouses may have rights to live in the home until a court orders otherwi...
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...
Is it legal for a property owner to refuse to give me their insurance information after I got hurt?
In general, a property owner in Florida may refuse to voluntarily give you their insurance information after you are hurt, unless some law, contract, court order, or other legal duty requires disclosure. Many people assu...
How do I sue a mechanic who kept my car for 40 days and still did not repair it?
In Nevada, a dispute with a mechanic who kept your car for a long time and did not finish the repair may involve contract issues, consumer-protection concerns, or a property dispute, depending on what you agreed to, what...
Do I have to accept the first settlement offer from the insurance company?
In general, no. You usually do not have to accept the first settlement offer from an insurance company, including in Alabama. The first offer is often just a starting point for negotiation, and it may be lower than what...
Can my insurance rates go up after an accident that was not my fault?
In Missouri, your insurance rates may go up after an accident even if you were not at fault, but it depends on the insurer, the policy, and the facts of the claim. A not-at-fault accident does not automatically mean your...
What happens if a business gift card balance is treated as unclaimed property?
In general, if a business gift card balance is treated as unclaimed property, the business may have to turn the unused value over to the state rather than keep it indefinitely. The exact result depends on how Michigan la...
Is it legal to record a conversation in a busy restaurant if the other person did not consent?
In California, the answer is often no if you are secretly recording a confidential conversation and the other person did not consent. California is generally considered a two-party consent state for confidential communic...
Is It Legal for a Gym to Require Certified Mail to Cancel a Membership?
In general, a gym may be able to require a particular cancellation method if that requirement is clearly stated in the membership contract and does not violate applicable law. That means a certified mail requirement is n...
What are my rights if the harassment started after a small claims dispute with a contractor?
If harassment started after a small claims dispute with a contractor in Washington, you may have several legal protections depending on what the other person is doing and how serious the conduct is. In general, people ha...
I Requested Defensive Driving but Got a Failure-to-Appear Letter — What Should I Do?
If you requested defensive driving in Texas and then received a failure-to-appear letter, that usually means the court or agency believes something in the process was not completed, not received, or not accepted. In gene...
Can my landlord evict me after one late rent payment if I have lived here for four years?
In Ohio, a landlord may be able to start an eviction process after a late rent payment, but that does not always mean eviction will happen right away or that one late payment automatically ends your tenancy. The answer u...
Is it legal for a landlord to charge a $150 application fee in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, a landlord may be able to charge an application fee, but whether a $150 fee is legal depends on the facts and on any limits that apply under state or local law. Because no source material was provided for...
What Can I Do If a Store Sold Me a Defective Appliance and Will Not Take It Back?
If a store in Nebraska sold you a defective appliance and will not take it back, your options usually depend on the store’s return policy, the appliance’s condition, any warranty coverage, and what happened before and af...
What happens if the Copyright Office rejects my registration because the work lacks human authorship?
If the Copyright Office rejects a registration because it concludes the work lacks human authorship, it usually means the Office is treating the work as not eligible for copyright protection in the form submitted. In gen...