Legal Q&A Topics
Browse published legal information questions. Pages are sorted by recent reader activity.
Do I have to pay for a prepaid service if the business permanently closed?
In general, if you prepaid for a service and the business permanently closed before providing all of it, you may not have to keep paying for the unused portion. The exact answer depends on the contract terms, how the pay...
How do I get a rental car paid for after someone hit my parked car?
If someone hit your parked car in North Carolina, a rental car may be paid for through the other driver’s insurance, your own auto policy, or sometimes another source depending on the facts. In general, the key issue is...
Can my landlord give me a 3-day eviction notice for being $450 behind on rent?
In California, a landlord can often give a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit if rent is unpaid, even if the amount owed is $450. The key issue is usually not the size of the balance by itself, but whether the notice is le...
Can I file a personal injury claim if I fell at a mall during heavy rain near the entrance?
Yes, in some situations you may be able to file a personal injury claim after a fall at a mall during heavy rain near the entrance, including in Utah. Whether a claim is available usually depends on the specific facts, s...
Do I have to send due diligence letters before reporting abandoned checks from my company?
In general, whether you must send due diligence letters before reporting abandoned checks depends on the type of property involved, the reason the checks are considered abandoned, and the unclaimed property rules that ap...
What happens if a repair shop charges storage fees without notifying me?
In Massachusetts, a repair shop that charges storage fees without telling you first may face a dispute over whether those charges are valid or collectible. In general, a business that keeps your vehicle or other property...
Can I Make an Insurance Claim Against the Vehicle Owner After a Crash?
In Illinois, you may sometimes make an insurance claim against the vehicle owner after a crash, but the answer depends on several facts. One of the first questions is whether the owner was driving, gave permission to som...
Can I Sue a Restaurant After Getting Sick From Undercooked Food?
If you got sick after eating undercooked food at a restaurant in Texas, you may wonder whether you can bring a claim against the business. In general, a restaurant does have a duty to serve food that is reasonably safe f...
Is it legal for a mechanic to keep my car because I disputed the repair charges?
In Indiana, a mechanic may sometimes be able to keep a vehicle if the shop claims it has a legal right to hold the car for unpaid repair charges. That right is often discussed as a mechanic’s lien or possessory lien, but...
What happens if a hospital sends me a bill a year later for services I thought were covered?
If a hospital sends you a bill a year later for services you believed were covered, the first thing to know is that this can happen for several different reasons. In general, a late bill may mean the hospital believes th...
Can I register copyright for a training manual if AI helped organize the chapters?
In general, maybe yes—but only for the parts of the training manual that reflect human authorship. Under U.S. copyright principles, copyright usually protects original human expression, not material that is created entir...
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...
Do I have to split my Social Security benefits in divorce?
In general, Social Security benefits are not divided like marital property in a divorce. That means a divorce court usually does not split one spouse’s future Social Security retirement, disability, or survivor benefits...
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 a subscription service to charge me after I canceled during a free trial?
In general, a subscription service may be allowed to charge you after a free trial if the terms said the trial would convert to a paid subscription unless you canceled by a certain date or method. The key question is usu...