Legal Q&A Topics
Browse published legal information questions. Pages are sorted by recent reader activity.
I bought a mattress online and the return window ended before it fully expanded. Any rights?
In California, you may have some options, but the answer usually depends on the seller’s return policy, the product listing, and whether the mattress was defective or not as described. A mattress that arrives compressed...
Is it legal for an apartment complex to ban a dog after it bites another tenant?
In Arizona, an apartment complex may be able to restrict or remove a dog after a bite, but it usually depends on the lease, the property’s pet policy, the severity of the incident, and whether the dog is covered by any d...
Do I have to pay rent if my apartment ceiling collapsed and I cannot use the bedroom?
In Alabama, a ceiling collapse that makes a bedroom unusable may affect whether full rent is still owed, but the answer usually depends on the facts, the lease terms, and the landlord’s response. In general, if part of a...
Do I have to let my landlord show my apartment with only two hours of notice?
In Washington, the answer usually depends on the lease, the reason for the showing, and whether the landlord is giving notice that is reasonable under the circumstances. In general, a landlord does not have unlimited acc...
My Landlord Is Showing My Apartment Constantly Before I Move Out — What Are My Rights?
If you are renting in New York and your landlord is showing your apartment frequently before you move out, you generally still have a right to reasonable privacy and quiet use of the unit while your lease is in effect. A...
How do I protect an inheritance I expect to receive after marriage?
In Massachusetts, people often ask how to keep an expected inheritance separate after they get married. In general, an inheritance may be treated differently from marital property, but the outcome can depend on how the m...
Is it legal to use emails from my spouse’s account as evidence in divorce?
In general, whether you can use emails from a spouse’s account as evidence in a Nevada divorce depends on how the emails were obtained, who had access to the account, and whether any privacy, computer access, or wiretap-...
Is it legal to sell the family car before the divorce is final?
In Arkansas, selling the family car before the divorce is final may be legal in some situations, but it can also create problems if the vehicle is marital property, jointly owned, or needed for the family’s use. In gener...
Can a divorce court divide student loans taken out during the marriage?
In New Jersey, a divorce court may treat student loans taken out during the marriage as part of the broader property and debt division process, but the answer is usually not automatic. The court generally looks at who in...
What happens if a roommate secretly installed a camera in our shared bathroom?
If a roommate secretly installed a camera in a shared bathroom, that can raise serious legal and safety concerns in Texas. In general, a bathroom is one of the most private places in a home, and secretly recording people...
What are my rights if I signed a waiver without reading it carefully?
In general, signing a waiver does not automatically mean you lose every legal right connected to the situation. In Idaho, as in many states, a signed waiver may be treated as evidence that you agreed to its terms, even i...
Is it legal for a state to keep interest earned on money after it is escheated?
In general, the answer depends on the law that governs the unclaimed property and on what happened to the money while the state held it. Escheat or unclaimed property laws usually let the state take custody of abandoned...
Is it legal for a state to sell the contents of an escheated safe deposit box?
In general, yes, a state may be allowed to sell the contents of an escheated safe deposit box after the property is treated as unclaimed or abandoned under the applicable state law. In Hawaii, as in many states, the stat...
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...
What are my rights if my ex moved the kids in with grandparents but still collects child support?
In general, if your ex no longer has the children living with them and the children are instead living with grandparents, that may matter a lot for child support and custody issues in Kansas. Child support is usually mea...