South African Knife Laws Filter: Can I Carry My Pocketknife? [more inside]
posted by Spurious on Dec 27, 2009 - 2 answers

What would be involved in building a driveway / basement-level garage for a house in Seattle, WA with respect to zoning, estimated costs, etc.? Specifically, it would be for a house that currently has on-street, city-zoned parking only.
posted by Blazecock Pileon on Dec 25, 2009 - 5 answers

I'm thinking of creating a political parody website that may step on some toes and/or trademarks. I have a few technical and legal questions about how best to go about this. [more inside]
posted by Riki tiki on Dec 22, 2009 - 6 answers

I was in a serious auto accident in October of 2009. I do have an attorney. We've filed suit to settle the case, and my deposition is this afternoon. As the time grows closer, I'm getting more and more anxious about this. What should I expect? [more inside]
posted by anastasiav on Dec 21, 2009 - 14 answers

Is there a way to capture a website at a certain point in time so that it's admissible in court? I may be about to be involved in litigation soon and there's information on a site which will be very important and I'd like to use it as evidence, but I'm worried it might move or change.
posted by anonymous on Dec 16, 2009 - 15 answers

i come from a very large family and some years back we purchased a home for our elderly mother. i being the youngest was stuck with the home in my name, but recently was offered a job in another country. i need to get out of this deal with my family and soon before i leave the country. is there any way i can hand over the deed to the next in line in my family without the hassle of selling to he or she? i am running out of time and need to do this quickly.
posted by anonymous on Dec 15, 2009 - 10 answers

I ran a red light and got caught by a traffic camera. I received a citation in the mail a few days later. Not my citation, though, someone else's. [more inside]
posted by notmydesk on Dec 11, 2009 - 38 answers

You are not a lawyer, neither am I. (I've already asked two lawyers, but they couldn't answer anyway.) But, I've always been curious about this: Imagine Alice is a thief. She steals something from Bob, then sells it (eBay, CraigsList, through a pawn shop, whatever) to Dave. Coincidence of coincidences, Bob knows Dave, and sees his stolen object at Dave's house during Dave's Christmas party. Bob can provide proof this something was stolen from him, but Dave could not have been expected to know that's how Alice got it. Who has rights to this object?
posted by zachawry on Dec 9, 2009 - 48 answers

In Texas, is there a specific law or section of law that says a tenant's lease goes poof when a landlord's property is foreclosed on by the bank, or is it one of those situations where a whole body of law and court decisions are added together to make this situation? [more inside]
posted by fireoyster on Dec 4, 2009 - 5 answers

Does anyone know internet law? Can a website owner in one country be sued in another if libel laws are different? Or does it depend on where the server is actually held?
posted by MrMerlot on Dec 4, 2009 - 7 answers

I have "legal insurance" coverage through my employer - it works just like medical insurance but covers personal legal matters instead. I have been working with a lawyer on a probate with the understanding that the insurance company will cover the costs, but my claim was denied. Do I have any recourse with either insurance company or the lawyer I have been working with? [more inside]
posted by blindcarboncopy on Nov 30, 2009 - 12 answers

Locked my bike to a post, and a bus sideswiped my bike. Am I stuck with the damage? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 30, 2009 - 12 answers

What rights do the public have to the planting strip (between the sidewalk and street) in a Berkeley residential area? [more inside]
posted by team lowkey on Nov 29, 2009 - 9 answers

I got my first ticket ahh! What will happen? [more inside]
posted by lwclec072 on Nov 28, 2009 - 12 answers

Hosting a public LAN Party; What legal issues should I be aware of? [more inside]
posted by ilumos on Nov 28, 2009 - 1 answer

Hi all, I am looking for articles or books on how the law serves specific factions of society at the expense of others. I am specifically interested in the issue of art fraud and forgery, but I would be happy to learn about more general overviews on this issue as well. Is there a "classic" book on how law is socially constructed to serve specific factions of society at the expense of others? Or maybe an overview on the sociology or anthropology of law that you highly recommend? Or some key terms I should be aware of? My intuitive understanding of the art forgery example is that laws to prevent fraud serve the interests of people involved in the art market (dealers, galleries, museums, auction houses) but hinder artists that work in historical traditions because the border between a "copy" and a "pastiche" and a "forgery" and a "fraud" is blurry. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
posted by tnygard on Nov 25, 2009 - 13 answers

Should I sue? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 23, 2009 - 17 answers

The electric gate into our block of flats has malfunctioned and nobody can move their cars in or out. It's nearly 9PM here in the UK and we can't get hold of our landlord or the building company. If, come morning, we can't get our cars out of the car park can we (legally) charge someone (anyone?!) for the taxi journeys we're going to have to take instead? [more inside]
posted by alby on Nov 23, 2009 - 28 answers

I'm a landlord for a owner-occupied 4-unit bldg. I know I can't discriminate, with respect to tenant selection, regarding "family status", but am I free to prefer a single-occupancy renter to a family? My motivation is mostly remunerative -- included in rent are: water, hot water, and heat, and so a single renter is cheaper for me than a family of three with respect to those utilities. Is my preference for 1 vs. 3 rentors actionable discrimination? (Call me a miser if you like, but I'm under rent control, and I need to watch my costs, since it is near impossible to pass inflationary costs on to tenants.)
posted by JimDe on Nov 22, 2009 - 15 answers

Legal status of inadvertently sent (supposed to be internal) automated test calls which could be viewed as "prank calls" that go accidentally to 7-13 unsuspecting recipients. And more. YANML i know, please read details. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 21, 2009 - 10 answers

I currently live in Brazil but shall be returning to my country of origin, the UK, for a month or so in December. I recently managed to get a prescription for Ritalin from a psychiatrist here in Brazil and was wondering whether I'd have any complications in bringing this back into the UK. [more inside]
posted by Zé Pequeno on Nov 21, 2009 - 4 answers

Is there a word for a person who has been subpoenaed? If two people are subpoenaed, they are called co-...? They're not co-defendants. Is there an equivalent?
posted by streetdreams on Nov 19, 2009 - 14 answers

Both of my wife's parents died. Her dad first in January, now her mom in September. My wife is the oldest child. No will was left. What do we do? [more inside]
posted by Bageena on Nov 18, 2009 - 24 answers

What questions should I ask a candidate running for Superior Court Judge? [more inside]
posted by ryanrs on Nov 16, 2009 - 14 answers

How does the tech person in a business partnership avoid getting screwed over by the business person? [more inside]
posted by giggleknickers on Nov 15, 2009 - 13 answers

Our daughter was set to close on her first house tomorrow and to move in to her new home this weekend. Today at 4 PM, her real estate agent called. [more inside]
posted by WyoWhy on Nov 12, 2009 - 15 answers

Recently some controversial legislation was passed by my county board. The opposition is using the time it was passed - early in the morning, after hours of public testimony - as a point of criticism. I am at a loss to understand why this is a talking point. Can you help me understand it? [more inside]
posted by yomimono on Nov 11, 2009 - 11 answers

Anyone know anything about Nashville School of Law? [more inside]
posted by roxie5 on Nov 10, 2009 - 8 answers

I signed up for a "pay half your mortgage twice a month" thing and now Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS) is a little too involved for my liking. Help me leave them. [more inside]
posted by jragon on Nov 8, 2009 - 8 answers

Last year I got most of my income for working from home in the state of Virginia. I did work for a company that is not owned by me and was located in another town in Virginia. I got a 1099 as an individual from the company for the work that I did. This work was all conducted by phone and email, no one came to my home. I recently got a letter in the mail from the City of Winchester, VA saying that I did not register as a business in the city and that I needed to pay back licensing fees. I know you're not my lawyer, but do I have to do this?
posted by jefeweiss on Nov 6, 2009 - 13 answers

[Bankruptcyfilter] YANML...speaking in hypotheticals only. Exempt furniture / wildcard exemption vs security interest of creditor in same said furniture with a UCC Security Agreement. Does the furniture get an exemption? Or does the furniture get Repossesed via Foreclosure of Security Interest in Personal Property? Furniture was just pledged as collateral...never was sold or belonged to the creditor. How is this determined... by the Bankruptcy Trustees discretion, or by law?
posted by Muirwylde on Nov 5, 2009 - 6 answers

Help me track down my uncle's appearance on CNN's "American Morning" this morning. [more inside]
posted by Roach on Nov 5, 2009 - 3 answers

I want to start an Irish band called the Peter O'Tooles. Might this be a problem? [more inside]
posted by Astro Zombie on Nov 4, 2009 - 23 answers

How do criminals convince other criminals they aren't (undercover) police?
posted by stinkycheese on Nov 4, 2009 - 35 answers

Our apartment was damaged on Friday, and the whole floor needs to come out, possibly some of the drywall too. The property manager needs us to vacate, and remove all of our stuff, for an extended period of time (1-2 months). (Note that we have been dealing with the property manager, and to a lesser extent, the superintendent, and not our landlord.) How much notice is he legally required to give us? We live in Toronto. YANAL. [more inside]
posted by mellifluous on Nov 2, 2009 - 11 answers

Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree is pretty unusual, in that its a romantic song about a recently released convict. It seems to be based on an urban legend, or possibly true story (see the wikipedia link). So my question is: Can we work out what the dude was in prison for? [more inside]
posted by memebake on Nov 1, 2009 - 26 answers

I recently applied for a position as a pro-bono LSAT tutor, unfortunately I wrote my LSAT three years ago and I have no tutoring experience. Help? [more inside]
posted by paradoxflow on Oct 29, 2009 - 6 answers

How do you compare contracts? (or perhaps "How do lawyers compare contracts?") [more inside]
posted by devnull on Oct 28, 2009 - 8 answers

I'm an unemployed third-year law student, have my last interview in four hours. Any tricks on appearing intelligent, charismatic, and, most importantly, not desperate? Have had four interviews with different employers so far, have not heard anything back. This is my last shot at employment before I go back to desperately combing job listings. Interview is with a judge in a district I've never lived in, who is of the opposite political persuasion as I am. This will be my first of this type of interview so give me your all-purpose i'm-the-right-person-for-this-job tricks.
posted by anthropomorphic on Oct 27, 2009 - 25 answers

How is a contract's governing state determined? Is it where it's drafted? Or is it something else? "This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of.." I am drafting a contract in PA but the recipient is in another state. Should the governing state by mine or the recipient.
posted by xdeliriumx on Oct 26, 2009 - 10 answers

What is the likely result of reporting an illegal rooming house in Toronto? e.g. How often do they end up getting cleaned up, repaired, and properly licensed vs. shut down (whether by the inspectors or by an owner who doesn't want to bother fixing it up)?
posted by anonymous on Oct 26, 2009 - 5 answers

Less than a year ago, my SO left a pan on the stove and the rental house burned. Now, the owner's insurance company wants her to pay. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 20, 2009 - 13 answers

I'm thinking of applying to spend a year at university in Europe studying political science, public policy, or law. Help me find a programme! [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 18, 2009 - 7 answers

After reading the legal opinion posted through this FPP post, I am reminded of how much I actually enjoy reading a well written, interesting legal opinion or briefing. So. What are some other exciting or interesting legal readings, and are there good websites or other (preferably free or available in a library) resources for reading legal documents?
posted by Deathalicious on Oct 15, 2009 - 15 answers

Why (in the UK, or anywhere else where this applies) is it illegal to drive without wearing a seatbelt, but legal for bus passengers to sit, or even stand without one? [more inside]
posted by Mwongozi on Oct 14, 2009 - 14 answers

Would I run into legal problems if I published print versions of transcripts from the interviews done for my podcast? [more inside]
posted by Ponderance on Oct 13, 2009 - 3 answers

I'm getting more and more serious about starting a brewery. I don't know where to start with the state, the city, the FDA and the ATF. (Does the ATF even care about beer? See! I need someone who knows these things!) You're not my lawyer, but maybe you know what kind of lawyer I'm looking for and how to find them! [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 13, 2009 - 10 answers

Out of work law school grad thinking about looking into another career...looking for suggestions....how about a stock broker trainee...? [more inside]
posted by xspot on Oct 12, 2009 - 13 answers

You're in law school (or have recently graduated) - what online resources/websites do you use the most? Which are the most helpful in terms of research and studying? [more inside]
posted by 913 on Oct 7, 2009 - 16 answers

consumer products/lawfilter: Is a seller located in New York state required to put her business address on packaging or labels when she ships her products to customers? If so, can you point me to the relevant law? I have researched this question, checked the UCC and BCL, reviewed FTC guidelines, and contacted the state attorney general's office, but to no avail. TIA.
posted by Majorita on Oct 5, 2009 - 5 answers