I have received a letter from a debt collection agency, dunning me for an account opened in a city where I have never lived. They have provided account information that indicates the account was opened with someone bearing my name (I have a very common last name) and with a Social Security number matching the last four digits of my own. They have demanded a copy of my Social Security card to confirm that I am not the person who opened the account. I am reluctant to provide them this information on privacy grounds. Is their request legal? How can I require them to fully document the identity of the creditor?
posted by zainsubani
on May 9, 2010 -
14 answers
What are the legal implications of a liability release? Specifically, my daughter will be attending a park summer camp as she has for the last few years. One thing that has always stuck in my craw is the liability language in the release form; specifically the bolded:
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posted by Kskomsvold
on May 6, 2010 -
13 answers
Is it legal or ethical for a civil lawyer in California to take a client they have previously opposed in court?
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posted by anonymous
on Apr 30, 2010 -
7 answers
My dad passed away this year and my mom has very generously decided to gift the house to my sister and I rather than. The house is in Canada, I live in the U.S. (Permanent residence). My sister and brother in law bought my half of the house when the mortgage was due (approximately April 1st) so I now suddenly have a 6 digit lump sum of cash in a Canadian account. I have not signed anything yet. I want to protect this from taxation, I also don't want to jeopardize my permanent residence status or potential citizenship. I know I need a lawyer, but what kind and how do I find a good one? I am in Wisconsin, particularly Eau Claire since that's probably important.
posted by substrate
on Apr 23, 2010 -
13 answers
(you are not my lawyer filter) My lawyer has 35+ yrs of experience in family law and is also a guardian ad litem. I am involved in a family case regarding legal custody in a state whose preference is for joint legal custody (not joint physical). He told me in the past that I had a good case for sole legal custody. Now that I am a defendant in a motion for joint legal, and the circumstances of the case have not changed, he is telling me something different, or avoiding most of my questions. How do I approach this?
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posted by anonymous
on Apr 18, 2010 -
10 answers
How can I publish my fiction online anonymously and still retain the copyright?
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posted by eeby
on Apr 12, 2010 -
9 answers
What are some good books written about where to find free information on the internet? What are the legal implications about writing a book about a collection of internet websites?
posted by MechEng
on Apr 12, 2010 -
4 answers
What are some examples of musical artists that have gotten away with plagiarism?
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posted by DZack
on Apr 11, 2010 -
36 answers
My mother has always been emotionally abusive and unable to support me in any way, but after what I found out today I feel like never speaking to her again. Has my family gone too far this time? I really feel lost on this one and would love any and all advice, including legal advice. This is going to be quite long...
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posted by delicate_dahlias
on Apr 10, 2010 -
79 answers
6 months ago, I returned from Mexico to NYC with a bad case of Colitis, diagnosed down there.
My Gastro/Principal doctor here treated it w/ Prenizone as usual, (I've been hit by it before) and all seemed well.
But something was wrong. I was fatigued, lost my appetite, had headaches, odd spasms in my hands...and the symptoms seemed to get worse.
A few weeks after the end of the Prenizone treatment, I returned to him, complained of the above, and expressed bafflement.
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posted by ebesan
on Apr 7, 2010 -
17 answers
Can you recommend sources for downloadable instrumental music that is free and legally can be used for commercial on-the-air use?
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posted by WCityMike
on Apr 6, 2010 -
2 answers
What should I know about the legality of sending a USB mixtape across international borders? Will sending 20 great songs to a dear friend get me or them in trouble? Can I do anything else to cover my ass? Assume both origin and destination are developed, non-US countries.
posted by anonymous
on Mar 31, 2010 -
10 answers
I have been asked to write for a website that deals primarily with first amendment issues. Help me add sites to my RSS feed and find mailing lists that will give me things to write about!
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posted by anonymous
on Mar 30, 2010 -
9 answers
Should a plaintiff provide copies of her smalls claims court lawsuit papers to the insurance company of the party she is suing?
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posted by longsleeves
on Mar 27, 2010 -
12 answers
Does the "lay advisor" in these videos:
1 2 (about 15 mins in total) have any real legal standing for what he is doing -- claiming that this UK magistrate's court is invalid/improperly carried out, and that council tax is not an enforceable law?
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posted by Drexen
on Mar 20, 2010 -
7 answers
How do we figure out the pros/cons of entering a same-sex marriage in various jurisdictions? Do we want to talk with a lawyer?
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posted by PMdixon
on Mar 19, 2010 -
13 answers
I have ~$100K in student debt...from undergrad. A very long story with legal, emotional and financial questions after the jump.
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posted by anonymous
on Mar 18, 2010 -
32 answers
Has the California Energy Commission ever issued a CEQA statement of overriding consideration on a power plant siting case?
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posted by rzperllian
on Mar 17, 2010 -
1 answer
I sent my lawyer an email about my case that was kind of emotionally unbalanced. I said at the bottom that if he had a comment, okay, but that I really just needed to say it. He did not reply directly but then in a later email, said that to hang in there, I was "doing fine". I definitely err on the side of hysterical in general but I think I have a good rep for being a thoughtful and passionate and honest person. However, I am having a big problem with the way my case is going, and I need to send him another email, and I am wondering if I need to apologize to him for wasting his time with the emotional crap that really was inappropriate to send to him, or should I just ignore it and don't mention it at all? I'm really embarrassed, and what I have to write to him now is really sensitive and I don't want the previous email's rant to cloud what I have to say right now.
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posted by lakersfan1222
on Mar 16, 2010 -
27 answers
What's a good way to decide the age(s) at which grown children will receive their inheritance?
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posted by Songdog
on Mar 15, 2010 -
30 answers
I've been told I can legally share my personal copy of packaged software (in this case MS Office) with a non-profit organization as long as they only install it on one machine. Is this true?
posted by carriest
on Mar 15, 2010 -
10 answers
Bedroom flooded as result of faulty construction. Is the landlord liable for damages?
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posted by kmtiszen
on Mar 14, 2010 -
6 answers
Does anyone know of a good criminal lawyer in the Phoenix/Tempe area? My son ran into what should have been a minor possession charge (paraphernalia, residue), but is instead a potential felony change in the state of Arizona.
posted by UncleJoe
on Mar 7, 2010 -
6 answers
Does my friend have any legal recourse to get back money loaned to another friend who has no intention of paying up? More details below.
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posted by Wantok
on Mar 5, 2010 -
10 answers
I want to start a music video blog. What are some pitfalls (legal or otherwise) that I can fall into and do you have any advice on dealing / avoiding them?
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posted by carpyful
on Mar 5, 2010 -
2 answers
Several times while out in busy nightlife areas in New York, I've passed random dudes on the street who offer to sell me (and every other passer-by) a whole smorgasbord of drugs, totally unprompted. I've never been remotely tempted to buy, but I'm curious how this works from a legal standpoint. How do these guys
not get busted?
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posted by decoherence
on Feb 28, 2010 -
33 answers
My business partner insists that I pay her a large sum of money though she has been absent from the business for a year. What type of legal counsel should I seek? Am I protected in any way?
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posted by anonymous
on Feb 26, 2010 -
20 answers
Could I have a case in the European Court of Human Rights against being subject to an unelected monarch?
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posted by northerner
on Feb 22, 2010 -
18 answers
CopyrightFilter: Lets say I wanted to take a book in the public domain, illustrate it, set it, and design it as a kind of portfolio project that shows I can do all these things - could I then sell the book legally via print on demand or running my own press?
posted by The Whelk
on Feb 17, 2010 -
21 answers
How much does it cost for the city clerk's signature to be verified, on both a marriage license and a marriage certificate, by the county clerk of New York County? I cannot find this information anywhere and I need it for an apostille.
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posted by mdonley
on Feb 7, 2010 -
5 answers
A friend and her boyfriend bought a mixed use building in California, living in 1/2 and opening a business in the other 1/2. They broke up and friend moved out, ex stayed and doesn't want to sell or contribute. Any options?
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posted by stewiethegreat
on Feb 5, 2010 -
14 answers
Legal Curiosity Filter: I have a legal question, but I don't need legal advice. I have a friend who is being sued. She is clearly innocent and the allegations against her is a lie. Her lawsuit is actually kind of a joke in our circle of friends because what is alleged is so blatantly false and easily disproved. And yet the lawsuit has been going on for two years now! How long can a lawsuit be dragged out in court when the accusing party is clearly dragging their feet and trying to force some kind of settlement?
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posted by anonymous
on Feb 5, 2010 -
17 answers
One of my roommates is in the military, he just got noticed that he is going to be redeployed in May/June. Our other roommate recently moved out and we are subletting her room for her. The lease doesn't technically end until October 2010, but I would prefer to go earlier. Can I somehow piggy back on my roommates rights to break the lease as of the Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA)?
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posted by Bengston
on Feb 1, 2010 -
7 answers
How do I go about finding a reasonably good (and inexpensive) lawyer/cpa for a small business in Massachusetts?
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posted by christopherbdnk
on Jan 28, 2010 -
2 answers
Is it ethical or legal to copy the
design of software, but not the code?
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posted by idb
on Jan 26, 2010 -
22 answers
What type of international work will I be doing and how do I do it?
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posted by Tchad
on Jan 18, 2010 -
9 answers
fiction writing filter - I'm writing a story set in anytown, USA. I know that gun laws are different everywhere, and I've googled gun laws for each state, but they don't really answer my question. So, here goes...
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posted by patheral
on Jan 18, 2010 -
11 answers
I'm getting involved with a comic startup. How can I protect the stuff that I make?
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posted by hellojed
on Jan 13, 2010 -
11 answers
YANML, of course, but what is the current legal status of importing legal prescription drugs to the U.S. from legitimate Canadian pharmacies?
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posted by jingzuo
on Jan 11, 2010 -
3 answers
Several years ago, I asked a telemarketer to be placed on their "Do not call list." The telemarketer hung up on me before I could ask for a copy of their do-not-call policy, but I did not receive any calls for several years. Now they are calling again incessantly. I have not answered any of their calls.
Are they in violation of the FCC's telemarketing laws, since I have technically asked to be put on their company-specific do not call list?
posted by idyllhands
on Jan 9, 2010 -
4 answers
