Questions in the Law & Government category.
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June 1
YANML Trusting the estate trustee - Oklahoma version
My cousin died and left everything to a trust handled by a single practitioner lawyer. The proceeds are to to to me and a friend. My cousin died one year ago. At the end of December, the friend and I received a partial payout. Since then, we have received nothing and the lawyer has basically ghosted us. What can we do? Anything? [more inside]
May 24
Is it illegal to spite-donate?
You are not my lawyer; this is not legal advice. I like to annoy local transphobes on Facebook, so when one posted something else to stir the pot, I responded by donating to an LGBTQ+ PAC and a charity in his honor. I posted that I’d done so along with screen shots. He quickly told me to remove the post or I’d be hearing from his lawyer. [more inside]
This post is about federal income taxes.
I usually do my taxes, and have for many years. This year the form came up that I owed $1300 and change. [more inside]
May 22
Why does the NYT say George Santos "lied"?
The New York Times has a recent piece that repeatedly uses the word "lie" to describe things that George Santos has said. My impression has been that newspapers generally prefer less direct language like "misinformation" or "misleading statements." Is there a policy change here, or does something about Santos's statements pass some test that previous politicians have not?
May 19
Tenant Rights In West Hollywood
I live in the City of West Hollywood. I signed a lease and moved into a studio space that is not zoned as an apartment (It was once a large workout room in the condo/apartment complex) One person had lived there several years before me. I have been an excellent tenant.
Tuesday, I was asked to meet with the president of the condo board (and from who I leased the studio). He informed me that I was to move out and that he would work with me on the time frame. I was informed verbally. Nothing written was given to me. No reason was given as to why I was being asked to move.
My relationship with him was good. I was the caretaker of his neighbor for two years and left in good standing. I was going to help him with chores as he is having knee replacement surgery soon. [more inside]
How to fix name mismatch between birth certificate and driver's license
My name on my driver's license is a shortened version of my legal name on my birth certificate, social security card, and passport (think along the lines of Jon vs Jonathan.) With my recent state move which might require my first RealID drivers license, will this be an issue? [more inside]
May 18
Fact checking: does the DMV have records for minors?
I assumed this all happens when a person gets e.g. a state ID or license, but it would help to know if that’s wrong. Am fighting insurance and would like one less hoop right now.
May 16
Can I get an indefinite to remain status UK through a student visa?
Hi. Can I get the Indefinite leave to remain on a student visa if I plan to pursue a PhD in England for 4 years and then a postdoc afterwards for a year or two? I am not sure how the indefinite leave to remain works. I am Canadian and have no parents or grandparents born in the UK but my great-grandmother was born in London but ancestry visa does not look at great-grandparents. I want to live in England permanently if I can and teach or work in government with a PhD in Political Science. My partner and I want to live in the UK eventually if we can.
May 12
How do you find a good probate attorney?
My step-sister's mother (who I did not know personally) has just passed away and I'm helping out with some of the process. The deceased person owned a house (which they were informally renting out) but probably did not leave a will, and we think we will need to talk to a probate attorney. How do you find a good probate attorney in Wisconsin? [more inside]
May 11
How much were US citizens charged for international COVID evacuation?
It has come to my attention during the recent crisis in Sudan that being evacuated from a foreign country isn't free.
Is there any publicly available information re: the costs of being evacuated by the US during the early days of the COVID pandemic? Were evacuees just charged for their flights, or did they also have to bear the cost of quarantine?
This seems like something that would have attracted public interest, but I am dreadful at locating all things civics on the internet.
US healthcare for the young and temporarily of-no-fixed-abode?
A young relative (YR) of mine is about to graduate university, but does not yet have a job lined up. Simultaneously, coincidentally, and for reasons, their dual-citizen parents have left the US and returned to their native country. This leaves YR with no parental home to return to, and no remaining connection to their current state of residence. Thankfully, they do have a few other US relatives, spread across several other US states, and the plan is for YR to basically couch-surf among their homes until they can get a proper job (which may take some time). The question: what should YR do for health insurance in the meantime? Is the right move to repeatedly sign up for, and then cancel, exchange plans as they move around (sometimes potentially for just a couple weeks at a time?)? Is there such a thing as a state exchange plan that includes non-emergency out-of-state coverage? [more inside]
May 9
Help me write a letter to the Navy
Very long story short: My aunty has asked me to write a letter supporting her application for my deceased father’s navy service records. All good, but I have no idea what to write. Please help. [more inside]
May 8
Health insurance sent my PHI to a family member. What to do?
Should I report this? How does this happen? [more inside]
May 6
Noise complaints about baby in new apartment
I really need advice, I just moved into a new apartment with my 10 month old, alone, I just received these text messages from my landlord, I am not sure what to do. [more inside]
May 5
How many people lived their whole lives between the coronations?
Approximately how many people on this planet lived their entire lives between the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, and before the coronation of King Charles III on May 6, 2023, and so never in their lifetimes experienced a UK coronation? [more inside]
May 2
Because "My Most Excellent Dude/Dudette" May Be Frowned Upon
I'm organizing a political event which will have some local elected officials (city councilpersons, district and superior court judges, other county-level elected officials, etc.). I'm am struggling to figure out how to address them in our program.
Are they all "The Honorable Bob Hob"? Or would I put "City Councilor Bob Hob"? "Registrar of Deeds Bob Hob"? Or just Bob Hob?
How about Judge Bob Hob? Is he "Judge Bob Hob" or something else? [more inside]
Podcast [maybe?] on how databases sometimes fail at "nontypical" names
Sometime in the past few years I read or listened to a piece of media about how assumptions about naming can shut people out of databases entirely. People were described as unable to access government services because design assumptions about names did not permit their actual names.
Examples included people who do not have a last name or have names of a single character.
Does this ring any bells? I'd like to revisit this article or podcast, but can't find it.
April 30
Can you get married to the same person twice (without getting divorced)
This is a hypothetical question--I am not going to do this. But it came up for reasons I will explain, and it did make me curious! Particularly curious in the context of an american whose (first) marriage license is not from america [more inside]
April 29
Have you ever sued someone? How stressful was it?
I was wronged. When a lawyer acquaintance saw my evidence, he became excited and asked to represent me on a contingency basis. He thinks it's a strong case. I'm very nervous. [more inside]
April 27
Book recs please: U.S. involvement in Hungarian Uprising
Looking especially for author who also captures early decisions during Truman Administration, involving Dean Acheson and the CIA.