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I listed my car on the Getaround car sharing platform, and someone totaled it. Getaround sent it to their claims adjuster and they determined the amount they will reimburse me. This is fine, but it's been 6 weeks with no $. Getaround has not given me an ETA for payment. They are headquartered in San Francisco, California. How do I determine how much time they have, legally speaking, to pay me? [more inside]
posted by 4midori at 11:25 AM - 5 answers

I am looking for information about an incident or multiple incidents of Puerto Ricans opposing the Vietnam War draft. [more inside]
posted by andoatnp at 1:18 PM - 1 answers

Can you recommend any good articles or academic works on the relationship between homeless and legal authority? [more inside]
posted by saladin at 9:19 AM - 2 answers

We are consolidating households with my mother in her home, and I'm trying to think through all the issues we need to make sure we handle. [more inside]
posted by Lyn Never at 9:59 AM - 6 answers

As I understand it in a criminal trial there are some alternate jurors who hear the case but are not involved in rendering the final verdict. What happens if the defendant, just before deliberations begin, threatens to beat up all the jurors who vote to convict? If there are not 12 alternate jurors to replace the ones now fearing for their lives what is the outcome? And anyway, the alternate jurors will also be intimidated by the threat. Would you have to start the trial over? Will there be a default ruling of guilty by the judge?
posted by SweetLiesOfBokonon at 2:48 PM - 7 answers

Does anyone have any recommendations for a process server/private investigator who might be willing (and who is worth paying extra) to head that way? [more inside]
posted by SarekTu at 11:44 PM - 0 answers

My friend is a Canadian who was hit by a drunk & homeless cyclist in Tennessee earlier this year, and was severely injured. Neither party had insurance.... so what happens with potential criminal charges, injury settlement, and the hospital bill? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:10 AM - 11 answers

Our elderly father lives alone. A fast-talking door-to-door salesman confused him to the point that he signed a contract without knowing what it was. Afterwards he didn’t even remember signing it. How can he be protected from this in the future? [more inside]
posted by Ohwn7yNAUU at 11:16 AM - 14 answers

With the release of the movie, "Civil War", I have to wonder if, since the first civil war, states have had plans or considerations to protect themselves against other states in case of a second civil war? I can't believe this isn't something the RAND Corporation hasn't studied for the federal government.
posted by CollectiveMind at 12:07 PM - 11 answers

My friend was arrested for drunk driving twice within a week with blood alcohol levels of .38 the first time and .40+ the second. He wasn't arrested or booked and taken straight to the hospital for medical detox. He hit 3 cars, a stop sign a fence and didn't stop for the police. He's facing four felonies for all that. Regardless, he never had to post bail and never even saw a police station. He is a clear danger to himself and others. Will he be arrested at his first court arraignment? [more inside]
posted by Che boludo! at 10:31 PM - 15 answers

There was a massive flood in my apartment building. A pipe leading to the sprinkler system burst in the suite adjacent to me, resulting in two inches of water across my entire apartment. My insurance deductible is $1000. Since I am not at fault for this fiasco, shouldn't my building's insurance cover my deductible? [more inside]
posted by figaro at 5:54 PM - 14 answers

We are having our 2023 taxes done by a local company, and they recently let us know that they would be filing an extension for us. I know we still have to pay an “estimated tax” for both federal and state (CO), but never having done that before, I have no idea how to (1) estimate fed and state tax, and (2) pay these. Please explain like I’m five. There’s a reason we had professionals doing this. (I’ve asked them for help, but they’re apparently very busy, so I haven’t heard anything.)
posted by blurker at 3:22 PM - 14 answers

I would like to work toward my local government adding more protections for workers. If a local government in the USA wanted to make the area better for workers in the area, what measures might it put in place? And what would be your priorities? I mean for all workers in the area, and not just those employed by the local government. [more inside]
posted by NotLost at 10:45 AM - 19 answers

In addition to my full time job I work a part time remote job that requires me to have a wired internet connection into equipment they provide. Because of this I pay roughly $90 a month to maintain a separate internet connection for my home office. Many people have told me that I should be able to write this off on my taxes, but I'm not able to discover a way to do it without claiming to be self-employed (which I am not). Do you know how to do this?
posted by anastasiav at 9:36 AM - 7 answers

As a non-American, I have a hard time understanding how Trump and his lawyers, usually presented as incompetent idiots, are able to run circles around the US legal sytem. This is not question about Trump, but about the functioning of American justice. [more inside]
posted by elgilito at 10:19 AM - 29 answers

Can anyone recommend a good personal injury lawyer in Nashville? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:44 AM - 1 answers

I am looking for a primer on taxes as policy -- the pros and cons income tax, property tax, sales tax, wealth tax, etc., and about whether any of them are easier to implement or change, or more or less acceptable to voters, etc. I am interested in general but also especially as applied to U.S. municipalities.
posted by NotLost at 6:50 AM - 5 answers

During 2023, I had a job that took out taxes along with work as a contractor (1099), the first time this has ever happened in my life. I've used TurboTax before when it was non contractor work and it was fine and easy. Does the software work just as well for the above mentioned mix of work types? Or is there another recommendation? I am not in a state that has the free Direct To File program.
posted by clocksock at 6:43 AM - 6 answers

Hi there. I was abruptly fired by a university in Missouri after working there for a few years when they were made aware (via an anonymous letter) that I was guilty of some criminal charges 25 years ago. When they learned about the charges a week before, HR met with me to ask if it was true (and I confirmed it was) and assured me my job was not in jeopardy "at this time". I then met with my supervisor, who was supportive and said I've been nothing but professional. I'm writing an appeal letter to the school, making the following arguments. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:56 AM - 18 answers

Recently, some asylum seekers landed on the mainland of Australia, within driving distance from Broome, and were then flown to Nauru for offshore processing. I knew about changes in the laws as they related to Australian islands/Australian waters, but I was shocked that people who landed on mainland Australia could be flown to Nauru. Has the law re: people landing on the Australian mainland changed, and if so, when did the law change?
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 11:56 PM - 3 answers