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Under Kentucky law, a person must be at least 16 years old to consent to a sexual act. However, this does not mean that anyone aged 16 or older can consent to sexual activity with any other person. Because anyone under the age of 18 is still a minor, restrictions apply. Under KRS 510.020(3), 16 and 17 year olds cannot engage in sexual acts with anyone who is more than 10 years older than they are, meaning the oldest their sexual partner can be is 26 or 27, respectively. If you fall within that 10 year window, no crime was committed. ... Read More

When an offer is made and the recipient modifies any of its terms before returning it to the original offeror, such a response is considered a counteroffer rather than an acceptance. The issuance of a counteroffer effectively revokes the initial offer, preventing the original offeror from accepting the terms as originally proposed.  ... Read More

In the event that a buyer breaches a real estate purchase agreement prior to closing, the standard remedy is the forfeiture of the earnest money deposit. However, any forfeited sum must maintain a reasonable proportionality to the breach; otherwise, it may be deemed a penalty rather than an enforceable liquidated damages provision. Generally, an amount equivalent to approximately one percent of the property’s purchase price is considered reasonable and enforceable. Any forfeiture exceeding this threshold may be subject to legal challenge, and the seller may have grounds to pursue recovery through litigation. Retaining legal counsel is advised for specific guidance on the matter.... Read More

If you are in the United States and entered legally, you may be eligible to adjust your status after marrying a U.S. citizen. USCIS allows individuals to apply for a green card through marriage, even if they are currently out of status. To ensure a smooth process and avoid complications or potential denials, it is advisable to work with an immigration attorney. Some of us offer affordable flat-fee representation to assist clients throughout the entire process. You can retain an attorney anywhere in the United States, as immigration law is federal, allowing legal counsel to represent you regardless of the state you are in.    ... Read More

Most cruise lines have forum selection clauses, requiring passengers to file injury claims in the state designated by the cruise line. In almost all cases, that state is Florida. To determine where you must file your claim, review your ticket itinerary and contract to see if Florida has been specified. If Florida is the required forum, you will need to retain legal representation in this state. Be aware that these claims must be filed within a specific time frame, or you may lose the right to pursue compensation. It is advisable to hire an attorney here in Florida on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win your case.... Read More

Consult a wrongful death attorney to determine the statute of limitations for filing a claim. Additionally, check with the attorney regarding legal standing under your state's wrongful death laws. In most cases, standing is limited to immediate family members, such as spouses and children, while siblings typically do not qualify to bring a claim.  ... Read More

  I am sorry to hear about your mother's hospital ordeal. Your inquiry certainly merits discussion without delay. I suggest that you consult a Medical Malpractice attorney asap. The attorney will need more personal information about your mother. A Medical Malpractice attorney can explore and discuss the issues with you. There are often many stages to this inquiry. Ultimately, the answer to your question will depend upon medical expert review of all relevant records to determine whether the standard of care was breached and if that breach directly caused or contributed to your mother's medical condition. We all give free consultations and if we take the case, it would be on a contingent fee basis. Start this process with a free consultation by a Medical Malpractice lawyer. Better sooner rather than later. Furthermore, the Statute of Limitation for bringing a complex Medical Malpractice lawsuit is relatively short. Lore L. Gold, Esq.... Read More

Dear Sir or Madam - I'm sorry that your governmental ex-employer treated you badly.  Generally speaking, the time periods within which to sue for unequal pay depend upon the particular statute under which you are suing.  See generally my recent article entitled "What Rights To Equal Pay Does An Executive Or A Professional Have In New York?" < https://www.davidrichlaw.com/what-rights-to-equal-pay-does-an-executive-or-a-professional-have-in-new-york/ >.  Depending upon your particular facts and circumstances, you may well have viable claims against your government ex-employer for unequally paying you based on your gender.  Today, you should call a knowledgeable New York City Employment Lawyer about your matter.   Sincerely, David Rich... Read More

You may want to begin by finding your husband by using a private investigator, such as Information Network Associates (INA) in Harrisburg, PA. Once he is found, it will be a much easier process to file a divorce complaint and start a support case.  If you choose to retain an attorney first, it may cost you more money as the attorney will still need to attempt to find him.  If he cannot be found, an attorney will file a petition to serve by publication and attach a report from a private investigator concluding that he could not be located despite due diligence to find him as well as an affidavit signed by you as to what you did to try to locate him.  If a judge determines that there is nothing more that can be done to locate him, then permission will be granted to serve him by publication, and you will be required to publish notice of the proceedings in local newspapers in the area of his last known address. However, unless he is actually located, it will be very challenging (and expensive) to pursue any monetary claims against him.... Read More

The employment status of the immigrant beneficiary does not impact their eligibility for a spousal visa. The Department of State primarily considers whether the petitioning spouse meets the minimum income requirements to sponsor their partner. Since the process can be complex, it may be beneficial to hire an attorney on a flat fee basis to manage the case from start to finish. Some attorneys offer affordable flat-rate services for this process.     ... Read More

If you were assaulted in a nightclub and the management failed to provide adequate security to prevent such violence, you may have a security negligence claim against the establishment. It’s advisable to retain an attorney in your jurisdiction, potentially on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win the case.     ... Read More

If mom is overseas, and you have a pending I 130 immediate relative petition, you will be required at some point to upload an 864 affidavit of support to prove that you financially can sponsor your mom. If you have lost your job, then you should retain a joint sponsor who does have the financial ability to sponsor mom. ... Read More

It all depends on the terms of the contract with the property management company. In most instances PM companies are simply a conduit between the LL and the tenant for the purposes of collecting rent, relating tenant complaints etc. Rarely are they obligated to bear the expense of suing the tenants for eviction, for rent collection or to make repairs on the owner/landlords rental property. In most instances where the tenants are damaging the property, the PM is simply required to notify the LL once they are aware of it, and again depending on the contract terms that may be the end of thier responsibility. The LL would then need to retain a lawyer to sue for damages or eviction as the case may be. The other issue that needs to be addressed is when the PM is engaged to procure and screen tenants for the LL approval. There are many instances where the PM's "drop the ball" and dont vett the tenants sufficiently and allow bad tenants to move in. Again, subject to the contract terms, the PM might be liable if there was obvious evidence that the tenant was "bad" such as public record evicitons, bad credit history or criminal history. You will likely need to spend some money to have a lawyer review your contract and the details and go from there. ... Read More

Yes, what you’ve described could potentially be considered medical negligence or even grounds for a medical malpractice claim. Informed consent is a fundamental part of medical care. Patients have the legal right to know what procedures will be performed on them, the risks involved, and the alternatives, unless it's a true emergency situation. If a retina specialist performed surgery without explaining what was being done and then failed to disclose complications like infections or the need for emergency follow-up procedures, that could violate both legal and ethical standards. Medical malpractice claims typically require showing that the doctor breached the standard of care and that this caused harm. A lack of informed consent, undisclosed infections, and refusal to explain the care provided could all support that argument. It would be wise to contact a medical malpractice attorney as soon as you can. They can review your medical records, assess whether the doctor’s conduct violated your rights, and help determine if you have a case.... Read More

It is always faster filing for a spouse as a U.S. citizen so I will ask how long have you had your Green Card? Are you almost at the point where you could file for Citizenship? Generally an I-130 needs to be approved first and your priority date needs to be current before I-485 can be adjudicated - I recommend you seek assistance from a licensed attorney in order to prevent delays.... Read More

It sounds like the administrator of the estate id trying to account for expenses of the deceased which may have been paid out of his or her account after he or she died for bills which existed at the time of his or her death.  This would be necessary for purposes of any estate or inheritance tax returns.  Debts of a deceased person are typically allowed as deductions from the taxable value of any property he or she had at the time of death.  As for your individual accounts information that sounds like overreaching but the joint account is probably proper.  For the joint account if you do not turn over the information the Executor may need to use a subpoena to order you or the bank to turn over the statements.  I advise you to do what you can to cooperate - it helps resolve loose ends for your now-deceased partner.... Read More

Unless your ex intended the use of a phone on his plan to be a gift you may be legally obligated to pay him back...if he chooses to treat it as a contract between him and you he probably has a good case to force you to pay him back.  You paying him the part of the bill on any regular basais may be enough to form a contract whether or not anything was ever put in writing.  So, the short version is:  yes, he may be able to sue to collect the bills he paid for you so the ball is in his court so to speak.... Read More

This is not an uncommon situation.  I have helped people with this very situation.  In fact, in one case not only had the Executor died but so did the original estate attorney.  What you will need to do is to Petition the Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans Court in the county where probate occurred to be appointed successor to the now deceased Executor.  If successful you will be granted what are called Letters of Administration d.b.n. and that will prove to NJDUP that you areentitled to act on behalf of the estate.  Caution:  by collecting these funds you could trigger an additional probate fee plus additional PA Inheritance Tax.  There are a lot of moving parts to these situations - you probably want to find a probate attorney in your area.  Either search the Find a Lawyer section here on Lawyers.com or contact your county bar association.... Read More

The Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine holds vehicle owners liable for damages caused by someone using the vehicle with permission. However, if the driver did not have permission, the owner may not be liable under this doctrine. Instead, a negligence theory could apply.  For example, if the owner failed to secure the vehicle, allowing an unauthorized driver to take it, there could be an argument for negligent entrustment. Courts consider factors like prior knowledge of the driver’s tendencies, security measures, and whether the vehicle was stolen or taken without consent. What injuries did your child sustain?... Read More

The wording of the settlement agreement will be important - if the settlement is for less than the full amount of the debt then the original creditor may have the right to collect the balance UNLESS your agreement states that the settlement is in exchange for  "full, unconditional release from thedebt without recourse".  I have represented debtors and creditors in hundreds of collection matters and, frankly, you can trust the debt collectors about as much as you can lift a Buick with one hand.  Before agreeing on anything and signing or making payment I recommend having a local attorney who has experience in settlements review your paperwork or you could be surprised by a new claim for the balance down the road.  Even if you "do-it-yourself" be sure to document the creditor name, account number, amounts and dates.  If you were to get another collection attempt you write back that on March 32, 2025 I paid Joe's Collections $467 for account #123456789 - that could be enough to get then off your back and in court they would need to prove that you still owe what they say you owe.... Read More

Because your original custody order was issued in New Jersey, that state retains what's called "continuing exclusive jurisdiction" under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)—which both New Jersey and Delaware follow—until certain conditions are met. Typically, jurisdiction can shift to Delaware if: Neither parent (nor the child) lives in New Jersey anymore, or New Jersey finds that it no longer has a significant connection to the child and agrees to let Delaware take over. Registering the New Jersey order in Delaware is a necessary first step, but that alone does not automatically give Delaware jurisdiction to modify it. You may need to file in New Jersey first to either request a transfer of jurisdiction or seek a modification there if New Jersey still qualifies as the home state. Given the serious allegations about the father's behavior, you should also consider whether an emergency custody filing is warranted under Delaware law once the order is registered. That can sometimes temporarily override normal jurisdictional rules. These are complex jurisdictional and procedural issues, especially when your child's safety is involved. While my focus is as an appellate lawyer handling custody appeals and complex jurisdictional issues, I recommend working closely with a Delaware family law attorney who can coordinate efforts with counsel in New Jersey if necessary.... Read More