Missouri Recent Legal Answers from Lawyers

In the eyes of the court, you are an adult. So if you plead guilty, you will end up with a conviction for stealing on your permanent criminal record. That conviction can not be removed from your criminal record later, and it will prevent you from getting a job, renting an apartment, and getting federal student loans for school. Maximum penalty in Missouri for misdemeanor (under $500) stealing is 1 year in jail and a $1,000 fine. I suggest that you hire an attorney to represent you if you want to avoid having a conviction for stealing. Your attorney can get the charge dismissed or reduced to a lesser offense, such as "Littering."... Read More

In Missouri, there is no compensation for pain and suffering.  However, if you have any permanent problems, which sounds likely, then you would be entitled to a lump sum for permanent disability compensation, regardless of whether the treating physician gave you a disability rating.  If the accident happened in Missouri or if your employer is located here, then you have up to two years to file a claim in Missouri, although I do not recommend waiting that long.... Read More

Yes, they can charge you with possession of drug paraphernalia even if they don't arrest you or read you your rights. The ticket that the police officer issued notifies you of the court date and what criminal offense you have been charged with. I suggest you hire an experienced attorney to represent you if you want to avoid having a drug conviction on your criminal record.... Read More

To work in the US with another TN status, you should go back to Canada and reenter a US port of entry with the necessary documents for a new TN stamp. The status that you have in the US depends upon the status that you enter the US with.Due to the limitations of the Lawyers.com Forums, Alan Lee, Esq.'s (the "Firm") participation in responding to questions posted herein does not constitute legal advice, nor legal representation of the person or entity posting a question. No Attorney/Client relationship is or shall be construed to be created hereby. The information provided herein by the Firm is general, and requires that the poster obtain specific legal advice from an attorney. The poster shall not rely upon the information provided herein as legal advice nor as the basis for making any decisions of legal consequence.  ... Read More

Usually when drugs or paraphernalia are found in a car, everyone in the car gets charged with possession because everyone had access to it, and the police presume that everyone in the car also had knowledge that it was there. They charged your wife because it's her car. They charged you because you were driving it. I highly recommend that you hire an attorney to represent you if you want to avoid ending up with a conviction for possession of drug paraphernalia.... Read More

While there are some rare exceptions (including, in some states, a gift in contemplation of marriage, like an engagement ring), the general rule is that once a gift is given, the giver loses all rights in it, so that if your boyfriend gave you the phone free and clear, with no conditions, he can't now take it back.  The problem is proving it.  He may claim, for example, that he didn't give you the phone,but only  loaned you the phone to use while you were together.  I assume that you have nothing in writing to prove what happened, so that if the matter went to court, it might wind up being his word against yours.... Read More

Sure, you have a right to communicate with your doctor and discuss your medical options.  Your employer gets to choose the providers, but not the treatment.  As long as your decisions are reasonable, you have the choice of what treatment to receive, assuming it has been recommended by the doctor.... Read More

When you say "disown," from an estate planning perspective I believe you are referring to "disinherit." If this is the case, in your estate planning documents simply mention that it is your intention to disinherit your child named (insert child's full name) and that you have intentionally made no provision for that child. You have no obligation to provide anything for a child who is an adult. You cannot relieve yourself of the duty to support any minor children, however.... Read More

Since you and your partner were not married you have no right to his estate or any portion of his estate (including the vehicle). You do have the right to the life insurance proceeds because insurance policies are really contracts. You could have some equitable right to a portion of your partner's estate but you would have to open an estate in the Probate Division of the Circuit Court for the county in which your partner lived at the time of death.... Read More

If your insurance policy covers your medical payments, you can pursue a lawsuit if they fail to pay. Keep in mind, you only have two years from the time the injury occurred to pursue litigation. After that statute of limitations has passed, your lawsuit will most likely be thrown out. Some Connecticut drivers have medical coverage of $1,000 or more on their auto insurance, regardless of who is at fault. If your medical expenses are beyond that amount, your health insurance should cover it. If another driver was at fault, you may pursue a claim against them. If your insurance company is refusing to pay your medical bills, you should contact an attorney.   D’Amico, Griffin & Pettinicchi, LLC 465 Straits TurnpikeWatertown CT, 06795Phone: (860) 945-6600... Read More

In order to pursue a claim in a slip and fall case, you must have sustained injuries that resulted in significant medical costs, lost wages, or caused considerable pain and suffering. You must also be able to show that the property owner’s negligence contributed to your fall. Most people have homeowner’s insurance which can help cover these costs. The longer you wait to file a claim, the more likely the insurance company will deny it. In many cases, the homeowner will try to avoid giving out their insurance information. In that case, you will have to sue in order to get compensated. We're not located in MO, however, if you ever need a Connecticut Personal Injury Attorney give us a call. We’re located in Watertown CT and service surrounding areas such as: New Haven, Waterford and Hartford CT.   D’Amico, Griffin & Pettinicchi, LLC   465 Straits TurnpikeWatertown CT, 06795Phone: (860) 945-6600... Read More

Your spouse contracted to pay the landlord all amounts due until termination of the lease.  Whatever problems they may be having with you, that doesn't absolve them of their responsibility to the landlord under the contract.  HOWEVER, that doesn't mean that, as between the two of you, a  Judge may not find that you should have the responsibility for paying this marital obligation.  That question is much less black and white and dependent on all the facts and circumstances.... Read More

Neither of your dates are correct. Good moral character starts not from the time of actual conviction nor the time that he completes probation, but from the time of the commission of the crime. As the CIMT was committed 12 years ago, he has satisfied the period of good moral character for the crime if you wait the full 3 years before making the application. I do note that depending upon the seriousness of the CIMT, a naturalization examiner can still consider it for purposes of good moral character. Due to the limitations of the Lawyers.com Forums, Alan Lee, Esq.'s (the "Firm") participation in responding to questions posted herein does not constitute legal advice, nor legal representation of the person or entity posting a question. No Attorney/Client relationship is or shall be construed to be created hereby. The information provided herein by the Firm is general, and requires that the poster obtain specific legal advice from an attorney. The poster shall not rely upon the information provided herein as legal advice nor as the basis for making any decisions of legal consequence.... Read More

You need to hire an attorney to represent you if you want to avoid jail time and a conviction for stealing on your permanent criminal record. A conviction for stealing will prevent you from getting a job, renting an apartment, getting a loan, etc. The maximum penalty in MO for misdemeanor stealing is $1,000 fine and 1 year in jail.... Read More

An employer can seek to hire you and for that request a nonimmigrant worker petition on your behalf - USCIS form I 129 and ancillary forms. You do not have any grace period on L visa unless the employer extended your employment for 30 days to give you time to leave, kept you on the payroll and paid your wages during this time. H1B for the most part, with some exemptions, is subject to CAP which means that a new H1B petition can only be filed comes April 1 and not a day before. You are not allowed to stay in the USA a day pass the employment ended day on L. ... Read More

Most oral agreements are binding (the problem, generally, is not that the contract is unenforceable but that you can't prove that there was a contract or what its terms were), but some types of contracts are required to be in writing.  On its face, the loan contract you describe does not seem to be of a type which needs to be in writing.... Read More

I am assuming the trust was not a joint trust between your parents. Most trust documents allow the grantor or settlor to alter, amend and/revoke a trust. Since your mother is the grantor or settlor (the one who set up the trust), she can revoke it. Ask your mother if she ever gave copies of the trust, or even just certain pages, to a bank. If so, go to the bank and get the copies. Take your mother to another estate planning attorney and ask the attorney about revoking the trust and your mother setting up a new trust. Also, some investment companies, such as Edward Jones, will ask for a copy of the trust if your mother has an investment account with the investment company and has it in the name of the trust. Check with the Recorder of Deeds if your mother's house is in the name of the trust. If so, get a copy of the deed and take the deed with you when you see the attorney. Your brother obviously does not want you to see the trust. He is not entitled to keep the trust away from your mother and he may have had it amended to benefit him to your detriment. I would see an attorney as soon as possible.... Read More