Consumer Legal Questions

It is called a contingency fee.  I would not count on an attorney being willing to take such a small case on a contingency fee.  There's just not enough compensation in it for the lawyer to make it worthwhile.Our justice of the peace courts have jurissdiction over any case with an amount in controversy of $20,000 or less.  The best thing about such courts is you do not need an attorney as a rule.Get an estimate from a Kia dealership of the cost to repair the engine if you pay for it.  Make sure they indicate on the estimate how long it will take.  Then get an estimate from a rental car company as to how much renting a Kia Sorrento for that long will cost.  If those two estimates are less than $20,000, sue the Volkswagen dealership in justice court without a lawyer.... Read More

You can report this to the attorney general, but there is no viable lawsuit here simply because the legal expense will exceed the amount in controversy. This may simply be a lesson in dealing with businesses and learning not to put money down without a writtne agreement of some sort. Making decisions based on FOMO is rarely a good idea,where its best to simply find another business thats available. ... Read More

If it was his car also - i.e. his being on the title, then there is no "theft." That stated, if he was not on the title, this shoudl be reported to law enforcement where he should be arrested for theft. The bigger issue is why would you have a car towed to a dealer for maintenance crammed with all that stuff in the first place? There is much more to this than related and that may impact y our ability to retain a lawyer to pursue this issue, starting with how the EX knew where the vehicle was to pick it up to start start with. Otherwise, you will simply need to plan on spending some money to hire a lawyer to address these issues and possibly file a replevin lawsuit. ... Read More

If you and the mechanic did not agree upon a specific date for his completion the repairs, he has a "reasonable" period of time to do so.  What constitutes a "reasonable" period of time depends upon the facts and circumstances of your particular situation.  For example, has he had to order parts in order to complete the repair?  Were the parts hard to find?  Are the parts ordered available locally, or must they be shipped from somewhere else?  What is the status of the shipment?  Absent unusual circumstance, if the car is an American-made car that isn't particularly old, it is my opinion that most fact-finders would conclude that three months+ has been a reasonable period of time.If a reasonable period of time has passed, you can terminate your contract with your mechanic for material breach.  You can then take your car to another mechanic.  If you and your current mechanic already agreed upon a price for the repairs and the new mechanic charges more, you can recover the difference in price from your current mechanic.  If you and your current mechanic did not already agree on a price, you can pay him for the work he has already completed and not pay him for any work he has failed to complete.With respect to damages caused by the delay (such as your Uber charges), if the delay is the mechanic's fault and your agreement with him does not expressly preclude such damages, you may also be able to recover such damages.  If the delay is your fault, or if your agreement precludes such damages, you may not recover such damages.  If the delay is neither party's fault, the terms of your agreement with your mechanic may allocate the risk to either you or to the mechanic depending upon what is contained in any written agreement or what was said as part of your agreement.  ... Read More

The problem here is the 1.5  years that passed before you raised the issue. You will have to prove the damage occured prior to your purchase, that the dealer was aware of the damage and that it was substiantial enough to have disclosed. The dealer may easily defend this claiming that you damaged the frame over the past 2 years and its not thier responsibility. If this is controverted you will need to retain a lawyer to intervene. ... Read More

First, its time to start "adulting". If you are a grown adult and dealing with your parents and grand parents buying you are car, you are already in a bad position. That stated if there in an AND with them on the title, you "own" nothing and its plainly not YOURs ...its OURS. So the remedy is plain, you will need to spend your money to get it tagged and pay for the insurance at your expense. This sounds like this is the result of some dispute between you where they are leveraging the car for control. So, the remedy is simple. You paid nothing for the car, so get your things, move out, support yourself and find and pay for your own car. That eliminates any control issues and disputes. Otherwise, if you want the car, and rely on others to support you as an adult, you are stuck with the strings attached. ... Read More

Hello: Small claims courts each have their own set of rules that you and your grandparents should review ASAP.  Most of them are available online and you can start on the in.gov site.  Small claims work a little differently than general trial courts so it is important to know their process.   I would imagine that unless you are an attorney you probably will not be able to represent them.  There is a legal term called "standing" that applies here - you are not the one injured so you have no standing.  If your grandparents are not able to do this themselves, I suggest contacting a local legal aid clinic or the law school clinic in your area.  You can help them prepare their case, but they must appear for it unless there's something in your small claims rules that says otherwise.  That said, understand that small claims courts are used to non-attorneys representing themselves and will likely be patient about presenting the case.   Your grandparents may also want to contact the BBB and the consumer division of the Attorney General's office to see if they can get any help there.  Good luck.... Read More