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1500 questions
232
votes
7 answers
If a company agrees to pay travel cost for a job interview, is the promise binding and enforceable?
There is a question on workplace.SE about a company which offered to pay travel costs for a job interview, but canceled the return ticket after ending the interview - Potential Employer Cancels Return Flight.
Generally, when arranging a job…
sleske
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200
votes
5 answers
A student slipped a drug into my coffee — what are the legal ramifications of this situation?
I am a high school Chemistry teacher. This morning, while my back was turned to write on the board, one of my students (age 17) slipped a pill into my coffee mug. This is a thermos-style mug that has a screw-on lid with a small opening; it was…
Hayley LJ
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159
votes
6 answers
Can a public school in the USA force a 14yr old to create a Twitter account for a passing grade?
My youngest is a freshman & signed up for a program the school refers to as "co-lab". At my insistence.
2yrs ago, I attended a board meeting where the formation of the program was introduced. At the time, I was jumping out of my skin, I was so…
Sandy R
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140
votes
3 answers
Is it insider trading if I bought Boeing puts while I am inside the wrecked airplane?
Imagine sitting in an airplane when suddenly the door blows out.
Now, while everyone is screaming and grasping for air, you instead turn on your noise-cancelling head-phones to ignore that crying baby next to you, calmly open your robin-hood app (or…
hanshenrik
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128
votes
5 answers
Who is supposed to teach the law to the citizens?
As I understand, in general, not knowing the law does not excuse violating it.
That should apply to most if not all jurisdictions in most cases with very few exceptions.
From personal experience, never in my life has school, family or anyone ever…
user7393973
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112
votes
2 answers
I want to leave Islam, but they would execute and kill me. What do I do?
I live in an Islamic country, but I don't want to be a Muslim. I have no choice but to claim to be a Muslim: If I leave Islam, they will execute me according to Muslim law.
Where can I go to have a peaceful, non-religious life? Can I get asylum in…
anon
110
votes
5 answers
Stealing my own property back?
I have a guitar that I let my friend Joe borrow on the consensus that he would return it in a couple of days. Joe is a mutual friend of my ex Bob.
Bob stole the guitar from Joe once he found out it was mine, and is now not allowing either me or Joe…
Jude
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108
votes
8 answers
Why do many "No Trespassing" signs say "POSTED"?
Many "no trespassing" signs say "POSTED" in large letters at the top. Why? Obviously, the sign is posted; that's the whole purpose of a sign. To me, it makes as much sense as putting "ASKED" at the start of a Stack Exchange question or "TEXTED" at…
Someone
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101
votes
3 answers
If I don't want to patent something, what can I do to ensure the patent office doesn't unintentionally grant the patent to someone else?
Say that I have created a hypothetical new invention. I would like for it to be used by as many people as possible without restrictions, so I deliberately choose not to pursue a patent on it.
As described in the answers to What if I don't patent my…
Thunderforge
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92
votes
8 answers
Why shouldn't a bank robbery without threats be legal?
So say a bank robber walks into a bank and hands the teller a note saying simply "please give me $1,000" (or maybe even just verbally saying "I need $1,000 please") and if the teller accepts, which they probably would because they're supposed to…
user21827
90
votes
2 answers
On what basis might Trump's executive order on immigration be illegal?
On 27 January 2017, US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order entitled 'Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States'.
On 30 January 2017, the acting Attorney General at the time refused to defend it in…
Patrick Conheady
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88
votes
6 answers
How would the actions of Hänsel and Gretel in the Grimm tale be interpreted in modern law?
This came up as a layman’s law question. I thought of this when reading the classic Grimm tale Hänsel and Gretel to my children.
The situation is as follows: The witch imprisons Hänsel with the stated intention to eat (and thus kill) him. Gretel is…
quarague
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87
votes
4 answers
How can you tell if you have to follow a police officer's instructions?
If a police officer gives me an order, how can I tell whether or not I'm legally obligated to follow that order? If I ask the officer, is he/she required by law to answer truthfully?
If the police get to order citizens to do whatever they want,…
Sam I am says Reinstate Monica
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82
votes
2 answers
Daughter dies at party
My 19 year old step daughter attended a party in Illinois. One kid slipped a pill in her drink which caused her to have a heart attack and die.
After watching this play out, this boy didn't even bother to seek any medical aid for her, such as…
Chelle
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77
votes
6 answers
Why is stealing from an employer a criminal act when stealing from an employee is a civil act?
Here is the full question with all the context and details:
In the majority of cases in the U.S. about theft at a workplace, why is the matter usually tried in a criminal court when the employer is stolen from, yet is tried in a civil court when…
Display name
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