texts: Are there penalties for withholding self-exculpatory evidence during a trial?

texts:
Suppose a person is put on trial for a crime, but he has video evidence showing his innocence.  Out of malice or spite of a personal nature towards his accuser, he allows the trial to proceed, and then at the last possible moment "discovers" and presents the evidence, leading to his acquittal and the accuser's extreme shock, dismay, and embarrassment.

Are there any sanctions that could be applied to the defendant if the court were convinced he had withheld that evidence in order to prolong the trial?


texts: Is this considered Kidnapping under law?

texts: Okay so the title is questionable but hopefully intriguing. I am not a man of law so I do not know, anyways. Prom is coming up, my friend has a girlfriend 2 hours north of where we live and he wants to go to prom with her. The issue: The parents don't like them dating for a reason irrelevant to this. Anyways, we thought it would be a good idea if I took him up to go to prom with her(He is paying me for gas and time) but if the parents called the police and reported their child missing and I get caught with him(Keep in mind, the person I am taking is in full consent but is under the age of 18 and I am 18. We both go to the same highschool). Can I be charged with Kidnapping? I am asking as this is the worst case scenario I can think of as a consequence.


texts: To what legal extent can parents prevent children from masturbating?

texts:
There was a meme circulating around of an Amazon review of a chastity belt (Be warned, there's a chastity belt in the image). It essentially is a mother describing her absolute joy that her son is no longer "sinning" at night thanks to a chastity belt.

Whether this is actually real, morally acceptable, socially acceptable or good parenting is another question. But I'm curious on whether this is legal and if religion is a legal justification of such actions.

I feel that if any minor told me that their mother puts a chastity belt on them I'd be morally obligated to call CPS.

To what legal extent can parents prevent children from masturbating and are religious reasons legal justifications for such actions?


texts: Is this a valid reason to not pay my Rent?

texts: I have been renting a property since the 06/07/2016 and in the advert for the property it mentioned that WiFi is included in the rent, I've been waiting for a month now and they keep either ignoring my emails or promising to call back which they don't, there are other tenants who dont speak English and they are telling me this has been the case for 7 months, I don't want to pay when the description doesn't match what i've been "sold". I'm out of pocket £50 buying mobile internet to tether... Do i have any rights on this?


texts: If you take your package from a shipping company without their permission in the US, what, if any, laws would you be breaking?

texts:
In the US, shipping companies often have relatively limited ways for you to get your package and if you don't jump through the proper hoops they don't give you your package.  While I understand why they do this from a security perspective, I'm curious what laws you would actually be breaking if you simply picked up your package and walked out the door or took it off the truck.

Assuming you have already paid for the package and don't intend to scam the shipper or the vendor in any way, what, if any, laws would you be violating by removing the package against the shipping company's will?


texts:
Some universities do not provide solutions/mark-schemes to exam papers. If someone (e.g. a student) was to upload online (e.g. via a blog or in a document) solutions that they themselves have made would this be legal?

Additionally

On a very related topic what about uploading the answers to problems in textbooks that do not come with answers only problems?


texts: Do capital felons have the capacity to enter in a legal contract?

texts:
In an answer to another question, it is stated that capital felons don't have the legal capacity to enter into a legal binding agreement.

I think that is wrong because otherwise they could not buy food, buy anything, go to a restaurant, etc. Those are also contracts.

Is this true or possibly different between several jurisdictions?


texts: Are names used within a TV show (for example, the name of a fictional business) automatically copyrighted?

texts:
According to the personal account of one of the founders of the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, he waited hours outside the gates of Paramount Studios to license the name "Bubba Gump Shrimp" (which first appeared and was popularized by the film Forrest Gump) to use with his shrimp business, hoping to capitalize on the fact that millions of people would be familiar with the name thanks to the movie.

This raises the question; is a fictional business name used inside a movie or TV show automatically copyrighted? If a popular TV show features a fictional business, can I open a business just like it in real life - with the same name and in the same industry?


texts: Bet on behalf of someone living in a country where betting is illegal

texts:
Let's say I have a friend living in a country like Albania where sports betting is illegal. I tell him he can send me money and I will bet for him in my country (for example Italy), where betting is legal. If he wins, we agree that I keep part of the win for me.

Is he committing a crime in Albania?  Am I committing a crime in Italy?


texts: What effect does it have when something contains the phrase "copyright 2018 MrAuthor"

texts:
I'm curious why some documents (both written on paper and source code) sometimes literally say something like "Copyright 2018 Bill Gates" for example.

This question occured to me because I just came across a project on Github where the source code

License: <http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT>
Copyright (c) 2017 Metaspook.

Isn't it a clear contradiction to be using an open source license and then say it's copyrighted?


texts: Do single-party binding pledges exist in common-law jurisdictions?

texts: I have recently been asked to make a pledge to take actions in the future and I would like to have a legally binding and enforceable document to bind me to this pledge. Is there a means under U.S. common law to make a legal document that is binding upon a single party, but is enforceable?


texts: Can I take a second job at a potential customer of my first job?

texts:
4 months ago I quit my job to found a small startup (A) aimed at solving a niche problem only a few companies (including my old one) experience.

I reached out to one potential customer (B) to invite them to try our demo, and they responded saying that they were interested in hiring me.

I can see many ways becoming an employee for B could be mutually beneficial:

I can improve A through first-hand experience & insights gained
B gets free access to A's product, and A gains free testing
Social proof: A can advertise B as a customer
$$$ (duh) - able to keep A running longer. And possibly open-source it (will damage potential sales but increase potential impact)

The one thing I'm concerned of - will it cause legal trouble? If I've already founded the company 4 months prior, could they say that I took the idea from working with them? Are there any risks I need to be aware of?

More info:

A is a software product, subscription based. We have no customers as yet, only demo users. I have about a month of runway left. We have applied to a startup accelerator and find out in 10 days if we have got in.
B is a successful financial service provider.

Thanks
- Anon


texts:
Consider this scenario:
Person A has preexisting unsecured loan that they are not paying
Person A buys a car for Person B using that debt. The car is of significant  value (50k). Person A owns the car initially and then transfers to B.
Person A dies (unexpectedly? How would it matter?). No spouse.
Two questions:

When creditors go to settle the estate are they able to treat the car purchase as a fraudulent conveyance and take the car?
Is this actually likely to happen?


texts:
In lay-mans terms, what does a clause in a contract mean when it says:

The employee is generally prohibited from assigning or pledging salary requested to third parties.
The employer shall charge a reimbursement of expenses in the lump of 15 EURO for the initial processing and for each subsequent transfer of a pledge in case remuneration is pledged.


texts: Risk/Information Regarding Copyright/Trademark Violation

texts:
I have previously participated in the illicit accessing of files (music, etc.) that were most likely copyrighted/trademarked/etc. as well as the distribution of modified versions of these files (remixes, etc).
I wanted to know, in a general sense (if possible to say, since Terms of Service can vary), if I would be at risk of losing my access/permission to access the pieces of software used in creating/making said modifications or if because the software companies would most likely not be the ones trying to make a copyright claim, the actions involving the illicit files and the distribution of said files would just be something that's discouraged, but not punished by them?
Thank you so much.


texts: What happens if you break a law in another country outside of that country?

texts: Let's say I wanted to deliver a book that is banned in Bob's country. This book is not banned in my country. I understand that if I go to his country to deliver it, I may get arrested, because I'm breaking the law of possessing the book. What happens if I just send the book by mail? Bob would break the law for possession of the banned book, but would I be doing something illegal? What are the possible consequences?


texts: If a mother dies and leave the Insurance money to her husband, can the children make the step father give them any money?

texts: If a spouse dies and leave insurance money to her husband of 32 years can the step children make the step father give them some of the insurance money?


texts: Can I ask a potential employee if they are colorblind?

texts:
We have an inspector's position open. The job duties are to perform detailed inspection on parts we manufacture. Our customer requires that their parts be inspected by someone who is not colorblind. Can we ask, in the initial screening process, if they are colorblind without violating any laws?
Edit: I should add that if it wasn't for the customer's requirement, a colorblind person can perform all other job duties. They would pass our practical test.


texts: How to best express dispositions in a will

texts: Suppose that a person (let us refer to the person as T for Testator) wants to leave someone (who we will refer to as B for beneficiary) say $100K in a will, which is well below the value of T's current assets. But by the time T dies, the estate may be worth much less, perhaps even less than the $100K.  Could B say something like "I leave to B the lesser of $100K or 25% of the estate".... Is there a standard for how to express this?


texts: Extracting an item from a real game inside a comic

texts:
Suppose I make a webcomic, where at some point one of the characters wields a portal gun, similar to the one in Valve's "Portal"; in fact, the point is that this gun, in the comic universe, is literally extracted from the game (with magic or something like it). Can I legally do that, without getting a permission from Valve? If not, is there a realistic way to ask for such permission?
So far, I figured I won't be taking money from Valve, even if they start to sell their own comics (the story is original, it's not a full Portal fanfic), and the use seems transformative (again, the story is original and not really about Portal universe). On the other hand, the gun itself, while being a small part, is also a crucial part of the Portal games, so, the portion used is going to be a significant one.


texts: In the US, what federal codes govern the operation of a shooting range?

texts:
I'm trying to understand what laws and codes give guidance for the operation of a shooting range.

I'm particularly interested in the laws regarding hazardous materials (lead from the backstop(s)).

A doubtlessly-incomplete list of some things I've found already:

Federal Facility Compliance Act (FFCA)
Solid Waste Disposal Act § 3005
307(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
Subtitle C (RCRA §§3001-3023)
42 USC 103: CERCLA

I cannot find ATF info on this, and govinfo has very broad results on cases.

For avoidance of doubt, I am not interested in federal laws that govern all other general/generic topics in business.

I'm open to hearing about state-based laws, or definitive precedents and casework, too.

I'm getting close votes, but none of the criticisms apply.  Please be more specific before downvoting or commenting.  Thanks.


texts: Do lax and lazy cookie messages comply with cookie laws?

texts:
On a web page, I received a cookie pop-up that looked like this:

Which reads as:

We use cookies. You probably don't care. Click the button to get rid of this pointless message.
Whatever (the button)

This seems pretty lax and lazy.
Does it comply with cookie laws?
If it helps, I am in the USA.

I have very little legal experience, so tell me if I should clarify or add details.


texts: If a hacker is infected as a result of their actions, is the victim liable?

texts:
If a hacker gained unauthorized access to a computer network, downloaded a virus that was on a computer and infected their own system, would the victim of the hacker be liable for damages?
Does it make a difference if the victim is the one who developed the virus, or if the victim is aware that the virus exists (whether it be active or not) on their system? Would the victim be obligated to mark viruses as such, even if there is no intention of distributing them in any way?
If possible, please point out if there are differences in the law in areas, i.e. if something applies only in USA, or only in Europe, Australia, Russia etc.
Thanks.


texts:
I'm trying to understand a clause in a registry of land to determine the owner of an access way. The clause is for property 9.

"Except and reserving to the Transferor a right of way on foot only over that part of the access way included in this Transfer which is tinted blue on the said plan for the benefit of the Transferor and its successors in title the owner or owners for the time being of Numbers 7 and 11 (STREET NAME) aforesaid."


texts: Usage of gplv3 software to deliver output

texts:
a little confused about something here.

Specifically I want to talk about Neo4j and it's licensing.

It's a dual license, GPLv3/AGPLv3, and I want to find out exactly what that's supposed to mean to me as a consumer of the software in binary form.

If I wanted to use the free Neo4j Community Edition, which I beleive is the GPLv3 license, for (let's pretend) a blog project, which would access the RESTful API to acquire data from the db. Am I free to keep my source code private?

The way GPL keeps getting trumpeted to me, is that anything to do with the code must be open sourced. As in, if I were to modify Neo itself I would need to display those changes publically. But the wording gets fuzzy to me and begins to make me think that the concept of simply using the binary on my server, anything reaching out to touch it, must become open source.

In extension, with this licensing, is one able to use Community Editon inside of a corperate/business setting for either internal tools or publishing of free content publically, so long as services being provided arent in any way locked behind a payment gate?


texts: In Hulk Hogan vs Gawker Media, how did plaintiff pierce the corporate veil?

texts:
In the recent case of Hulk Hogan vs Gawker Media, company founder Nick Denton was ordered to pay $10,000,000 personally.

How specifically did plaintiff pierce the corporate veil?


texts: How risky is it to mail DVDs of pirated movies to other countries?

texts:
This is 100% hypothetical!

If somebody in the USA ships DVDs with pirated movies on them to some country overseas, for example the UK, could the recipient or the sender get into trouble by whoever it is that checks parcels?


texts: Annual Contract of employment with the same employer

texts:
I have been employed on renewable annual contracts with the same employer since 2012, with contract dates of 01 Jan to 31 December. I am now told that I was erroneously overpaid an my previous contract on backpayment of a salary increament that I was eligible to receive in March 2018. I am now on a new contrac effective 01 Jan 2019.

Am I liable to pay back the overpayment?


texts: Can you be held accountable for rent after you're off the lease?

texts:
In California, there's a lease with three people on it (call them X, Y, and Z) and the landlord (L), with six months remaining on the lease. Y, Z, and L agree to release X from the lease. Y and Z do this by signing a form that says the following:

Unless otherwise stated, all terms and conditions of the prior lease... shall remain true and in effect.

By signing this Extension, effective of [insert date] X relinquishes all claim
of possession on the Premises and of any held security deposit. The landlord, Y, and Z agree to relinquish X from any obligation regarding the lease as mentioned above. Y, Z, and the landlord remain otherwise bound by all provisions as embodied in the lease as mentioned above.

Now, suppose there were prior electronic conversations in which X unequivocally agreed to pay for the next six months of "X's part of rent" (even when he's not on the lease) in exchange for Y and Z (landlord is not part of the conversation) agreeing to remove X from the lease.
And then X reneged on that offer by refusing to pay once the modification document (the last two paragraphs) was signed. Can Y and Z sue X in small claims for the "unpaid X's part of rent" after the [insert date]? And can Y and Z sue X in small claims before the [insert date] for what's effectively a reneged future rent?


texts: Is a document considered falsified if it has no stamp or signature?

texts:
So if we have a falsified document (diploma, certificate, official documents, etc.), with all the correct information, submitted in electronic version, but

Without a signature/stamp
With a signature/stamp, but blurred out so these are impossible to read, however it's obvious that they are present

Can the person be accused of falsifying documents, sued and so on ?

P.s: I'm talking about the case the documents are accepted by the company requiring them and the "missing" stamp is discovered later.

P.p.s: Not going to do anything illegal, just random thoughts after I had to submit some documents online :)


texts: Does "district" in the Sixth Amendment include state judicial districts?

texts:
The Sixth Amendment refers to:

"an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law"

Presumably this originally applied to federal offenses and the "districts" were federal judicial districts. Later the Fourteenth Amendment was construed as applying to the states as much as to the federal government. Would that mean "districts" could mean districts within which the courts of a state have jurisdiction?


texts: Who owns a video recording of a sporting event?

texts:
A colleague of mine recorded an sporting event on his mobile phone.  He then forwarded the video to me.  I entered the video in a competition on a television program.  The video won and the prize is $1000 Australian dollars.

I notified the colleague of the award and suggested that we will split the prize money.  However he wants the full $1000 prize, claiming he is the rightful owner of the video.

Is he the owner of the video?  And is he entitled to the prize?


texts:
Billy lives in Texas. He loves weapons. Above all, he loves practice shooting with his shotgun, which he jokingly nicknamed shotzooka.
One summer, Billy decides to innovate. He spends his days adding new features to his shotzooka. First, he adds a telescope. Then he adds a laser sight. But does not stop there. Somehow he manages to attach a remotely controlled anti-tank guided missile to his beloved gun.
The now upgraded shotzooka is capable of immense destructive power. Strangely enough, though, the weapon still resembles a regular shotgun. Billy decides to test his weapon's new capabilities on a tree. He locks his target, then takes a 180 degree turn and pulls the trigger. The missile turns 180 around and, flying at Mach 3 speed, pulverizes the tree to the ground. Billy had never had such power in his hands.
Can Billy legally possess his shotzooka?


texts: What happens if one of the rules in an agreement is violated and there is nothing in that agreement what to do in such a case?

texts:
From a purely law perspective,
If one of the rules in a rental agreement is violated and the agreement doesn't specify what happens in such a case, legally speaking, what is the landlord allowed to do?
Just to give you an example, let's say, in the contract the tenant was supposed to pay the rent on the 1st of each month, the s/he paid (the transaction) it on the 2nd, and there is nothing on the agreement that says what to do in such a case. What can the landlord do?


texts: Is a Unique Device Identifier personal information?

texts:
From Apple's Privacy Policy:

  Collection and Use of Non-Personal Information

  We also collect data in
  a form that does not, on its own, permit direct association with any
  specific individual. We may collect, use, transfer, and disclose
  non-personal information for any purpose. The following are some
  examples of non-personal information that we collect and how we may
  use it:

  We may collect information such as occupation, language, zip code,
  area code, unique device identifier

Is this self contradicting?  Isn't a unique identifier a direct association with the specific individual?


texts: How does the swearing on the Bible fit in to the secular nature of the USA government?

texts:
I was told that this may be an interesting premise for a new question. I had the following interaction in the comments of this question.

It always striked me as odd that a secular state like the US would use
a religious document as such a key part of a government proceeding.
(assuming they still do that)

This was in reference to the issue of swearing on the Bible in the US. A comment to which David Siegel replied

They do still do that. That would be a good separate question. The
basic reason is that this procedure was inherited like much US court
procedure from England, and for much of its existence the UD had
thought of itself not as a secular state, but as a multi-faith
religious state with built-in toleration, and only in the 20th C has
much of that toleration been actually enforced. Until 1867 states were
free to have established religions, and some did. (Mass and Maryland
are examples.)

The mere fact that some states actually had established religions, even if it ended 160-odd-years ago is to me incredible. The premise of the US seems to be a country free of a monarchy and established religion seemed to be a big part of what makes the US, the US, or at least a big part of how it is sold to foreigners wanting to live there.
So the idea that the US for a certain part of it's history did not think of itself as a secular state, but a multi-faith, tolerant state seems a very intriguing one. Also it seems so completely antithetical to how it is perceived today (Not the tolerant part, but the multi-faith part).
So back to the issue at hand. If we accept that the US has moved away from the idea of a multi-faith state and indeed into a secular one, how are these vestiges of the old system still enforced or defended?


texts:
Are structures built in Minecraft copyrightable?
Specifically, can you use copyright law to prevent others from distributing world files containing only original structures you built (and not anything naturally generated)?
This, to me, seems to be an original, concrete work of authorship, and so should be copyrightable. However, I can't find any credible statements about this specifically regarding Minecraft maps.
Hopefully the answer would be consistent internationally, but I am particularly interested in the US.


texts: When, if ever, did the United States governemnt declare the Coronovirus to be a "Natural Disaster"?

texts:
For the purposes of this post, I do not care when infection rates from the coronavirus (COVID-19) took off in reality.
I am interested in the legal abstraction of when the United States federal government officially declared the Coronavirus to be a "natural disaster"
Was the covid-19 pandemic ever officially classified as a natural disaster? If so, did natural disaster classification occur before February 19, 2020?
This is relevant to income taxes filed in the year 2020. There is a tax deduction for those suffering from "natural disasters"


texts: Is the basis of California 'sanctuary' the same, from cannabis to immigrants?

texts:
In hearing news about so-called "sanctuary jurisdictions," it occurred to me that the states-rights that protected CA cannabis users might provide the same basis to protect an immigrant.

For the sake of discussion, let's reference the situation where someone is in the US without visa / allowed status, and they have committed assault.

Does CA have the same basis to protect such a person, as was done to protect cannabis dispensaries, and users?

Neutral politiking: please don't lambaste the matter of immigration in the comments.  This is not a politically-devise question.  Feel free to leave answers that reframe the issues involved.


texts: Did Cliff Booth commit crime by killing Tex and Katie?

texts:
In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Cliff Booth defends himself and his friends from intruders Tex, Sadie and Katie (the Manson Family killers).

First, Tex fails to shoot Cliff as Cliff's dog takes Tex down. As Cliff then sets the dog on Sadie, Tex gets up and attempts to stab Cliff with a knife, but Cliff successfully re-routes the knife into Tex'es torso. Now, Tex lies down the door entrance, still alive but barely moving. Cliff finishes him by breaking his neck:

Then, Katie stabs Cliff into his hip. While she stands watching him in surprise that he is calm, he takes his time to inspect the injury. Then he grabs her by hair and methodically crashes her face against various surfaces about a dozen times until she has neither face nor life in her anymore:

Should this all happen for real and the court saw the footage (taken by hidden cameras or whatever), would Cliff be convicted of any crimes: 1) in 1969? 2) in 2020?

At quick glance, California self-defense laws only allow the use of deadly force if the attack target is in imminent danger and the use of such force is reasonably necessary.

To me it appears that both conditions were not met in both situations above. Tex was lying on the floor and not posing immediate danger anymore. He could be immobilized rather than killed. Same with Katie: she no longer had the knife in her hand and was just standing and watching. Like Tex, she also could be neutralized without killing. Would this analysis stand in court and lead to conviction for Cliff?


texts: Can I try to register a trademark that someone else has an application for?

texts:
I am currently selling a product with "Cheers to 30 years" on it. However, I noticed someone else has filed this trademark earlier this year: http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=88382813&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch

When I look at the Prosecution History tab on the bottom, it seems like the trademark is still being processed.

Would it be possible to register the same trademark using my product as the specimen since this current one is not approved yet? Or do I have to wait until it is published for opposition, oppose it, and then do it?


texts: If work must be paid in Canada, when/how is volunteer work allowed?

texts:
This is a bit of a follow up to Is it legal to work without pay - Canada?

When is it legal to do something and not get paid (in Canada)? Where I live volunteer work is common (ranging from helping at homeless shelters to environmental conservation efforts). Given the answer in the linked question, what prevents these volunteer organizations from getting in trouble? Often times clubs like sororities and fraternities have volunteer events.

There are volunteer fire fighters and people who volunteer at music festivals don't get paid either (but obviously there's incentives like getting to listen to the music for free). I'm a bit surprised by the linked answer.


texts: Judge Judy specific retaliation: technically ethical?

texts:
In this clip, Judge Judy Sheindlin directs a defendant to “talk fast.” He responds with, “If you wouldn’t cut me off, I’d be able to talk fast.” Judge Judy, out of disbelief or humor, asks the bailiff to confirm that this is what he said and immediately proceeds to rule in favor of the plaintiff in the amount of $5,000.

Obviously, this was not the appropriate response from the defendant. While I don’t take issue with her decision from a moral point of view, is this an ethical decision for a judge to make? If the defendant’s case has genuine validity, could he pursue that decision in another court? And does Judge Judy have more legal leeway because she presides over a family court or appears on television?


texts: When is misrepresentation and concealment allowed in negotiating contracts?

texts:
Suppose I, or a company I own, want to purchase a domain name from an existing owner.  Am I allowed to blatantly lie about the interests I represent and why I want the domain?

Can I, for example, buy the domain from them (as an individual) under the pretense that I just think the name sounds cool, or because I'm raising money to found a co-op of the same name and the domain would be helpful, and then immediately shift ownership to my for-profit company (which is, say, a plumbing company)?

What truths must I convey during negotiations?  In what matters is misrepresentation allowed?

E.g., is it illegal to tell them I'm acting on behalf of a charity or other entity that actually exists but with which I am unaffiliated?

I am in the U.S. I'm curious about the answer to this question if the person with whom I'm negotiating is in the U.S., but also if they are not. And I'm curious if the answer is different when I'm representing a company from when I'm representing only myself.


texts: Did the University of Missouri protesters have a legal right to privacy on their protest site?

texts:
There was a recent altercation recently between media representatives and protesters at the University of Missouri. The protesters formed a human barrier around the camp, impeding free access to anyone. They also went as far as physically pushing away media representatives.

The rationale, according to one Twitter account associated with the protest:

  “We ask for no media in the parameters so the place where people live, fellowship, and sleep can be protected from twisted insincere narratives,” a Twitter account associated with the activists later declared, adding that “it’s typically white media who don’t understand the importance of respecting black spaces.”

Did they have any legal grounds to block access to the protest site, which is ostensibly a public space?

Video of the altercation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S3yMzEee18


texts: There are two co-owners, A and B, of a federal corporation C in Canada. B has a side job at a Canadian company D which has a non-compete clause in the contract. C and D do in fact compete. If a legal case is made, is it person B or corporation C that can be sued? And can A be held liable in any way?


texts:
While reading through an album booklet I came across a scenario where the artist, Lana Del Rey had a copyright under exclusive license to sed record company. From an ownership perspective how does this work?

Bonus: Is there a difference between the terms under the exclusive license of and under the exclusive license to? I've seen this on a few occasions and was just wondering if this was a matter of phrasing.


texts: Security Deposit term (whether it is legal) in Rental Agreement in US

texts:
I just read my rental agreement carefully and I found some bad terms. The security deposit term in my rental agreement said:

"No interest will be paid on this money (security deposit) and in no case will it be applied to back or future rent. It will be held intact by Landlord until at least thirty working days after Tenants have vacated the property. ... This deposit money minus any necessary charges for missing/dead light bulbs, repairs, cleaning, etc., will be returned to Tenant with a written explanation of deductions, within 60 days after they have vacated the property".

But the laws said 1) there should be interest on the security deposit; 2) the landlord should give the itemized list of damages and return the deposit within 30 days (not working days).

Which should the landlord obey, the law or the agreement? Or is there any law said "unless the landlord and tenants got into agreement" to make the agreement legal?

Also, I did not receive the receipt of my deposit from my landlord, so I assume I can ask my deposit back. But can I get my deposit back even after the lease ended (I really doubt about whether the landlord will return my deposit, but it will be bad to do it when I still lived in the house with the landlord)?

Thanks


texts: In the US, can the courts intervene if an extremely destructive (but constitutional) law is passed?

texts:
If the US Congress were to pass an extremely destructive (but constitutional) law that the president then signed, what would the result be and would there be any recourse from the courts or the states? My understanding is that the courts can only clarify laws or reject them as unconstitutional.
Some examples:

120% flat income tax rate for everyone
Setting the maximum sentence for all crimes to a small fine
Illegalizing all pharmaceutical drugs, even for hospitals


texts: Is there any legal standard that USPS first class mail doesn't qualify as legal proof of delivery?

texts:
I am currently in dispute/complaint working against Lexus over recall notice that never got delivered to me.
At the same mailing address, I have received a recall notice couple years ago without any troubles where I was able to get my car fixed with the recall service.
This time, one of parts from my car started having issues and then when I did online research, I found out there has been a recall that I was never aware of.
I reached out to Lexus and they have informed the time window has passed so they cannot do any complimentary replacement.
While I started arguing that I never received any notice, the corporate service is counter-arguing that they have "record" of first class mail going out (perhaps via Pitney Bowes or similar services). Based on my knowledge, any first-class mail does not qualify as legal proof due to the fact that it does not include any tracking such as certified/registered mail.
I am trying to bring up a point that by law, first-class mail does not prove the fact that they have delivered the notice. Can anyone let me know if there is any legal documentation that I can refer to? Any helps would be appreciated.


texts: Is .xyz not available in China? Is accreditation is required for all new TLDs?

texts:
Researching abc.xyz, I've come across xyz.xyz and gen.xyz, with a prominent link from the latter to a page called ".xyz for China".
http://gen.xyz/china

Thank you for your continued support of .xyz! With China being one of our biggest and most important markets, we wanted to inform you that we are in the process of becoming one of the few officially recognized domain extensions in China. We have submitted our application to the Chinese authorities, and will work with them in every way we can to ensure that we become accredited as soon as possible.
If you are already an owner of .xyz domains, please be sure to renew them. We are still growing very quickly in China and would not want you to release the great domains names that you were able to secure during the first year of availability!

What does this mean?  Are the new generic TLDs not available in China?  What kind of special accreditation is required?


texts: What is the legality of Police Union "Get Out of Jail Free Cards"?

texts:
Background
I recently read an article about donators and friends of police unions being given passes, which allows them to be let off of the hook for small crimes, such as traffic tickets.
Questions
What is the legality of these passes? Can police unions be charged for corruption or fraud? What is the role of an individual officer in a case like this? Are any cities actively fighting these police unions in court?


texts: Can landlords refuse to sublet mid-month?

texts:
I've encountered a big corporate landlord in West Campus, Austin, Texas, that's only willing to reassign the lease at the start of a month, saying that they don't prorate rents.

(Interestingly enough, all of their original leases are from mid-August to end of July, with 12 equal instalments.)

If someone is done with classes mid-May, and wants to sublet to someone else for the summer session, would it be legal for a Texas landlord to deny a sublet from mid-May, and require that the reassignment be from June 1 instead?


texts: Are the police compelled to share a criminals details with the victim?

texts:
A quick hypothetical. If I was assaulted and provided video evidence to the authorities which the police used to successfully catch my assailant would the police have to share my assailants details with me?
Let's assume that the assailant was given a formal warning but not charged and I wanted to pursue Civil action but I didn't have the assailants details, could the police refuse to tell me?
(Not concerned about the the likelihood of a civil case succeeding, just a hypothetical)
Specifically I'm asking about the UK. Do the four UK Nations vary at all in this regard?


texts: Can UK stores charge VAT for goods sold to customers outside the EU?

texts:
I just came across a .co.uk online store delivering goods all over the world. Even though I specify both billing and shipping address outside the EU (New Zealand), the site keeps applying 20% tax.

My current plan is to contact the store and see if they would stop applying tax before I place order, but I was wondering:

Is it illegal for EU online stores to charge VAT for sales to customers outside the EU? If so, is there a regulator that an effective complaint could be filed with?
If I go ahead placing order and get charged VAT, would there be a way to get it back, and how?


texts: Are there any restrictions regarding the use of a GPS device while driving a car in the U.S

texts:
More specifically, are there any distinctions between using a smartphone, dedicated GPS device, or a built-in system (similar to the car radio), while driving (i.e. car in motion on a public road), and does it matter if it's via typing text into it or some sort of voice search.

I have seen stuff like this consumer reports saying that it's illegal to hold a device (i.e. smartphone), but I am not sure how much if it is legally acceptable, and if it matters if it's in a "holder" or not. On the other side, I don't see GPS mentioned anywhere here at handsfreeinfo - again, not the best legal source.


texts: At which moment does the fraud happens during a fraudulent transaction?

texts: Does the fraud requires the fraudulent transaction to be paid or it already constitutes fraud by the time the fraudulent service or good is offered? Or is there any other moment when the fraud happens?


texts: 30-day notice to landlord in Massachusetts: can the rent responsibility end at the end of the month in which the 30-day notice falls?

texts:
I am renting a dorm room on a campus in a university located in Massachusetts, United States. I notified my landlord (= the university's housing services) that I will move out on March 8 (i.e., in 30 days). The university's housing services told me that I have to pay my rent till the end of the month in which my 30-day notice falls, i.e. March 31.

Can they legally force me to pay for my rent till March 31?

http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/docs/tenantsrights.pdf (mirror) says:

  Either the landlord or you may terminate this arrangement at any
  time by giving written notice of 30 days or one full rental period in
  advance, whichever is longer. No reason is required to terminate
  a Tenancy at Will.

I'm not sure what the "one full rental period in advance" means.

The question Gave 30 days notice of intent to vacate, roommate who subleases to me says I owe rent for each day the room is vacant  is very similar but pertains to California (coincidently I also want to move out on the 8th of the month).


texts:
A party is coming up and I wanted to make jello shots for it.

I was then worried about open container laws. If I transport jello shots in a sealed Tupperware container in my trunk, could I get in trouble for an "open container" if I am 100% sober?

I am in Indiana, USA if that makes a difference.


texts: Why can the Supreme Court tell a state what to do with its ballots?

texts:
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito late Friday granted part of a request from Pennsylvania's state Republicans, who wanted an order regarding mail ballots that came in during the extended deadline.
He ordered county election officials to comply with a previous directive issued by the secretary of state to keep separate the mail ballots that arrived after Election Day but before Friday at 5 p.m. But he did not order the state to stop counting them. [source]

Why does the Supreme Court have any say in this?  Isn't it entirely a state matter?


texts: Explain: indemnify and hold harmless (seems contradictory)

texts:
A person is presented with a contract with a consulting company, of which he will be a client
Section 8. Indemnification (see below) seems to me to be contradicting itself, but I could be misunderstanding something.  Could someone please give me a plain explanation as to what this paragraph is saying in regards to indemnification and hold harmless?

8 Indemnification
Each party hereto (the "Indemnifying Party") agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each other party (each, an "Indemnified Party") and all employees, representatives, directors, officers, shareholders and persons affiliated with the Indemnified Party against all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, settlement costs and any reasonable legal, accounting or other expenses for investigating or defending any actions or threatened actions)(collectively "Losses") incurred by the Indemnified Party arising out of or resulting from (a) the gross negligence, willful misconduct or fraud of the Indemnifying Party or (b) a breach by the Indemnifying Party of its representations and warranties, covenants or other obligations under this Agreement. In addition, except in the case of fraud or willful misconduct, the Client agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Dara and its respective employees, representatives, directors, officers, shareholders and person affiliated with them against all Losses incurred by them in the performance of their obligations under this Agreement.


texts: Is the United States federal income tax an indirect tax under the 5th amendment?

texts:
I'm no American citizen, so I don't know that much about all the ins and outs of the Constitution. I've been watching a movie where one of the characters called the federal income tax "unconstitutional" due to the 5th Amendment. The 5th Amendment reads:

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Surfing the web, I found a claim that federal income tax is somehow reckoned to be indirect, which was used to have the 16th Amendment come to be. Indirect taxation is indeed no subject to the highlighted part of the 5th, yet I just can't see how federal tax is not direct.
Is federal income tax really indirect? If so, how? If not, how are 5th and 16th Amendments not contradicting one another?


texts: Voting while serving a sentence for felonious refusal to pay taxes

texts:
Last I heard (but my information may not be up to date) in 49 48 of the 50 states in the U.S., persons serving a sentence for a felony are not allowed to vote.

Suppose a person is convicted of a felonious failure to pay a tax. Under the 24th Amendment, their right to vote cannot be denied for that particular offense. (If it were tax evasion, i.e. concealing facts in order to avoid paying, that would be different matter, if I'm not mistaken.)

My question is whether that has ever happened, i.e. a person convicted of a felonious failure to pay a tax has been allowed to vote while serving a sentence because of the 24th Amendment?


texts:
What are the rules for pseudonyms, especially when used online? May I use a Ph.D. in my alias even if I don't have one? May I use a royal title in my pseudonym? Could I be sued for it and what would happen?

Does the answer depend on the situation? Like using a Dr. in my name on a forum isn't illegal, while using it for advertisements or books makes it illegal?

Do I have a right to hide behind a pseudonym on the internet? E.g., assuming I don't break any laws, can an internet host/provider publish my real name?


texts:
I have taken a book from my university's library and it states in the second page :

  The law of March 11, 1957 authorizes only "copies or reproductions strictly reserved for the private use of the copier and not intended for collective use".
  Any representation or reproduction, in whole or in part, made without the consent of the publisher, is unlawful.

It is a book written in french and a french address containing "Paris" figures in the same page so this is probably a french law.
Any of you have an idea on whether this law is still up or not?
This allows me to take photos I guess but I am not sure on the validity of the law as I stated in the last phrase.


texts: What are legal obligations towards the spouse and children while going through the divorce?

texts:
Me and my spouse are going through the divorce.
We had a mediation session on 10th August (roughly a month ago).

J______ has been in touch to let us know that she no longer wishes to continue with mediation.

It appears to me that we will have to go to the court.
I would like to know what are my legal obligations right now?
Below is an email received from Mediation service, unfortunately it is vague:

There are no explicit rights around visitation and contact for parents, although parents do have an obligation to maintain their children. The parents can make decisions around contact arrangements; where no agreement can be reached, the Court can make decisions around arrangements for the children. The C100 is the form you will need to complete and submit together with the signed page 19 form to make an application for child arrangements.
Each parent has a responsibility to maintain any children financially. Parents can decide how much maintenance will be. If this is not possible an option is to contact the Child Maintenance Service who can calculate the amount.

I believe in:

AI (artificial intelligence)
crowdsourced wisdom
collective consciousness

More than an individual lawyer who has pervert incentives of charing me hourly rate rather than getting things done. On that basis I decided to document the process in an indestructible (been meditating on it for more than a month) manner on the blockchain.

I provided background information for a reason - I strongly believe that context, intention, surrounding information can play a key role in understanding the whole situation:

we do not communicate directly
we have post-nup agreement
my spouse claims I'm allegedly mentally ill
my spouse claims she has received eviction letter - date of eviction is 10th November

(I don't find it believable, the last day at property is 7th September, it's unlikely to have court hearing and get letter delivered by 9th September)


texts: If I share work (created in my own time) with my employer, do they own it?

texts:
Last weekend I started to put together a visual guide about a software development process.

It's something I have developed over 10 years based on my experience, and I believe it would do very well if published into a book. Something I have always wanted to do.

I have created it in my own time, and my current employer would benefit hugely from this guide, even though it's still a basic draft.

If I share it with my employer I am concerned they will wrongly assume they own it and present it as their own. If I then publish into a book they might think they can sue me, and I would have nothing to prove the work belongs to myself.

Is there a way to share this with my employer, and still be able to publish it myself without issues?

(In the UK)


texts: Does the President have the authority to grant work permits to undocumented immigrants?

texts:
The President 's Deferred Action for Childhood arrivals program grants work permits & extensions to qualifying undocumented immigrants. My understanding is that the President has no authority to give undocumented immigrants work permits unless Congress, by an act of law, allows him to.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1324a doesn't seem to give the President this authority.


texts: What is the deal with software copyright?

texts:
This is sort of a large range of questions but please explain. Also keep in mind that the only thing I will be doing is using software. I am wondering first about copyright in free software. If I make a public video with me using free software can that be flagged as copyright?

I am sure different software have different policy's but how about open source or more specifically , GNU public license v.3.0


texts:
Would it be legal for me to download all of the student images that appear in my university's directory and post them on a website?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects students' education records such that an institution may only release information found in a student's records with permission of the student.

However, the one exception is directory information; institutions are free to release a student's directory information unless the student explicitly restricts its access.

Since the university has given me access to the directory information some of its students, doesn't that imply that these students have not restricted access to their information and that I may freely partake?


texts: Can an existing employer force use of personal vehicle?

texts:
If an employee refuses to use their own car for business purposes (although it was never mentioned before commencement of employment and is not mentioned in the employment contract), is it possible to dismiss them or begin disciplinary proceedings (UK)?

Further information: The employer is offering to pay mileage at a rate that covers fuel and wear and tear, however the employee would be transporting children to and from school and argues that it would not cover damage and cleaning caused by the children, as well as generally not wanting to use their car regardless of expenses.


texts:
I have an issue with AirBnb:

My account is something like 7-8 years old and I didn't use it for 6+ year.

I don't have the password anymore so I did a password reset, but it wants me to confirm my phone number from 6 years ago / another country, which I don't have anymore.

The email is still mine, hasn't changed, etc.

Obviously proving ownership would be easy but AirBnb doesn't seem to have real support, they have these free labor / ambassador / community support thing where they don't really have access to anything.

So the short story is that they suggest I create another account.

I was wondering if I could use GDPR to request them to delete all my data since they have my info from when I was a host.

In theory, if they fully comply, I should be able to re-register my account as the system shouldn't know my email anymore.

Is that thinking correct?


texts: So there's new law requiring a copy of personal data of Russian citizens in effect since September 2015. I can't read Russian, and Western press in languages I can read is a little vague on the actual details. Can anyone hence tell me if an encrypted periodic database extraction of just the Russian people's data, stored somewhere on a Russian server, is compliant? (I.e. there's no need to actually host the app there, just store an extraction of the relevant personal data?)


texts: Can a Table with Material (Steel) Properties be Copyrighted? Can material properties be considered a fact?

texts:
Let's say someone did a lot of tests in a material, for example, STEEL, and found out some properties like tensile strength, yield strength, etc.
Then this person take those values, put in a nice table and put in a book or document that is copyrighted.
I know that figures and table ARE copyrighted but, what if the content of those tables are considered FACT? Can someone use it without the permission of it's owner (the one that generated the table and did all the tests).
As I'm not a 'law' guy, can someone explain to the the 'legal meaning' of 'fact' in the Copyright law? Can this be applied to the case explained above?
Thank you!


texts: What would happen if one raised philosophical objections during a legal case?

texts:
I'm curious what would happen in a court of law if a defendant (for instance) raised a philosophical objection to the accusations. There are lots of commonsense notions (like causality, or intentionality) that are problematic philosophically.

For instance, suppose someone argued that he wasn't guilty of first degree murder because he didn't believe that premeditation was possible? Would that argument just be discarded? Could a jury be forced to consider the question? Or does each legal system have pre-specified philosophical ground rules within which trials are held?


texts:
Suppose you apply for a loan and are denied or are offered undesirable terms on the basis of a bad credit score as reported by one of the reporting bureaus. After reviewing your report you find nothing incorrect on it but nothing (in your opinion) to justify a low score. What recourse do you have? Might a lawsuit alleging defamation succeed, or are the CRBs protected from that somehow? Would the CRB have to reveal its scoring algorithm in open court? If  damages are small enough would they have to respond to a summons to small-claims court? What's the situation?

To be clear, I'm not talking about inaccurate information on the report, but a score based on accurate information which you feel unjustly defames you by misrepresenting your good credit. Also, assume the CRB refuses to change your score.


texts: Must I follow "Compliment Policies" if these are not in the contract?

texts:
I am working for a company in the UK where I have undergone courses to help me improve my working skills.
It is written in the "Compliment Policies" on the companies website that if I leave the job less than a year after finishing one of these courses that I must pay for the total cost of the course (around a month's salary).
But in my contract nothing has been mentioned regarding "Compliment Policies".
Must I obey these policies, or because they are not stated in the contract I am allowed to leave the company without paying such cost?
I am not a law student or a lawyer, but I know of no other place where to ask this question.


texts: Can misspellings be covered by trademark?

texts:
Say you found out that the keyword "youtub" is getting millions of searches a year. It's pretty obvious that these searches are just misspellings of the company Youtube. You decide you want to try to capitalize on this misspelling by creating a  "single person bathtub" product and calling it the "You Tub" and registering "theyoutub.com" domain.

Would Youtube have any sort of trademark/copyright claim on "You Tub"? Would they be able to seize your domain for squatting or similar issues?

On one hand the product is in a completely diffrent non-competing industry, there are no claims of affiliation or trying to phish or trick the user once on the page, and the brand name is relevant to the product. But on the other hand I think most people could see the goal here was to try to gain traffic that was meant for Youtube.


texts: Would a hypothetical anonymous musical be artist in violation of Spotify's Terms of Service?

texts:
In Spotify's Terms of Service (specifically, Section 8: User guidelines, Statement #8.22 of https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/spotify-for-artists-terms-and-conditions/), Spotify states that in uploading content to their services, you're expected to not impersonate or misrepresent your affiliation with another user, person, or entity, or engage in activity that is otherwise fraudulent, false, deceptive, or misleading.

If this is the case, then would a hypothetical anonymous musical artist be in violation of said agreement if the artist entered their songwriting credits (through a distributor) under their alias' name as this could be seen by some as a form of impersonation/misrepresentation?

Thank you in advance.


texts: Amazon 3rd party seller shipped me a book in US which clearly say "For sale in Indian subcontinent only"

texts:
What legal options do I have if an Amazon 3rd party seller shipped me a book in US which clearly says "For sale in Indian subcontinent only" ?
I'd like to get a US edition book and get some penalties enforced on the seller who is selling illegal items in US.
I ordered a new book in US from a 3rd party seller on Amazon.com, to be shipped to a US address.


texts:
Are lawyer conversations with third parties relevant to a case privileged?
For example, imagine an attorney is defending a person against a criminal charge. The attorney interviews his client's roommate alone concerning matters relevant to the case and that conversation is recorded with consent of both parties. Later, the police interview the roommate and the roommate tells the police that he had a recorded conversation with the defendant's attorney. The police tell this to the the prosecutor. Can the prosecutor then subpoena the recording?
Here is another scenario: an attorney has a conversation with an expert witness pursuant to a criminal case before formally naming that expert witness as a witness (for example, before the trial starts or before his client has been indicted). Can that conversation be subpoened by the prosecution?


texts:
Hi guys any help on this would be greatly appreciated, I am creating an app in the UK and I hope to use google's 'popular times' feed.

This data is just the estimated amount of people in the venue at any given time, i.e. 'busy' - 'not so busy'

My question is would I be allowed to use this data? Can google copyright 'data that is merely a measurement of an observable fact in the world'

I know in the US they cannot but looking for any info on UK Law

Many Thanks


texts: Kicked out of doctors office for refusing to allow them to take pictures. is this legal?

texts:
I moved this post off the medical stack exchange as it was flagged as off topic so hopefully this is the proper place for it.

I have a problem with a thumbnail that has been lingering for months now and I finally decided to make an appointment with a dermatologist. I called, made the appointment, filled out the paperwork, etc. I showed up for the appointment and all was normal, scanned my drivers license, took my co-pay and confirmed my medical history. They called my name and took me back to the room and the assistant asked to take a front and side picture of my face. I noticed a screen on the wall showing before/after shots of patients facial problems so I told the assistant that I was there for my thumb not any facial issues and she said it was for their records. I said I didn't mind if she took a picture of my thumb but that I didn't see any reason to take pictures of my face. Her tone immediately changed and she quickly finished the interview and left the room. A few minutes later a women walked in and introduced herself as the office manager and explained to me that it was their policy to take pictures of patients for "security reasons" and that I would be refused service if I did not comply. I politely told her I understand she has to follow her policies and asked for a refund of my co-pay which she provided then I left the office. Can a doctor legally do this? Is this a violation of HIPAA? If so where would I file a complaint?


texts: For a purchase return in NewMexico is a company required  to return the gross receipt tax paid when the purchase was originally made? Assuming that the service agreement has no mention of a return policy. Any case law that has similar parameters would be helpful.


texts: How to break lease when neighbors violate lease (smoking)? (Illinois)

texts:
To live in my building, we all signed an agreement saying there is no smoking allowed.  Well someone has been smoking on my floor.  There has been 4 notices from management to all people living on the floor that you can't smoke.  Well, the smoker continues to do so, and the smoke enters my apartment.  I have been in contact with the property manager and they have said that they are aware of the issue but can't do anything about it due to Covid-19.  I want to move out and break the lease due to smoking.
My lease says I have to pay 2 months rent to break the lease.  I obviously would like to not pay 2 months rent, especially since the reason I want to move out is due to unbearable smoke.
Do I have any grounds for this, since neighbors are breaking the lease they signed?  If so, how do I proceed?
Thanks!


texts:
A client of mine came today with a scenario that I had never seen.  She had worked for a company for three years, held about $60K in a 401K, but four months after being laid off she hasn't been able to rollover her funds to an IRA.  Since she's had trouble finding a job in software (cutbacks), she doesn't want to sue or cause legal trouble for her former employer, as it would cause a loss of money and look bad for future companies.

However, $60K isn't nothing and the company's plan is expensive (no index funds; every mutual fund has a minimum of a 1.5% fee)

Is it legal for a company to hold 401k money after a layoff for over four months?  The administrator cannot let her transfer because they have not received any lay off notice.
In her case, she doesn't want to sue for obvious reasons even though I feel she's being bullied; are there any other options she has - such as a form to submit to the administrator requesting the funds that can override the lack of a notice?


texts: Must employer give 2 weeks work if work is shift work and employee gave notice

texts:
I work for a company that periodically asks employees what their availability is and assigns shifts based on that. The calendar with the shift information is about at it's end and a new one hasn't come out yet. I told my manager I'm thinking of quitting. She said she might not assign me more shifts.

Legally, must the company continue to give me the same amount of work for the next 2 weeks?


texts:
I'm aware that cloning IMEIs and swapping them to bypass a blacklist is illegal, but can I legally swap the IMEI on two phones that I own?

Both of these phones are "clean," meaning neither of them are reported as stolen and they both work. I can also prove that I am the owner of both phones.


texts: Is it possible to learn who has a copyright? (USA)

texts:
To briefly summarize the situation, a video game was made fifteen years ago. Two development companies and one publisher were involved. All three companies have now been sold to other companies, some of them several times, and some copyrights they held were sold independently of the companies themselves. There doesn't seem to be a record of this particular game's copyright in any of these deals (the game did not sell particularly well).

Speaking with members of the original development team, it is believed the publisher had the original copyrights, but none of them are sure. The copyright does not appear on http://cocatalog.loc.gov/ using any conceivable search. The company most likely to have picked up copyrights from the original publisher is not responding to communication attempts.

In the US, is it possible to find out who owns a copyright? If so, how is this done?

UPDATE The game was first published in Europe, then the PAL region, finally being published in the US. I'm only concerned with the US copyright, but it appears the dates and locations of original release may be important to consider. At least some development occurred in England.


texts: I am embedding Google Fonts into a commercial website that have either the SIL OFL or Apache License v2.0. Do I need to include the license text or link in the metadata/ elsewhere on the site? I am currently embedding in the following way: <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Anton|Archivo+Black|Patua+One&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">, and then referencing the fonts in a CSS external style sheet. Thanks!


texts: Can landlord force tenant to pay only online in NH

texts:
I've been a tenant for over 5 years in NH, paying rent early (mid-month) via automatic payments from my bank (i.e. check sent from my bank).  I don't need to think about it, it is auto-scheduled every month.

I just got a notice asking tenants to use a home-grown portal to pay via Bank E-Check or Credit/Debit card (extra fee).  My assumption is that the Bank E-Check is a ACH, which means that after I authorize, they can pull money from my account.  I am also worried about cyber security with all the data breaches that have happened with far more prepared sites (i.e. Target, etc).  In general, I strongly prefer to pay everything from my bank out, I don't have bills pull from the account.

My questions is, can they legally force me to use their portal?
They "intend to enforce accepting only online payments in the very near future"

Additional info: my lease terms don't specify how the rent shall be paid, but does say that pro-rate amount shall be paid by check or money order.

I can't go and talk to them in person due to office being closed.  And they aren't responsive generally to phone or email.

A quick search looked like in NH the leasing agent can do whatever they want.

Thoughts?


texts: Do corporations have any legal liability for XSS exploits that can harvest private/payment info?

texts:
So let's say there's a website that is made up of crowd sourced articles (let's say it's about politics). The website has users from around the world. All articles have to be approved by an editor, although the website can have articles with opposite viewpoints. This site also allows comments to be made, however, the comments are not sanitized in the server (which is essentially security 101), so javascript code and external scripts, and style can be included in the comments and executed by any user when loaded. This means that any user can effectively change the contents of the articles, headlines, or any text/links/images in the webpage. This means that an article could be turned into an attack piece against a politician or controversial CEO when it was actually about something else, and it would appear that the original author wrote that. Comments can also be changed as well. This means that one comment could be used to insert a script that promoted fake news (like stock market manipulation - "Elon Musk arrested by the FBI or operating a $10b cocaine ring" / "Company A's study is a failure" / "Trudeau on the run from RCMP for embezzlement of $2B.").

A script is able to obtain the name of any user who visits the page, their location (through IP or browser geolocation - on phones it can get the exact address), is able to keylog, and can effectively stay in the background even if the user goes to a different page. It would be possible for an external script to screenshot the browser window, track what pages are visited, and the script could replace payment processing forms with it's own forms, effectively being able to steal credit card information. There's also several social engineering exploits that would be possible like a fake LastPass login popup (to steal credentials/credit cards saved with it) or fake notifications (that can be used to download malware).

Would there be any legal liability for the corporation operating the site
 for being negligent in securing their site? Would any authors whose articles were changed, anyone who was defamed by an altered article,users whose private information/credit card info were stolen, or a government by able to file a claim against the corporation? Would there be any case law (in any common-law developed country) or EU law that would be applicable to this situation?


texts: Is it legal to use some sound effects that are identical or found on some famous TV shows or other games for your own game project?

texts:
I found this sound effect resource for my mech game, but these sound effects are used in the Gundam series. I know there are some shows and games other than Gundam that use identical sounds.

Is it legal to use them for making my own mobile game apps, if I alter the pitch and do some remixes? I'm making a 'fan-game' or 'mech-inspired' game, but in an original and legitimate way as possible.


texts: Trademark Infringement notice for usage of a dictionary word Jacuzzi in app - Google Play Store

texts:
I'm a 1-woman independent developer who made an app called Front Jacuzzi Back Corgi - or FJBC for short. Today, I received a trademark infringement notice from Jacuzzi.com

It's unexpectedly not from the App Store, but from Google Play.

  trademark_explain: Unauthorized use of the JACUZZI Trademark within
  the App  that misleads the users into falsely believing that the
  developer is a  manufacturer, licensee, or authorized user of Jacuzzi
  Inc’s. trademarks, or  that Jacuzzi Inc. has endorsed or sponsored the
  App and or its associated  websites, and any third party website.

My usage of jacuzzi seems to be the dictionary non-Jacuzzi.com branded version. Nothing in my app even remotely looks like things from jacuzzi.com ...

But, are there other conditions that I should be aware of?

Arguably, my app merely simulates the feel of a jacuzzi resort - and does not even include a jacuzzi. Technical people have criticized my water effects for not actually looking like a jacuzzi. The audio recording is actually not from a jacuzzi either.

Any advice is appreciated - esp on how to respond. Thank you

--

In trying to come up with a name to stick with, I've encountered a lot of dictionary words such as jet and jets that turn out to be trademarked? How would you suggest I make sure the re-name would be okay? Previously, I had searched to make sure Front Jacuzzi wasn't used as a name, but was not aware that jacuzzi had a trademark meaning beyond that defined in m-w.com


texts:
I was wonder whether minors (under 18) can own a company (eg. an LLC). In particular, I am concerned about Washington state (although solutions involving registering in a state outside of the one I live in is fine, as long as its legal). It is also an option to co-own the LLC with an adult if that helps.

For the sake of the completeness of SE as a knowladge base, a state by state guide would be wonderful for others who hit this question. Maybe a Community Wiki answer?


texts: If prostitution is legal in the UK then why do people get arrested for talking to prostitutes in the street?

texts:
There is some kind of non-official red corner close to Paddington station in London, people get arrested all the times there for talking to undercover prostitutes who are actually police officers.

Why would they get arrested when prostitution is legal in The UK?


texts: Does the double jeopardy clause prevent being charged again for the same crime or being charged again for the same action?

texts: Suppose  I were to kill someone and was charged with manslaughter, found not guilty, and more evidence surfaces, does double jeopardy prevent me from even being charged again for that action (the killing), or does it only protect me from the charge of manslaughter again?


texts:
Can I record a call from Virginia to Maryland?

I live in Virginia (one party communication state).  My phone has a Virginia number, and it can record calls (made while being physically located in Virginia).  Federal law regarding communication follows the one party communication law.  Maryland has a two party communication law.  I've read that the law will default to the state where the recording device is physically located.  Does this mean that it is okay for me to record my calls to Maryland since it conforms with Virginia, Federal, and default laws?


texts:
This is an unorthodox request for this medium, and may not even fit the kinds of questions allowed here, but... if anyone has access to Volume 50 of the Corpus Juris Secundum, I need the full text for § 275. It's in regards to some research I'm doing on voir dire, and I keep seeing this mentioned, and although CJS is available on Westlaw, it's not divided into volumes--apples and oranges.

Or, if someone can tell me how to translate 50 C.J.S. Juries § 275 into the CJS that's available on Westlaw, that would be great also. I've done a search on Westlaw in their version of the CJS for "voir dire" and found a number of sections that may equate to volume 50 § 275, but I need a bullseye.

If anyone can help, great! If not, I'll keep searching. Thanks!


texts:
Back story: I suddenly became unemployed and need work. A trusted friend connected me with someone who is willing to pay a large amount of money for me to transport a package. The package (allegedly) contains Last Will and Testament which must remained sealed. This is so when the recipients receive it, everyone can see it be opened for the first time and be sure of it.

Question: is this true? In law, how common is it for legal documents (such as a Last Will and Testament) to be sealed and become invalid if they are opened? How does this work? The destination is in the US. Also if they are forged documents could I be held liable to the crime?


texts: Non-profit granting rights of use of software to for-profit

texts:
we have two organizations - one for profit and one non-profit, that are related. The Non-profit benefits from use of Slack, GSuite and other tools at a discount due to the non-profit nature of the organization.
The for profit organization is donating resource time, office space to the non-profit.
In this case, would the non-profit be allowed to 'license' the use of the SaaS to the for profit (in exchange for the office space, resources, technical help, etc)? I imagine that the main problem would be in the T&C of these tools (Slack/Gsuite for non profits, etc), but could not find anything myself.
Thanks!
Brian


texts:
If we talk about USA, where exactly is the difference between self defense and illegal hunting?

Let's say a dangerous animal approached your house. How close should it be for you to shoot it and not be punished for hunting without a license?

Or just punished for shooting within a town borders (which may be illegal)?


texts:
I asked a question at here that drew an unexpected, though helpful, answer. In order to understand the big picture, I want to ask a similar question, with a twist.

Suppose I hire someone to draw a caricature of a famous individual that really pushes the envelope. The artist says, "I can't draw that - I'll get sued for defamation!"

Here's my question: Is it possible for an artist to get sued for defamation if they're being paid by someone else to create a picture of a public official, celebrity, etc.?

For example, suppose I paid someone to create a really vile caricature of Donald Trump or Bill Gates. The picture is so far over the line that I get sued - and lose.

Could the artist also be prosecuted? This is what I'm ultimately getting at:

If I want to hire an artist, and (s)he says, "Sorry, but I can't draw what you want because I'll get sued," can I tell him "NO. No matter what you draw, you cannot possibly be held liable if it's a work for hire. If I pay you for all the rights, then the burden is entirely on my shoulders"?


texts: Alternative to "Isn't it true that...?" when questioning witnesses

texts:
I am a parent who is going to a special education impartial hearing without a lawyer.  I have read that with school district witnesses, I am allowed to ask questions of the form "Isn't it true that...?"  But I don't relish the prospect of asking district employees (who work with my child!) a lot of questions with that phrasing.  Is there some more gentlemanly way of accomplishing the same thing?

Please note, special education impartial hearings are a bit more lax than regular court cases, but are still a formal affair.  The "judge" is usually called an "Impartial Hearing Officer (IHO)".


texts: Formal language for victims in criminal cases

texts:
Is there a term of art for the "victim" in a criminal case?

I've done a bit of searching, but can't really find an accurate answer. Often victims are lumped together with witnesses.

The reason that this is important to me is that victim is quite an emotive term, and implies intent and wrong-doing in a way that a term of art would not.

This seems particularly relevant in cases that might involve criminal negligence or other forms of strict liability. For example, shooting someone by mistake because you are playing with a gun.

You can get quite strange degrees of indirection here, for example people might be prosecuted for careless driving because someone was physically injured (or indeed theft / littering), and the victim isn't necessarily technically part of the case.


texts: How deterministic are modern legal systems?

texts:
I am a software engineer trying to understand how judges make decisions in lawsuits. In computer and other sciences there is a concept of deterministic system:

  In mathematics and physics, a deterministic system is a system in
  which no randomness is involved in the development of future states of
  the system. A deterministic model will thus always produce the same
  output from a given starting condition or initial state.

In lay terms this simply means that if the system is being fed the same input again and again it will generate exactly the same output each time.

If applied to legal system:

Each judge would be a sub-system that builds the whole US legal system
Evidence provided to the judge under lawsuit would be one kind of the input
Ruling made by the judge would be the the output of the lawsuit
Lawsuit would be a test to see how legal system reacts on particular input

Here are my questions (if you feel comfortable answering only some of these questions I would still appreciate it):

  How deterministic is the US legal system? Can you provide examples of popular lawsuit instances that were almost the same but resulted in very different outcome?

And

  If you are familiar with the steps that lawsuit has to go through in the US legal system, then what are these steps (e.g. assigning a random
  judge to a lawsuit; same judge unpredictably deciding what is and what isn't
  convincing evidence to him; same judge deciding how much of punishment to
  give for each violation under same circumstances ...). How much unpredictability does each step introduce and what is the typical source of that unpredictability?

And

  What are efforts to make the legal system more deterministic (e.g., let computers to contribute to ruling, precedent-court ...)? Are persons involved in the judicial system concerned about this problem, and does it have a term in the legal world?

Also, I understand that this question is quite general and does not specify some of the variables that could affect answers (e.g. country or state, type of lawsuit). You can chose how to answer it.


texts: Is giving incorrect information to reduce an unenforceable "debt" fraudulent?

texts: In a scenario where party A has requested party B pay a sum of money, but party B believes (with good reason) that A has no legal way of enforcing this so-called debt, would it be considered fraud if B misrepresents his actions in order to persuade party A to reduce the total sum, for example by agreeing to perform work at an hourly rate counted against the sum, then claiming to have worked more hours than he actually did?


texts: How do you fill out a motion to modify without the other party's income amounts?

texts: It is really that simple.  My state requires certain paperwork for a motion to modify custody (which will modify support), including income and expense statements for both parties.  When you don't know the other party's information, what is the best way to fill this out?


texts:
If one feels that the law is not clear enough, or might have loopholes that should be fixed, how would one go about starting a process to possibly amend it?

For example, in Texas, a lot of landlords charge exuberant fees for residential lease re-assignment, even if the tenant goes about finding a new person to whom the lease would be reassigned all by themselves.  E.g., not only would the new tenant still need to pay application and administrative fees (which often amount to 200 USD in Texas), but also the old tenant would still have to pay a non-trivial re-letting fee (which I've seen being anywhere from 200 USD to 85% of the monthly rent).  This doesn't make much sense.


texts: How did the Supreme Court rule, in the past, that States can take sex into account within the process of legal marriage?

texts:
Religion and politics, as we know, shouldn't intermix. The purpose for having a legal marriage through the government is simple: When people decide to be romantically involved in a permanent way, they require certain legal protections in case that arrangement goes bad, in which case specific guidelines are followed to handle various situations between two people in this situation together.

Nowhere in that legal process does the sex of either of these two people matter in any way shape or form legally speaking. Am I wrong?

So someone, please explain to me, a straight guy (therefore non biased) by the way, why the legal system of the US goverment (previously) decided States could base the qualification for legal marriage, on the sex of the people wishing to be married, a position that is in every way shape and form culturally and religiously founded, with no business being included in the law?

I find the distinction no different from our legal system, not too long ago, similarly deciding the people of different skin color couldn't be free. Its intollerance towards 'different', and as an American citizen, I find it appalling that my government recently applied this bevahior in its legal system.

So can anyone explain the legal justification for taking sex of the participants into account in the process of legal, government facilitated marriage?

Note: I'm interested in legal reasoning that gay marriage wasnt supported by the Supreme Court until only last year. It seems like the only reason the change came was due to media pressure and coverage, and our legal system should protect minorities before such coverage is had, for example for the past decade and longer.


texts: Do judges try to appeal-proof their decisions?

texts:
I've been reading a lot of judges' decisions recently, and I've noticed a type of comment that comes up frequently: comments that seem to only be provided in order to make it more difficult for an appellate court to overturn their decision.

Since I realized they were doing this, I notice it all the time. Comments that seem insignificant, but that if omitted would obviously allow an argument for appeal.

This seems like a very niche area, there may not even be a book about it, but I'm hoping there's at least some kind of article from a Law Reform Commission or the like, or some good examples if anyone knows of any.


texts: Can you pay a restaurant bill in pennies?

texts:
Say you eat at a restaurant, and after you are finished, the waiter brings you your bill.

Is the restaurant legally obligated to accept pennies as payment regardless of the amount?

(Of course, I am assuming no explicit arrangements regarding this have been made beforehand.)


texts: What is the legal notation that refers to State and Federal Laws known as?

texts:
I've seen legal notation in various documents that refers to a state or federal law written like this:

  29 U.S.C. § 203 B

I'm assuming the U.S.C. stands for United States Supreme Court, but I don't know what this notation is referred to as, and I don't know what each part means.

Can some one explain this?


texts:
Assume that we have a private investment company (PIC) called "C".

At time t, "C" has given a power of attorney (PoA) over one of its accounts to another entity "L", without power of substitution.

If before time t, "L" had itself granted a PoA to a natural person "P", can "P" avail itself of the PoA given by "C" to "L"?


texts: Bank is not depositing my promotion bonus

texts:
I opened a bank account in response to a promotion in a big bank (I'm in the US). Originally it was saying "if I keep my money (50K) for 60 days, I get $600". The agent at the branch didn't say anything more. Then they said I get my bonus after a month after requirement was met. And now still nothing happened. I called customer service and they say different things. One says, "they just processed my eligibility this morning"! And next person says, "you will get your bonus after 90 days". Even if I take my money and keep the bank open, they say it is not free and I will be charged monthly.

I planned accordingly and bought a house, and need the money for down-payment. We all plan based on the information we are given. A lot of lies, wrong information, and deceiving in this case. I request for my own application and promotion package, and they say, "we can not provide you that".

I'm getting tired of all these. What should I do? Can this be a base for a lawsuit?

UPDATE:

I was so far communicating with the original banker who opened the account for me. She was deceiving me numerously. She was not responding to my emails, instead calling me saying "it is illegal for me to answer emails"! (her email is written on her business card. She was an Asian lady with accent, so also I prefered email). My customer service calls were all the same, all super dishonest (maybe it's a lie culture in that bank). Even a supervisor was the same. The more I was becoming upset, looks like they are more enjoying it!

Finally today I went to a physical branch close to me, cool and relaxed, asking to downgrade my account. Looks like there was a basic account with a minimum of only $1500 required. The banker was very helpful, and even gave me a copy of the promotion, and said the promotion should be deposited within 90 days of when the requirement was met (and told me a case is opened in my account following my call for customer service!)

Interestingly, now the original banker somehow got notified (how?! maybe the case was escalated to her?). She emailed me CC'ing her branch manager, saying "you can convert your account to a $1500 basic account", which was what I just did. Now that my task is done, she is trying to show herself helpful.

UPDATE2:

The branch after my customer calls and my complaints, keep sending me emails asking to send my GREEN CARD. I'm not sure why that is needed. They say it is needed for investigation and bonus payment, which looks deceptive to me (especially that they copied it when I was opening my account). Any reasons why they might need it?!


texts: Can a country exit the TRIPS Agreement without exiting the WTO?

texts:
Is it possible for a country to exit the TRIPS Agreement without exiting the WTO?

My question is basically whether or not the TRIPS Agreement is an essential part of the WTO or basically supplementary and optional for members.

Context:
I am Politically Active in Switzerland and want to figure out how I could reduce the Length of Copyright in Switzerland. I understand that we would first have to leave the Bern agreement but then there is also the TRIPS Agreement which limits how low I can go again. As far as I understand it those two agreements are pretty much it.


texts: Can shipping companies be held liable for consequential damages?

texts: I sent some goods in bulk to a client worth a lot of money from India and UPS delivered the good 20 days later than the expected delivery date causing a major loss for my business as the client cancelled the order.  Do I have any claim against them for those damages?


texts: What responses can be filed against plaintiff's complaint that was filed with intent to harass?

texts:
Imagine that a plaintiff and his attorney both have acted in bad faith and sued you, and that:

"facts" alleged by the plaintiff in the complaint are wrong and the plaintiff's attorney has not done his homework in establishing them; and
some facts, if established in court, would incriminate the plaintiff for a crime (e.g., intentionally not paying taxes).

Let's say the case is handled in a state court like this. What responses are appropriate to such a civil complaint? Do I understand correctly that:

To make plaintiff pay for defendant's legal expenses the defendant would have to file a cross-complaint?
To incriminate the plaintiff, defendant would have to file a Motion to Strike.
To make the court question the plaintiff's attorney's honesty defendant would file a General Denial?


texts: Is VirusTotal's business model violating copyright laws?

texts:
For those not familiar, VirusTotal is a Google-owned site that allows anyone to upload any binary so it can be scanned by numerous anti-virus engines.  Many third-party products also integrate the VirusTotal API so that binaries are automatically uploaded based on system scans.  The way VirusTotal makes money is that they charge subscription fees so that other users can download the binaries that were uploaded.  So my question is, doesn't this violate the copyright of the binary authors?
Now, obviously malware authors are not going to claim ownership of their binaries but a lot of other non-malicious binaries get uploaded to VirusTotal.  And because anti-virus engines are not perfect they will mark legitimate software as malware.  When a binary is marked as malware, according to VirusTotal, it will send that sample to other third parties as part of a sharing program.
In summary:

VirusTotal allows anyone to upload any binary regardless of the EULA
of the software.
VirusTotal facilitates sharing of the binary again
regardless of the EULA.
VirusTotal profits off the uploaded binaries
by charging a subscription fee.
VirusTotal provides no recourse available when legitimate software is marked as malware, only to
contact each individual anti-virus company to report the false positive.

Putting aside the benefits of helping to identify malware, it seems to me that VirusTotal is in violation of copyright laws.


texts: Company claims they never received my check but I have the cleared check image from my bank and money was deducted. Who is liable?

texts:
I sent a check (~$1,500) through my online bill pay service to a company.  That company claims they never received the check but the checked cleared and the money was deducted from my account.  I have the cleared check image that clearly shows the company name and address (which were both confirmed by that company as being correct).  Unfortunately, the only signature on the back is the word "Deposit" so I don't know who actually cashed it.

I worked with my bank for about six months trying to get the money for the company, but they still don't have it.  Now the company claims I am responsible for never paying them.  Does the cleared check with their name and address on it for the correct amount protect me legally if they come after me?  Do I have any liability whatsoever in this situation?


texts: Any way to remove Ajit Pai as F.C.C. chairman and ensure "Net Neutrality"?

texts:
The F.C.C's chairman Ajit Pai has been pushing to repeal "Net Neutrality" rules.

"Net Neutrality" is a set of regulations that ensure equal access to the internet. The rules prohibited high-speed internet service providers from blocking or slowing down the delivery of websites, or charging extra fees for the best quality of streaming and other internet services for their subscribers.

Are there any legal recourse for citizens of the United States to have chairman Pai removed?
How can "Net Neutrality" rules be permanently secured?


texts: Cleaner leaving defamatory messages on fridge - is this a crime?

texts: Come across a situation with a friend of mine which I'm not sure is actually illegal or just really bad practice, they live in university accommodation and while all residents are out one of the staff/cleaners arranged fridge magnets into offensive messages about the residents, due to prior tension this triggered an altercation between them, has the cleaner broken a law or is this just bad practice?


texts:
In the state of California, what is the limit of alcohol allowed in bloodstream to be prosecuted under drinking and driving case?

And what are the procedures used for intoxication testing (other than breathalyzer) while being pulled over?


texts: What if the Electoral College result at the meeting date differs from the final?

texts: I saw a question about what would happen if the results weren't certified in all states. Someone asked a question at What happens if not all the votes are counted by the Electoral College's meeting?. Let's say that a lot of red states are able to certify their results earlier either because of their smaller population, being used to mail in ballots or a combination. Because of this in this hypothetical scenario, Trump wins a majority of electoral votes. In the next few months, all the other states certify results and Biden has what would have been the most. In such a scenario where the Electoral College victor does not win the most uncast Electoral votes, could such an election be undone?


texts: Severability/saving clause vs "to the maximum ammount permited by law"

texts:
If a contract contains one invalid clause, it may be thrown out completely. To compensate I've seen severability clauses like

  "if a provision is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining
  provisions will still be in full force and effect".

I've also seen severability clauses like

  "if a provision is found to be invalid or unenforceable and limiting it
  would make it valid and enforceable, then it shall be construed and
  executed as so limited"

But the two must be combined if they want to sever a clause even if it can't be fixed by limiting:

  "if a provision is found to be invalid or unenforceable and limiting
  it would make it valid and enforceable, then it shall be construed and
  executed as so limited. If limiting it does not make it valid and
  enforceable, then it shall be severed from the contract and the
  remainder will remain in full force and effect."

That's quite the mouthful. Is it equivalent to simply having

  This contract will be executed to the full extent of the law

or something like that? Probably don't even need the word "full" in there.


texts: If I were to make a custom band shirt for personal use, could I get sued?

texts:
I've recently gotten into a fairly obscure band that a lot of people describe as a "one hit wonder". Nobody is making merchandise for them anymore as the band stopped making music long ago. There aren't any available listings for shirts online as far as I know. I had the idea that I would make a shirt for myself using an image of the lead singer and text (the band's name and one of their song names). Every site I went on mentioned copyright rules, and so I haven't tried creating the shirt as I am worried about possibly getting in trouble for it. I don't even know who I'd contact to get permission to use the image (especially since the band is no longer active and the lead singer doesn't have social media as far as I know).

Would I get in trouble with the law if I created the shirt with absolutely no intention of profiting from it? If so, who could I get permission from to use the image?


texts: Are emergency alarms/notification systems required at places of employment?

texts:
Suppose I own a business and have lots of employees who come to a location I own, work eight hours, and then leave and go home at the end of the day. An employee points out to me that he is concerned about the emergency alarm system which warns employees at the location about fires, tornadoes, and the like. Am I required to provide such an alarm/notification system to employees and/or other persons who are on the property where my business is located? Specifically:

Is it typically required by city/building codes?
Is it typically required by labor regulations or OSHA?
Do common-law principles requiring that I take reasonable care to ensure the safety of those on my property cover this sort of thing?
Where must I make the alarm/notification visible/audible? Certain rooms? Most rooms? All interior areas? All interior areas and immediately outside the building? Do I need something in the parking lot(s) as well? Assume that all of this is my private property.
In what ways would I be liable for injury, death and/or loss of property which were reasonably caused by my failure to add alarm/notification systems? Civilly? Criminally?

Does having received or having not received notification from an employee about the dangers of not having such system(s) in place change any of the above?

Bonus points:

If the employee pointed this out in good faith, assuming at-will employment, what repercussions (if any) would there be if I terminated said employee?
If the employee pointed this out in bad faith, but the complaint is factually correct, does that change (or not) the answer to the above?

EDIT - if a specific locale is required to provide a meaningful answer, let's say Montgomery, AL, USA, commercially zoned near the downtown area within city limits. That said - I would prefer if answers focused on more general principles than only pulling that city's municipal code.