Most Popular
1500 questions
24
votes
3 answers
Can "Right to Repair" laws (or other laws) require a company to open source their proprietary firmware?
AFAIK, there are no prohibitions here that require omission of specifics, so I will be specific.
Over the years, I have invested a fair sum of money on products made by a company called Sonos. Fairly recently (2018 IIRC), Sonos "went public"; this…
Seamus
- 393
- 2
- 8
24
votes
3 answers
Can someone replicate and freely use anyone's voice using AI?
Suppose person A offers paid voiceover services, and is a popular voiceover artist. Person B wants person A's voice for their revenue-generating internet video projects, because they know it will offer a significant profits-boost. It is legally all…
Shane
- 351
- 1
- 2
- 7
24
votes
3 answers
Could the President, Senate, and a foreign country circumvent the House to pass a law?
If the Senate and President wanted to pass a law, but the House of Representatives voted against it, could the President and Senate pass it by including it in a treaty with a foreign country (assuming they found a country willing to help them bypass…
Someone
- 17,046
- 10
- 84
- 177
24
votes
2 answers
University prohibits professors from testifying
Context: ABC news has published: University of Florida Prohibits Professors from Testifying
The University of Florida is a State College (not a private college) and has indicated the University is a "state actor":
“UF will deny its employees’…
gatorback
- 7,205
- 2
- 39
- 78
24
votes
6 answers
Why is the defendant presumed guilty in traffic court?
This article says, "When it's your word against the police officer's [regarding a failure to stop at a stop sign], the person with the badge usually wins." It seems like the officer should have to present at least some kind of evidence that the…
tlewis3348
- 343
- 2
- 8
24
votes
6 answers
Receiving a certified letter and the contents is not address to you
I am in the United States and I have recently received a certified letter that was addressed to me (name and address).
It's about 80 pages actually. The cover sheet has a confidentiality notice, and the notice is the standard "you shall not read…
b degnan
- 343
- 2
- 6
24
votes
4 answers
Would a contract to pay a trillion dollars in damages be valid?
Let's say you write a contract with someone, and you want to make sure they don't breach it. You could just have them covenant certain things, but then they'd only be liable for whatever damages you could actually prove in court.
Let's say you…
Michael
- 259
- 2
- 4
24
votes
2 answers
Can a private company refuse to sell a franchise to someone solely based on being black?
This question was a result of a recent conversation regarding Chick-fil-A only selling their franchises to Christians. I thought that was discriminatory, but was told a private company can do anything they want because they are privately owned. I…
Tmac
24
votes
3 answers
Is it illegal to carry someone else's ID or credit card?
I was watching a video by RealWorldPolice about a high school student who was arrested for carrying a loaded gun into his school in Seattle, WA. Footage of the entire search, detainment, and arrest of the student can be found here.
At one point in…
totallysnail
- 343
- 1
- 3
- 4
24
votes
4 answers
Can a person purposely provoke someone to hit him and then report a crime?
Say someone purposely provokes another person by insulting him, knowing that this person is easily provoked.
The provoked person then hits him.
Can the person then report a crime or even file a civil lawsuit on his assaulter, all in the aim of…
user1034912
- 1,501
- 1
- 12
- 19
24
votes
4 answers
Can a lawyer take a ridiculous case?
The situation: A wants to sue B for some money. The reason why B should pay the money is totally ridiculous. Any judge seeing it would just laugh and send A home. But A goes to a lawyer, who tells A that taking this to court has zero chance winning,…
gnasher729
- 34,028
- 2
- 46
- 88
24
votes
1 answer
Are U.S. mailboxes federal property?
A common claim seems to be that mailboxes in the United States are federal property (example, example, example). (To be clear, some mailboxes are owned and maintained by the USPS, typically cluster boxes, but this is referring to mailboxes purchased…
Dominick Pastore
- 363
- 1
- 2
- 7
24
votes
2 answers
What would happen if Protagoras v Euathlus were heard in court today?
So, I was browsing Wikipedia today, and I came across this article, detailing a lawsuit in Ancient Greece. Basically, what had occurred was that a man, Protagoras, had entered into a contract with another, Euathlus, to provide him with training in…
nick012000
- 1,707
- 11
- 23
24
votes
6 answers
First amendment and employment: Can a police department terminate an officer for speech?
The following article from CNN describes a Michigan police officer being put on administrative leave for having KKK material at his home: https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/10/us/michigan-officer-placed-on-leave-kkk-document-house/index.html. The materials…
user27343
- 528
- 6
- 21
24
votes
1 answer
Is presenting a play showing Military characters in a bad light a crime in the US? Or does the First Admendment prevent this?
This is a followup to Is it illegal to wear military surplus clothing?
US Law 10 USC 771 provides that only members of the US military may wear:
...the uniform, or a distinctive part of the uniform, of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine…
David Siegel
- 113,558
- 10
- 204
- 404