Ask us; it's cheaper than a lawyer

[snopes]

Comment: I HAVE A QUESTION, I HAVE TRYED TO FIND THE ANSWER BUT CAN'T. IS COMMON LAW MARRAGE LEGAL IN MICHIGAN OR NOT, I KNOW A COUPLE OF COUPLES WHO LIVE AS COMMON LAW MARRAGE PEOPLE AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF IT IS LEGAL IN MICHIGAN INCASE I DECIDE TO DO THE SAMETHING, THANKS FOR YOUR HELP, I WAS TOLD IF I NEED TO KNOW THE FACTS TO COME TO YOU, SO I'M HOPING YOU CAN ANSWER THIS FOR ME AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE

[One-Fang]

Well it's hardly going to be illegal. I guess they're just asking if they can score half their girlfriend's stuff after a few years together.

[franjava]

...Without having to buy her a pretty ring, no less.

[Johnny Slick]

Actually, it is illegal and punishable by death. Why do you think Saddam was hanged?

[KathyB]

Even cheaper:
Go to Google
Type Common Law Marriage Michigan
Find MANUAL ON MICHIGAN MARRIAGE LAW from the Michigan Bar Asociation.
Scroll down to "Common Law Marriage."
Find out that in 1957, it was abolished & you have to do the whole "get married" thing.

Even where common-law marriage is still recognized, there are very specific requirements which must be met in order for a relationship to qualify for the status. You don't have a common-law marriage just because you say so.

[snopes]

Comment: A friend of mine was injured at an Indian casino can she sue the
casino. we were told you can't sue.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by snopes

Comment: A friend of mine was injured at an Indian casino can she sue the casino. we were told you can't sue.

But you can mary jane.



Seaboe

[snopes]

Comment: Hello, this is about "squatters rights in Texas" my husband has
lived on 30 acres (austin county) since 1994, he along with his parents
bought the land but he made payments 94-97, 2 months before his father
died(8/97) an attorney talked him into putting the land in a Family L P
which 5 other siblings plus mom and dad were all partners; Mom and Dad
being the GP's. In 99 the attorneys told my husband to stop making
payments and let the FLP make them, so he did, but continued to live
here(mother lived in Houston)the attorney had a waiver created in 99 for
all the children to sign agreeing that one day in the future that my
husband could buy the property and they all agreed upon a set price of
141K. The 141 involves a barn, land and a mobile home that my husband
purchased himself. the land and barn were paid for from husbands $,
mothers $ and FLP.He has all this time lived here made improvements and
has started to build an apt for himself and me in the upper part of barn
to get out of this mobile home! in oct 03 my mother in law ousted a son
out of a co-trustee position of the fathers's trust because she wanted to
sell her house in Houston and build a home out here on the 30 acres like
she and her husband had planned to do but he died...so she preceded to do
so against him but he did NOT hire an attorney to make sure what she was
doing was OK in 2003 or not; he just did nothing. A corp. banking
co-trustee took over with her...Klein BanK aka Amegy bank. so in dec 03
she put the land(doing what att said to do) in my husband name and we
homesteaded, some how they put the land through her revocable living trus
and then she told my husband he did not have to make payments on the land
because of something she has done in her R L T, we are assuming she has
forgiven the note?? anyway the kids have filed suit against her and us and
are saying that they want the land and her house she is own the land in my
husbands name; can they do this? being that we have lived here since 94?
they are saying that my mother in law used moneys that maybe were not
hers? again because we live here and they know this can a judge overturn
this as a homestead and throw us out? If you can shed any light on this
or maybe tell us some rights we have, would appreciate it

[Roadie]

Originally Posted by snopes

If you can shed any light on this
or maybe tell us some rights we have, would appreciate it

I think we're lacking sufficient detail to turn on the light bulb for you. Could you flesh out the story a little more? And please, use a few more acronyms, abbreviations, and pronouns, and for God's sake don't make it more than one paragraph!

[snopes]

Comment: Is it true that if you send in your payment on a bill and they
refuse it and you have proof they refused it, does that mean that the bill
is paid? Since they refused it, then that must mean you don't owe the
debtor anything. I also have another question. If you get one of those
checks from the scammers going around and just check to see if it is
fraudulent and don't cash it or anything, does your name go into some kind
of database that puts you down as a person of suspicion?

[Arriah]

I know once when I was broke but still paying $10 a month on some old bills one of my checks was sent back with a "we never agreed to this payment schedule" letter. I sent it right back with "this is my attempt to pay this debt are you refusing my payment?" letter. They never cashed the check and I never heard from them again (and it never showed up on my credit either) so there's at least anecdotal evidence that the first one could be pulled off. Dunno how many companies will let you get away with that though.

[A Turtle Named Mack]

Originally Posted by Arriah

I know once when I was broke but still paying $10 a month on some old bills one of my checks was sent back with a "we never agreed to this payment schedule" letter. I sent it right back with "this is my attempt to pay this debt are you refusing my payment?" letter. They never cashed the check and I never heard from them again (and it never showed up on my credit either) so there's at least anecdotal evidence that the first one could be pulled off. Dunno how many companies will let you get away with that though.

There isa big difference between the creditor dropping the issue and a person being legally entitled to call the debt satisfied/concluded. If you make a payment other than according to the terms of your agreement, then the creditor has the right to reject the payment and demand payment according to the agreement. Many will work out new terms with you if you have come on harder times - this is called a 'novation.' However, in general, a creditor will not reject a payment made according to the established terms, and a payment that does not comply will not obviate the obligations under the contract and such payment may actually cause all payments to be accelerated, depending on the contract.

[Arriah]

Oh, definitely. I'm sure they could have come after me legally if they'd wanted to. I had no way to pay them and I was in another state and the amount was pretty small. I'm willing to bet that they just decided it wasn't worth the trouble.

[A Turtle Named Mack]

Originally Posted by Arriah

Oh, definitely. I'm sure they could have come after me legally if they'd wanted to. I had no way to pay them and I was in another state and the amount was pretty small. I'm willing to bet that they just decided it wasn't worth the trouble.

I suspected you knew that, but it would be a shame for someone to come on Snopes and get the impression that this was a way to get out of their debts. I try not to think of just the person I am responding to, but also all the other readers that may visit.

[snopes]

Comment: I and my (7) siblings are to receive a substantial inheritance in early
2008 from our 6th great grandfather and we have heard that by my Dad who
is the 5th generation being deceased that we would only receive 50% versus
my dad's siblings that are yet living receiving 100%.
So, do you know if this is true or not?

[A Turtle Named Mack]

Originally Posted by snopes

Comment: I and my (7) siblings are to receive a substantial inheritance in early
2008 from our 6th great grandfather and we have heard that by my Dad who
is the 5th generation being deceased that we would only receive 50% versus
my dad's siblings that are yet living receiving 100%.
So, do you know if this is true or not?

It depends on your or your great-grandfather's state or province (or other jurisdiction). A general inheritance could be split equally amongst all eligible recipients. Or it could be split in a sort of generational cascade: your aunts/uncles would split equally with all those of the same generation who have living decendents, and your father's share (if he is deceased) would be split among his children equally. There are other variations as well, but these are the typical sorts of arrangmenets. Of course, a will can vary the distriubtion in a lot of ways, although there are often ways for certain people, especially a widow/widower, to take a share 'against the will.'

[snopes]

Comment: My Annual Home Owners Assoication meeting is coming up soon. Our
by laws says you can not raise the dues by more than by 10% per year
without majority voting by the owners. Our property manager has taken the
insurance line item out of the budget in the amount of 70K so there fore
out dues drop from 280 per month to 250 per month. Then they have have
done a quarterly insurance assessment of 437.50 per quarter which amounts
to $109.36 per month more. Add the $250.00 and $109.36 equals $359.36 per
month. this is an increase of $79.36 which is more than the 10% allowed by
our by laws. I don"t know where she got her account degree, but account
education says you can not take the $70K line item from the Buget. It has
to stay in the Budget before it can be voted on. I'm I wright or wrong.
Me and 35 out of 40 home owners. The other 4 owners- of course are board
members. who are blind and can see.

Looking for your reply with text to back me up.

[Johnny Slick]

I'm I wright or wrong.
Me and 35 out of 40 home owners. The other 4 owners- of course are board
members. who are blind and can see.

This is how we got Enron.

[snopes]

Comment: I am writing to inquire about receiving help publishing from your
organisation - the world has yet to hear of my lyrical and poetical talent
! Knowing of your expertise and excellent reputation in this field, I
wondered if, perhaps, you would able to assist in my endeavours - I hope
to advertise on the www. with a view to selling my work. If not too
inconvenient could you please advise me on the following :

1. Copyright - how do I stop people plagurising my ideas without pay yet
advertise suitably enough for musicians to want to buy my poetry as song
lyrics ?
2. Access - how do I reach as many people as possible, in the right fields
?
3. Marketing - how do I best market these song lyrics / poems at least
cost ? appropriately ?
4. Purchasing cost - do I charge

a) per song ? per word or per page ? When you "sell" a song - do you have
any creative rights over it whatsoever, or is it now solely then the
property of the purchaser ?
b) for log on and access to the web site (which presumably will cut down
the number of visitations and potential customers ?).

5. Musicians - what do they usually do - design the music or the lyrics
for each song primarily ? do they commission or get offered work ? is most
contacts made by word of mouth and recommendation. How do I best promote
my work to songwriters/musicians ? Do you perhaps have any contact details
that may help ?

I would be pleased for you to peruse some of my work and make editorial
comment on their suitability, if not too inconvenient, advising me on how
to best proceed with this artistic and enterpreneurial project. Do you
perhaps know anyone who could help ?

I look forward to hearing from you.