October 2008

Ask Melissa! Relationship Tips for Teens

by Bar News Editor Michael Heatherly

[Editor’s note: Melissa is on vacation this week. Her father, John, an attorney, kindly volunteered to fill in.]

Dear Melissa:
I’m totally in love with this guy I met at camp who looks just like Zac Efron. Seriously! We e-mailed and IM’d for weeks and now he calls me every night and we talk for hours. His voice is so luscious that I secretly recorded it and put it on my iPod! Anyway, although I know he likes me, he hasn’t asked me out on an actual date yet. Should I just ask him out? Or will that make me look pushy?
Sincerely,
Stressed-out Tess

Dear Tess:
I would be remiss not to point out that the Revised Code of Washington Section 9.73.030 expressly prohibits the recording of a telephone conversation without the prior consent of all participants. Given your admission that the recording of your acquaintance’s voice was secret, I must advise you to seek legal counsel immediately. In the meantime, I would recommend initiating no social interaction with this individual, as it might prompt him to seek a no-contact order against you. That could adversely affect everything from your credit record to your ability to find future employment. If you are able to avoid the legal pitfalls inherent in your current situation, I believe you eventually will be able to develop a relationship that will fulfill your romantic needs and comply with applicable laws.
Regards,
John

Dear Melissa:
Our school has a big dance at the end of the month and this smokin’ hot girl said she’d go with me. But I stayed out past curfew last weekend, so now my parents have taken away driving privileges for a month. My date has a car and can drive to the dance. But I don’t want to look like a total wuss riding shotgun. If she lets me drive her car for the night, my parents can’t get mad at me for that, can they?
Sincerely,
Busted Justin

Dear Justin:
Driving a vehicle owned by, and registered to, someone outside your own household raises numerous legal issues involving civil and criminal liability, as well as insurance coverage. I must advise that, before the dance, you and your date seek legal counsel and consult with the auto insurance carriers covering both of your families. You need to thoroughly discuss issues including, but not limited to, the following: a) insurance coverage for non-owned vehicles, b) the family car doctrine, c) permissive use, d) joint and several liability, e) the Washington financial responsibility statute, and f) express versus implied consent. I hope you two kids have a wonderful time at the dance, assuming you are legally cleared to go.
Regards,
John

P.S. You might want to consider taking the bus. However, I would recommend first reviewing the law regarding liability of common carriers.

Dear Melissa:
I can’t stand my mom! We went shopping for school clothes yesterday and they had all these cute skirts and tops out for fall. They would look so good on me now that I lost five pounds and got all tan over the summer. But the only things she’d let me try on were these dresses that hung down to my ankles, and some dorky pants that were, like, from a business suit or something! I can just hear Chloe and all her little fashion tramps unloading on me when I show up for class in that. So, we went home empty-handed, and now I’m ready to kill my mom. Help!
Sincerely,
Cryin’ Kristin

Dear Kristin:
I must advise that it would be indisputably against your legal interests to kill your mom. Aside from the obvious criminal liability, your actions would carry serious implications under civil law as well. For example, Revised Code of Washington Section 11.84 would prohibit you from receiving any property or other benefits from your mother’s estate, if you had caused her death. This also would include proceeds from any life insurance policy she might have. I would suggest instead that you retain counsel to discuss the possibility of undertaking legal emancipation. Be aware, however, that you would sacrifice certain legal protections by doing so. Alternatively, you might try Banana Republic at that new outlet mall. They have some skirts and tops that might be conservative enough for your mom, but still hot enough to keep Chloe’s Botox-bloated mouth shut, if you know what I’m saying.
Regards,
John

Bar News Editor Michael Heatherly practices in Bellingham and welcomes your advice. He can be reached at 360-312-5156 or barnewseditor@wsba.org.