The Open Law Guide editorial team writes the site's plain-English guides to everyday legal problems, for readers in many different countries. We explain how the law usually works, flag where it tends to differ from place to place, and keep every guide practical. Our guides are general information, not legal advice.
10 guidesLosing a job without warning knocks the wind out of you. Here's what to ask for, what not to sign in a hurry, and how to protect your options while you work out what actually happened.
Your deposit is still your money. Here's what a landlord can and can't take it for, how to prove the state you left the place in, and how to push back when the deductions don't add up.
The hours after an arrest move slowly and feel chaotic, but what you say and do early on can shape everything that follows. Here's how to protect yourself, whatever country you're in.
An unpaid invoice is one of the most common headaches in freelance work. Here's a step-by-step way to chase the money, from the polite nudge to small claims court, without burning every bridge on the way.
Most adults don't have a will, usually because they think they don't own enough to need one. But a will does far more than hand out money. Here's what it does, what happens without one, and how to get it right.
Missing overtime, mystery deductions, unpaid trial shifts: underpayment is far more common than most people think. Here's how to read your payslip, spot the problems and get back what you're owed.
Noise at 2am, a tree swallowing your garden, a fence that's moved a foot onto your side. Neighbour disputes are stressful because you can't just walk away. Here's how to deal with them without making things worse.
If someone attacks you, the law almost everywhere lets you protect yourself. But there are limits, and they're not always where people expect. Here's how self-defence usually works, and where it stops.
Nobody reads every word of every contract. But a handful of clauses cause most of the regret: auto-renewals, liability caps, non-competes and a few others. Here's what to look for and what to ask.
Most separations never go near a courtroom, and the decisions made in the first few months shape almost everything that follows. Here's how to protect yourself, your children and your finances while keeping the peace.
