I am an Independent contractor working for a landscape architect. I no longer work for him, and He owes me $5,000 in invoices.

Mr. Leroi is correct. Sue in small claims. A pay-if-paid clause is strictly construed (meaning the courts do not like these). Most importantly,...

She is demanding money? Also, the approval of your parents is irrelevant to the possible criminal act you just committed. The issue here is that...

Is it legal to raise funds from friends and relatives for a specific project without guaranteeing a ROI?

You could do this with the advice of a good securities attorney. Doing this yourself would be financial and legal suicide. Ultimately, you can...

Mr. Leroi provided an excellent answer. Without seeing what was posted no one can tell you if what was said was defamation or not. Facts are not...

Who can I turn to?

I am sorry about the flooding. The flooding has impacted thousands of Colorado families. You can first try to make your demand against the seller....

Splitting the profits of a property with a shared mortgage.

As accurately noted by my colleagues, this is a mess. You should hire an attorney to try to negotiate some resolution and this MUST be in writing...

Can I get out of a rental lease if the house is uninhabitable?

I am sorry for the problems, but if the landlord is repairing the damage to make the unit habitable you will have no right under the statute to...

Do I have ownership over an online forum account?

As noted by Mr. Jaffe, your rights depend on the TOS. That said, absent some extraordinary and frankly incredibly stupid terms, you don't legally...

Is verbal agreement legal and binding in RE transaction

Most likely, no. Under the statute of frauds certain agreements, such as real estate agreements, must in writing to be enforceable. As is always...

I would like to sue an apt complex for not returning my $300 deposit for an apt that was offered, but was not available

That depends on the application terms. Assuming it is clear that this was refundable, you may be able to get that back. See about small claims.