Should I Cover My Father's Expenses After He Gets Out of Prison?
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My father was recently incarcerated for a felony, and now he expects me to pay his fines and fees. But I don't feel obligated to help him out. Here's why.
I have power of attorney over my father's finances while he's in prison, but I believe he can cover his own expenses without bankrupting himself. I don't think it's fair that I should have to use my own money to bail him out.
Although I make more money than most of my family members, I don't think that means I have to financially support my father. My husband, mother, and siblings all agree with me on this.
よろしくお願いします
My father was recently incarcerated for a short period of time after being convicted of a felony. He was completely guilty and I have no problem with him being locked up for it. The problem is that he now expects me to pay the fines he owes as part of his sentence, attorneys fees, etc. after he gets out. I paid quite a bit of money to attend his sentencing from the other side of the country, and got all his affairs in order for him. My father and I are not close and never have been; he was completely uninterested in being a father, and call me petty but I don’t feel like bailing him out. He never paid child support, and we lived hand-to-mouth for many years because of it. I have power of attorney over his finances while he’s in prison, and while he’s hardly wealthy, I know he can cover his fines and other monthly expenses without bankrupting himself. The problem is that I make more money than just about everyone in my immediate and extended family, so virtually everyone believes I should cover him because I can afford to. My husband, mother, and siblings fully support me in this and believe I shouldn’t have to justify why I won’t spend my money on my father.
sentencingはどのような意味でしょうか？あと、got all his affairs in order for himはどのような意味でしょうか？あと、have power of attorney over his financesとはどういうことでしょうか？あと、cover his finesとcover himはどのような意味でしょうか？あと、shouldn’t have to justifyはどのような意味でしょうか？よろしくお願いします
"sentencing" 「（裁判官が被告に）判決 / 量刑を言い渡す」です。
"got his affairs in order for him" 「彼の身の回りの整理（世話）をする」でしょう。 https://eow.alc.co.jp/search?q=get+one%27s+affairs+in+order
"have power of attorney over his finances" 「彼の財産について代理権を有している」でしょう。つまり、父親が刑務所に入っている間、彼の財産に関し代理人として法的な管理権限を持っている、ということだと思います。
"(he can) cover his fines" 「（父親は）彼（自身）の罰金を負担できる」
"(I should) cover him" 「（わたしが）彼の（罰金や月々に発生する費用等を）負担すべきである（と周りから思われている）」
"I shouldn't have to justify" 「私は正当化（弁明）する必要はない」 つまり、話者が比較的裕福なので、周りの人たちは当然のごとく話者が、父親の罰金や月々の費用等を負担すべきだと思っています。しかし話者にそのような意向は一切ありません。幸い話者の夫や母、子供たちは話者の気持ちを理解しており、従って、夫や子供たちは、話者の（父親の罰金等を負担しないという）態度を、（父親の罰金等を負担すべきだと主張する）周りの人たちに、敢えて正当化（弁明）する必要はないと言ってくれているのです。
お礼
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