Jury Awards $11 Million for Internet Defamation

dptalia writes "A woman in Florida has been awarded $11.3 million dollars in a defamation case. Apparently the defendant was unhappy with the plaintiff's referral service and posted complaints all over the internet. In a chilling slap at free speech, the jury decided that not only was this illegal, but that it was worth over $11 million. The defendant can't pay the judgement — she can't even pay for an attorney. The plaintiff says she doesn't care, but sued for the principle of the thing."

Comments

Sudden Manners

[loteck]

I'm betting there's going to be a lot of very polite and respectful replies in this story's thread.

Re:Sudden Manners

[bloatboy]

Parent is obviously a Naz^H^H^H fine person deserving of being modded up.

Re:Lawers always Win without a tight grip

[fireboy1919]

While loosed lawyers are much more powerful than chained ones, the chained ones are safer.

Even if the other side looses their lawyer, like the parent says - the lawyers are the only ones who win if they're loosed.

If you keep control of them, they won't be able to bite you, and you stand a chance of coming out ahead. It may even be possible to win even if the other side has loosed their lawyers.

Another good tip is to remember to spade or neuter your lawyer to help reduce the number of strays.

Re:Lawers always Win. Even when both sides loose.

[Dexx]

"People are using the Internet to destroy people they don't like, and you can't do that."
Yeah - use lawyers instead.

Re:Lawers always Win without a tight grip

[Quaoar]

Another good tip is to remember to spade or neuter your lawyer to help reduce the number of strays.

This is even better than performing an operation on them to prevent them from reproducing! I think we should spade all lawyers immediately.

Re:Lawers always Win. Even when both sides loose.

[fubar1971]

That is why I post everything as an AC..... Aw sh*t I forgot to log out before I clicked Submit....

Re:Lawers always Win. Even when both sides loose.

[bitt3n]

Contrary to popular opinion, lawyers don't run around filing lawsuits in their own names. They have clients. Clients are the ones who decide whether or not to sue. Might as well blame the post office for delivering junk mail. Maybe the problem isn't with lawyers, but with the people who hire them.

absolutely. that's the same response I give to the idiots who disparage my chosen profession of 'contract killer'. My clients are the ones who decide whether or not to kill. There's no need to shoot the messenger.

PS. If you ever decide that there is a need to shoot the messenger, I'm you're guy.