Possible libel in my authored book

[emkell]

I have recently completed a book I am attempting to publish. It covers my failed age discrimination suit against my former employer. It went to Fed Dist Court, Court of Appeals, then US Supreme Court. Over the course I had 4 attorneys. They all said I had great evidence. But in court my case failed. Judges seemed disinterested and said I had no convincing evidence. I wanted desperately to get my case to jury trial but I lost in summary judgment. I lost several years of income and benefits and even lost my severance pay because I had filed my complaint. My lawyers made mistakes and could have made a greater effort. My book describes my terrible experience at the hands of my supervisor. I was the oldest in the dept. In downsizing they eliminated our dept and after a short while reinstated it and hired everyone back except me. My book also describes where lawyers let me down, and gives advice to readers as to how they can avoid the same types of attorney mistakes. I have changed the company name and all names in the book to a void finger-pointing. But if someone wants to check they could find in the record the names I am undoubtedly referring to. I am ready to publish but want to know if free speech and the changing of all names will protect me against libel from the people involved. It amazed me only recently to find that the Supreme Court just made a unanimous decision (2 yrs after my case) that discrimination plaintiffs need not have to provide specific hard evidence, but rather provide only some evidence that bias could have existed, and that interpretation of the validity of the evidence is best left to a jury. Is my book libelous, am I running a risk in publishing it?

 

[lawrat]

I am a law school graduate. What I offer is mere information, not to be construed as forming an attorney client relationship.

I am sure by now you know what libel is all about. You need to make sure every single fact, statement, opinion disguised as fact you mention in your book can be backed up with hard evidence as to its validity.

Simple example: i can't believe she wore that green striped dress -- how ugly on her.

Do you have a picture to show it was a green striped dress she wore? Can you feel safe to say ugly on her is just opinion and not opinion disguised as fact?


I know it is simplified, but that is what you need to make sure you do not have in there.

Also, it would have to be proven this book was intended to damage these specific people's reputations and they are identifiable by mere descriptions of them or surrounding circumstances.