True costs of Online Defamation Case and is it worth pursuing

[tonim]

I am back

Hi Quincy ,

Had a quick question for you? What is meant by term "Outside Professional Services" What is included in it and as clients do we get details as to what they are since my monthly invoice has those charges as part of disbursements and they are really high as compared to some administrative costs. Need to know what they are and as clients do we get to see details regarding those? Is it alright if I request details on those?

Moreover, I am in a dilemma once again and I pretty much know your reply but perhaps you can guide me in right direction. My lawyer and the other party's attorney had some discussions about settlement. Unfortunately, my lawyer's invoice says two and a half hrs of discussion with the other party's attorney regarding settlement but he doesn't have any update or details about what discussion he had. Basically it is becoming very difficult to extract information from these guys. They don't keep me in the loop. I am completely in the dark here. All I get is an invoice which has activities with Mr X , Y & Z and the hours allocated. However, I am not getting updates or progress reports. I have requested those but after lots of follow-ups I get conference call which most of the items are like yea we will check it out and follow up and get back to you etc. What could be the case that my attorney is in contact with other party's attorney more than a month ago but failed to give me any update.

These defamation cases are like a big black hole. Lets say if subpoena is issued to multiple websites how long does it take them to get back or what happens next. Is there a time frame. I have asked these questions but I dont get a reply from my team.

Finally, most important thing is that, lets say if I let go of my team because of the reasons you know by now. What happens next. Can a next guy pick up from where they left or they have to start from scratch? What kind of charges am I liable for once I terminate their service. Also, what happens to the case that these guys filed. Does it gets cancelled or transferred to new guy? Any charges that I should be aware of. I am seriously thinking how long can I manage this behavior. The monthly payments are like 2 mortgages to me and I have no idea where my case it and what is the update? Even after numerous attempts to extract this information looks like my guys are too busy and have commitment set somewhere else. Is it the norm in such cases? I am not a difficult customer. I only expect updates once a month. Is it too much to ask? I know there wont be any recommendation but can you atleast tell me how to come of this situation. It is like I jumped out of fire right into the frying pan.

Please let me know because I think I have hit rock bottom here. I am basically getting no updates, feedback etc from my team even after dedicated conference call 2 months ago. All I get is monthly invoice. This is not the way I like to be treated as a customer and I am not picky at all. Please assist me.

 

[tonim]

Nude photos of anyone will generally get removed more quickly than defamatory material for a couple of reasons.

One reason is that photos have copyright holders who can file DMCA takedown notices to get the photos removed from their places online rather rapidly.

Another reason is that it often takes a court to determine if what is said is defamatory or not (rather than truth or opinion). Most websites are reluctant to infringe on the rights of people to say what they want (the whole "free speech" thing), but nude photos are pretty easy to recognize for what they are.

But, yes, celebrities and other famous people definitely have the advantage of money, which can wield a lot of power over those without. Any threat of a lawsuit will be taken more seriously because the recipient of such a threat knows that the wealthy among us have the ability to fund a lawsuit.

This is so true. I filed DMCA takedown and wasted $300 but google did not remove fake blogs under my name even though my picture which was taken from my phone was used against my will. Provided it wasn't nude but still google is pretty adamant. The web marketing and online branding folks have given up. They can't push those videos and blogs down the search order. It is a shame. I wish like Europe we had an option of disappearing from web search history, half of my issues will be solved and hence no need for a law suit to begin with.

I guess money talks and all the laws are to favor rich and famous only and the agencies...

 

[quincy]

Hi Quincy ,

Had a quick question for you? What is meant by term "Outside Professional Services" What is included in it and as clients do we get details as to what they are since my monthly invoice has those charges as part of disbursements and they are really high as compared to some administrative costs. Need to know what they are and as clients do we get to see details regarding those? Is it alright if I request details on those?

Outside professional services are used when what is needed is outside the range of an attorney's practice. For example, if investigative work is needed, a private detective may be hired by the attorney, or if computer analysis is needed, a computer forensic expert may be hired by the attorney.

It is all right for you to ask for any charge billed to you to be detailed. Some attorneys are better than others at providing their clients with detailed invoices. It is not unreasonable, however, for you to expect your attorney to explain his costs when you are paying for them.

Moreover, I am in a dilemma once again and I pretty much know your reply but perhaps you can guide me in right direction. My lawyer and the other party's attorney had some discussions about settlement. Unfortunately, my lawyer's invoice says two and a half hrs of discussion with the other party's attorney regarding settlement but he doesn't have any update or details about what discussion he had. Basically it is becoming very difficult to extract information from these guys. They don't keep me in the loop. I am completely in the dark here. All I get is an invoice which has activities with Mr X , Y & Z and the hours allocated. However, I am not getting updates or progress reports. I have requested those but after lots of follow-ups I get conference call which most of the items are like yea we will check it out and follow up and get back to you etc. What could be the case that my attorney is in contact with other party's attorney more than a month ago but failed to give me any update.

If settlement terms are being discussed but there is no agreement between the parties yet, the attorney may not have anything of worth to report. It is somewhat encouraging that there have been settlement talks, even if no settlement is to the point where your attorney can present it to you for consideration.

These defamation cases are like a big black hole. Lets say if subpoena is issued to multiple websites how long does it take them to get back or what happens next. Is there a time frame. I have asked these questions but I dont get a reply from my team.

There can be all sorts of reasons why times will vary in responses to subpoenas. Motions to quash may be filed and must be considered, for example, and this takes time. I would like to think that your attorney will let you know when there is anything of value to report.

Finally, most important thing is that, lets say if I let go of my team because of the reasons you know by now. What happens next. Can a next guy pick up from where they left or they have to start from scratch? What kind of charges am I liable for once I terminate their service. Also, what happens to the case that these guys filed. Does it gets cancelled or transferred to new guy? Any charges that I should be aware of. I am seriously thinking how long can I manage this behavior. The monthly payments are like 2 mortgages to me and I have no idea where my case it and what is the update? Even after numerous attempts to extract this information looks like my guys are too busy and have commitment set somewhere else. Is it the norm in such cases? I am not a difficult customer. I only expect updates once a month. Is it too much to ask? I know there wont be any recommendation but can you atleast tell me how to come of this situation. It is like I jumped out of fire right into the frying pan.

You can generally dismiss your attorney (there are exceptions to this) and hire a new attorney to take over where the old attorney left off. The new attorney will request all case files from your first attorney. When a case is as involved as yours is, it can take some time for the new attorney to review the facts of your case and to understand exactly where you are in the case and where you still need to go. You will be paying for this time.

You will also be responsible for taking care of all billings from the former attorney. For awhile, therefore, you can probably expect to be paying for the services of two attorneys.

You really need to consider carefully at this point in your case whether changing attorneys is wise. Did you ever make an appointment with your current attorney to discuss the questions you have about your case?

Please let me know because I think I have hit rock bottom here. I am basically getting no updates, feedback etc from my team even after dedicated conference call 2 months ago. All I get is monthly invoice. This is not the way I like to be treated as a customer and I am not picky at all. Please assist me.

I can only repeat what I have said before - defamation actions tend to take a long time and they are almost always expensive actions to pursue. You know your limits (both your financial limits and your tolerance/patience limits) and so the decision on what to do remains with you.

Good luck.

 

[tonim]

Quincy,

As usual thanks for your input.

I am trying to understand that there has to be some sort of update once 6-8 subpoenas have been filed 3 months ago. Now once again I am not getting any updates from my team and my assumptions are purely based on me reading the content of my invoice. Looks like some websites are directing their request to some online legal contact procedure. One would think after 3 months of getting notified, there has to be something which is happening.

Unfortunately, there have been no settlement talks. When the other party inquired via their attorney if we were interested in settlement, they never did discuss anything else after that. Atleast nothing that I am aware of. I presented my emotional and medical reasoning to my attorney but he didn't seem interested in taking those seriously. I have a feeling that the other party wants to take their sweet time once they realized we are interested in settlement as well. These updates are from August.

I did schedule that call early last month. Got 20 mins of time from attorney but most of his replies were we will follow-up and check on this and that and unfortunately didn't get a concrete answer of yes or when from him. Basically it was a waste of time. Interestingly i got charged for this 20 min discussion as 220 min discussion by mentioning conference call was made to the other party's attorney as well. But no updates. I would reckon in those 2 hrs something had to be discussed but it wasn't informed to me.

What are the merits for motions to quash a subpoena. Since it is filed under John Doe, there has to be a good reason for the defendant to come forward and try to quash it? Also when such motions are filed what are the options for plaintiff

So far these websites have not taken down the content. It is annoying because you would imagine with court order atleast they would take it down. As a matter of fact some of the links and videos have moved up the results. It is really a shame.

I am basically stuck. The guys who are working with me are billing me promptly but I am not getting any updates. I repeatedly send them requests for further details or case status but they barely get back to me. Should i send these requests in written or via email? I have been doing it via email. I don't think I am in a position to switch since you mentioned important points about paying 2 firms. I am in a loose loose situation.
Is there a way I back out and close this case? What are the steps/costs involved? and how long does it take? I might have to do that in next 3-4 months because I can't continue with these high payments and having zero updates from my legal team. I don't mind paying the money if I am kept in loop regarding progress but so far so one has done it. If I have to schedule 20 min call every month to get updates and then end up being charged 220 mins and still my questions have not been answered then I guess I might as well forget about any updates. Lets say if I get rid of my team and don't hire anyone. Does my case get automatically dismissed???

 

[FamilyGirl]

Interesting thread. I'm sure quincy could probably clarify how the websites go about serving the subpoena, but I'm willing to bet this could prove to be a difficult process. Think about the requirements to sign up here at FA. If I came on here and slandered a company and never returned again, how would the web server contact me regarding the subpoena? They have my email, which I could ignore or could have only created for a little drive by libel and then deserted. They have my IP, but I would assume the ISP has to identify the account holder. The web site can't really do this without going through the ISP. Then, just because you have an IP address, doesn't mean you have the defamer pinned. It could be a public computer. It could be the guy next door stealing his unsuspecting neighbors Wi-Fi. This could slow things up a bit, but I could also be wrong. I can't imagine its too easy of a process. This could be the reason for the delay. People in the "real world" are able to dodge being served subpoenas if they know its coming to them.

 

[quincy]

Quincy,

As usual thanks for your input.

I am trying to understand that there has to be some sort of update once 6-8 subpoenas have been filed 3 months ago. Now once again I am not getting any updates from my team and my assumptions are purely based on me reading the content of my invoice. Looks like some websites are directing their request to some online legal contact procedure. One would think after 3 months of getting notified, there has to be something which is happening.

I do not know what the status is of the subpoenas issued on the websites. This is another question that your attorney needs to answer for you. If the subpoenas were issued three months ago, I think it is safe to say that SOMEthing has happened with them. But I don't know what.

Unfortunately, there have been no settlement talks. When the other party inquired via their attorney if we were interested in settlement, they never did discuss anything else after that. Atleast nothing that I am aware of. I presented my emotional and medical reasoning to my attorney but he didn't seem interested in taking those seriously. I have a feeling that the other party wants to take their sweet time once they realized we are interested in settlement as well. These updates are from August.

You could be right that the other party is acting to delay things, for any number of reasons, but possibly because there might be some hope your money and patience will run out before theirs. As long as there is legal support for the delays, there is not much you can do.

I did schedule that call early last month. Got 20 mins of time from attorney but most of his replies were we will follow-up and check on this and that and unfortunately didn't get a concrete answer of yes or when from him. Basically it was a waste of time. Interestingly i got charged for this 20 min discussion as 220 min discussion by mentioning conference call was made to the other party's attorney as well. But no updates. I would reckon in those 2 hrs something had to be discussed but it wasn't informed to me.

If you feel you are not getting straight answers from your attorney, you might want to consult with another attorney in your area for a review.

What are the merits for motions to quash a subpoena. Since it is filed under John Doe, there has to be a good reason for the defendant to come forward and try to quash it? Also when such motions are filed what are the options for plaintiff

There can be a variety of reasons for a defendant to file a motion to quash a subpoena. Preservation of anonymity is just one.

So far these websites have not taken down the content. It is annoying because you would imagine with court order atleast they would take it down. As a matter of fact some of the links and videos have moved up the results. It is really a shame.

Most speech is protected. A website will (generally) comply with a court order to remove material from the site, but a court will rarely issue such an order until the case is heard and the material is judged defamatory (or otherwise in violation of some law).

I am basically stuck. The guys who are working with me are billing me promptly but I am not getting any updates. I repeatedly send them requests for further details or case status but they barely get back to me. Should i send these requests in written or via email? I have been doing it via email. I don't think I am in a position to switch since you mentioned important points about paying 2 firms. I am in a loose loose situation.

I can understand your frustration. Because I don't know all that is going on with your case or what your attorney is doing to further your interests, I don't know what to tell you, tonim. As to contacting your attorney, all emails or letters or phone calls that your attorney must read or listen to that relate to your case will (generally) be billed to you. An attorney can keep his client's costs down by limiting contacts to those times when contact is necessary, but an attorney cannot limit the number of emails or letters or calls the client makes. I don't know if your attorney is trying to help you keep costs down by not responding to all of your questions or whether he does not have answers yet to all of your questions. I just don't know.

Is there a way I back out and close this case? What are the steps/costs involved? and how long does it take? I might have to do that in next 3-4 months because I can't continue with these high payments and having zero updates from my legal team. I don't mind paying the money if I am kept in loop regarding progress but so far so one has done it. If I have to schedule 20 min call every month to get updates and then end up being charged 220 mins and still my questions have not been answered then I guess I might as well forget about any updates. Lets say if I get rid of my team and don't hire anyone. Does my case get automatically dismissed???

Yes, there is a way to back out and close the case. You say you no longer want to pursue any action against the defendants and you dismiss the case against them. But all of the questions you ask above are really good ones to ask your attorney.

If your attorney knows you are so unhappy with being kept "out of the loop," and being charged for items that are not detailed on the invoice, that you are considering dropping the case entirely, he may be more willing to sit down with you to fill you in on all that you need to know. Or you can have everything reviewed by another attorney, to see if your case is proceeding as it should. I have mentioned before that defamation suits are extremely costly and can take years instead of months to reach a conclusion.

Although I wish you luck in whatever you decide to do at this point, tonim, I am afraid I am not in a position to advise you on what you SHOULD do. I can only outline some of your options. Which option is best for you is something you will need to determine for yourself.

 

[quincy]

Interesting thread. I'm sure quincy could probably clarify how the websites go about serving the subpoena, but I'm willing to bet this could prove to be a difficult process. Think about the requirements to sign up here at FA. If I came on here and slandered a company and never returned again, how would the web server contact me regarding the subpoena? They have my email, which I could ignore or could have only created for a little drive by libel and then deserted. They have my IP, but I would assume the ISP has to identify the account holder. The web site can't really do this without going through the ISP. Then, just because you have an IP address, doesn't mean you have the defamer pinned. It could be a public computer. It could be the guy next door stealing his unsuspecting neighbors Wi-Fi. This could slow things up a bit, but I could also be wrong. I can't imagine its too easy of a process. This could be the reason for the delay. People in the "real world" are able to dodge being served subpoenas if they know its coming to them.

You are right that it is an involved process and it can take time and delays can happen along the way. It is not always a straight line between two points. But it is relatively streamlined process now after years of legal actions involving online infringement and privacy invasion and defamation.

It is the rare person, in other words, who can remain anonymous for long and who will not eventually have to answer for his/her illegal activities online.

 

[tonim]

You are right that it is an involved process and it can take time and delays can happen along the way. It is not always a straight line between two points. But it is relatively streamlined process now after years of legal actions involving online infringement and privacy invasion and defamation.

It is the rare person, in other words, who can remain anonymous for long and who will not eventually have to answer for his/her illegal activities online.

Flowergirl is right.I am not a techie but I know for a fact that a professional person can mask their ip or get the job done outside of US in a country which doesn't have much regulations and monitoring or can sit at a public hotspot and post all these information. In my case a person actually hired a latin american girl (based on her accent) to post a video accusing me of all kind of abuse and work related harassment etc. This video has pictures from my fb profile and other private events which where were leaked by my own sibling who had access to private wedding photos etc. I was even told by my sibling that it is not worth pursuing this person because he has literally wiped out small business competitors with such tactics. Basically he has done it multiple times. If it was so easy for me to get this persons information from my sibling I won't be here but long story short, the person has experience doing it to multiple people. He has the financial resources to play delay tactics via his attorney and so on. I am seriously beginning to think that unless I get help from law enforcement agencies (which I won't) there is no way he could be caught especially with the legal process being in favor of such people.

I am not an expert in laws regarding this but I believe things are straight forward if you know the identity of the person and have proof who did it. In that case it is a no brainer. But in cases where poster's identity is not known, there is not much which could be done.

 

[quincy]

Flowergirl is right.I am not a techie but I know for a fact that a professional person can mask their ip or get the job done outside of US in a country which doesn't have much regulations and monitoring or can sit at a public hotspot and post all these information. In my case a person actually hired a latin american girl (based on her accent) to post a video accusing me of all kind of abuse and work related harassment etc. This video has pictures from my fb profile and other private events which where were leaked by my own sibling who had access to private wedding photos etc. I was even told by my sibling that it is not worth pursuing this person because he has literally wiped out small business competitors with such tactics. Basically he has done it multiple times. If it was so easy for me to get this persons information from my sibling I won't be here but long story short, the person has experience doing it to multiple people. He has the financial resources to play delay tactics via his attorney and so on. I am seriously beginning to think that unless I get help from law enforcement agencies (which I won't) there is no way he could be caught especially with the legal process being in favor of such people.

I am not an expert in laws regarding this but I believe things are straight forward if you know the identity of the person and have proof who did it. In that case it is a no brainer. But in cases where poster's identity is not known, there is not much which could be done.

Actually, FamilyGirl is right that pursuing an anonymous internet poster can be difficult (and I was sort of waiting for this thread to take this direction ), but saying that there is not much that can be done about an anonymous internet poster is not right.

Here is a link to an American Bar Association analysis from 2013 on "Unmasking Anonymous Internet Posters," written by Samuel J. Morley, Florida Press Association General Counsel.

http://www.americanbar.org/publications/communications_lawyer/2013/november/unmasking_anonymous_internet_posters_can_civil_procedure_rules_protect_online_speech.html

Although there are ways for an anonymous internet poster to delay his/her unmasking, there are very few ways that the anonymous internet poster can defeat his/her unmasking if the internet poster has violated a law. However, a lot can depend on the time and the effort and the money one wishes to expend in pursuing the anonymous poster.

You appear to have reached the point where you are running out of money and patience, so you have the option of ending your case now. Not everyone wants to invest what is necessary in a defamation action. These are notoriously expensive legal actions and they can eat up a lot of one's life as the case works its way through the legal system. Those whose reputations have been severely harmed by what has been posted, however, often feel it is worth it.

No one, in other words, should be confident that their identity is safe from discovery or disclosure.

 

[tonim]

I do not know what the status is of the subpoenas issued on the websites. This is another question that your attorney needs to answer for you. If the subpoenas were issued three months ago, I think it is safe to say that SOMEthing has happened with them. But I don't know what.


You could be right that the other party is acting to delay things, for any number of reasons, but possibly because there might be some hope your money and patience will run out before theirs. As long as there is legal support for the delays, there is not much you can do.

Actually at this point I am unhappy with the service I am receive from my legal team. Being an individual and paying that sort of money every month is tolerable considering what I have indulged myself into but the lack of updates and open communication is what bothers me. I feel as if they know they are getting paid every month, they don't really care about fighting for my settlement. There is no vested interest for them to pursue these talks.

If you feel you are not getting straight answers from your attorney, you might want to consult with another attorney in your area for a review.

I think since the case is bit complicated no attorney would just jump in and offer review. It will be time consuming and as you mentioned I would be paying two guys. Worse case, I might as well do that but I need to find the right one this time.

There can be a variety of reasons for a defendant to file a motion to quash a subpoena. Preservation of anonymity is just one.

I need to understand why a person would like to maintain anonymity when he is being accused of wrongly spread lies and rumors online. Its like defendant trying to be anonymous when they are being accused of a crime...

Most speech is protected. A website will (generally) comply with a court order to remove material from the site, but a court will rarely issue such an order until the case is heard and the material is judged defamatory (or otherwise in violation of some law).

So what do you think the subpoenas issued in my case include? I read the details mentioned in it and it sounded as if it was a protest or alleged denial of the posts mentioned regarding me.

I can understand your frustration. Because I don't know all that is going on with your case or what your attorney is doing to further your interests, I don't know what to tell you, tonim. As to contacting your attorney, all emails or letters or phone calls that your attorney must read or listen to that relate to your case will (generally) be billed to you. An attorney can keep his client's costs down by limiting contacts to those times when contact is necessary, but an attorney cannot limit the number of emails or letters or calls the client makes. I don't know if your attorney is trying to help you keep costs down by not responding to all of your questions or whether he does not have answers yet to all of your questions. I just don't know.

Quincy, I am contacting my attorney once a month when I receive invoice from last month. I am not sending emails letters to him every day or week. You would think a person who on an average is paying $$$$ amount a month would mind spending couple of hundred bucks an hr if he gets the right answers. Ethically, I would expect them to provide me these details and answer to my queries along with the fee they are charging but its a shame that I have to extract this information from them and even then they don't have clear answers. Btw they are not helping me keep the costs down. It is obvious. Trust me.

Yes, there is a way to back out and close the case. You say you no longer want to pursue any action against the defendants and you dismiss the case against them. But all of the questions you ask above are really good ones to ask your attorney.

If your attorney knows you are so unhappy with being kept "out of the loop," and being charged for items that are not detailed on the invoice, that you are considering dropping the case entirely, he may be more willing to sit down with you to fill you in on all that you need to know. Or you can have everything reviewed by another attorney, to see if your case is proceeding as it should. I have mentioned before that defamation suits are extremely costly and can take years instead of months to reach a conclusion.

Although I wish you luck in whatever you decide to do at this point, tonim, I am afraid I am not in a position to advise you on what you SHOULD do. I can only outline some of your options. Which option is best for you is something you will need to determine for yourself.

I am not really looking for conclusion. I just to be kept in loop and given updates and that is not happening. Its like l am dumping funds in a big black hole hoping that some day miraculously the results will pop out of no where.
Well I have already addressed these questions with these guys but I have not received satisfactory answer. THats the reason I am coming here and asking these questions but I understand why certain details cannot be mentioned here. It is however ironic that this forum is called free advice but yet we hesitate to give any thing but advice regarding a case...Sorry just ranting. I received lots of valuable input from you rather than my own attorney so that is much appreciated.

 

[tonim]

http://www.americanbar.org/publications/communications_lawyer/2013/november/unmasking_anonymous_internet_posters_can_civil_procedure_rules_protect_online_speech.hmtl
.

sorry link doesnt open?

 

[quincy]

Actually at this point I am unhappy with the service I am receive from my legal team. Being an individual and paying that sort of money every month is tolerable considering what I have indulged myself into but the lack of updates and open communication is what bothers me. I feel as if they know they are getting paid every month, they don't really care about fighting for my settlement. There is no vested interest for them to pursue these talks.



I think since the case is bit complicated no attorney would just jump in and offer review. It will be time consuming and as you mentioned I would be paying two guys. Worse case, I might as well do that but I need to find the right one this time.



I need to understand why a person would like to maintain anonymity when he is being accused of wrongly spread lies and rumors online. Its like defendant trying to be anonymous when they are being accused of a crime...




So what do you think the subpoenas issued in my case include? I read the details mentioned in it and it sounded as if it was a protest or alleged denial of the posts mentioned regarding me.





Quincy, I am contacting my attorney once a month when I receive invoice from last month. I am not sending emails letters to him every day or week. You would think a person who on an average is paying $$$$ amount a month would mind spending couple of hundred bucks an hr if he gets the right answers. Ethically, I would expect them to provide me these details and answer to my queries along with the fee they are charging but its a shame that I have to extract this information from them and even then they don't have clear answers. Btw they are not helping me keep the costs down. It is obvious. Trust me.


I am not really looking for conclusion. I just to be kept in loop and given updates and that is not happening. Its like l am dumping funds in a big black hole hoping that some day miraculously the results will pop out of no where.
Well I have already addressed these questions with these guys but I have not received satisfactory answer. THats the reason I am coming here and asking these questions but I understand why certain details cannot be mentioned here. It is however ironic that this forum is called free advice but yet we hesitate to give any thing but advice regarding a case...Sorry just ranting. I received lots of valuable input from you rather than my own attorney so that is much appreciated.

All that you are asking now is for a repeat of what has already been discussed in your thread, tonim.

I understand your frustration. Defamation suits can be frustrating. But I am not sure at this point what else to tell you. Options have been provided you, and you are the only one who can decide which option works for you.

A forum, in other words, can only do so much for those who come here with questions. I am sorry.

 

[quincy]

The link is fixed, but you can also access the Bar Association Journal article by entering into your search bar, "Unmasking Anonymous Internet Posters: Can Civil Procedure Rules Adequately Protect Online Speech?"

Your position is not an enviable one to be in, tonim, and I wish you much good luck with your current attorney and your defamation suit.