• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

NYS-SLAPP VS Block Club

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

M

MRodgers

Guest
NYWhat is the name of your state? New York

We are a 501 c 3 block club in Western New York that held a meeting regarding the quality of life issues at 5 rooming houses in a three block radius.

We petitioned government to address the issues. We have just gone through trial with the owners of the rooming houses (they wouldn't agree to a gulty plea for the Multiple Dwelling infractions as most folks do) and now are ready to make our statements as concerned neighbors.

However, before housing court started, we received letters from the rooming house attorneies regarding slander and libel threats. We recognized this as SLAPP as the same parties attempted and were successful with a neighborhood group back in the early 1990's.

My question is, their attorney stated he wanted testimony from the neighbors vs statements, allowing him to cross-examine. During a licensure hearing he said to me (four times): "and you published" to which I immediately responded "I did not publish, those were notes for a public meeting of concerned citizens at a public meeting exercising their right to petition government under the First Ammendment laws of the Constitution." Do I continue with this response? After the fourth attempt to get me to respond in the affirmative the City Attorney was able to object to the line of questionning (during the licensure hearing).

I should also add that the names the attorney sent the letter to were some folkks that didn't even sign the petition and were taken off our website. The only certified letter came to me personally, and some of the folks that were cc'd didn't even receive the mailed letter (though it noted "Via Certified Mail R/R/R".

As well, we had an attorney respond to this threat to sue noting the NYS Civil Practice law (etc.) but the owner of the rooming houses stated he wanted to go to trial since he was going to sue us.

Thanks for your time and consideration.
 



Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top