Slander? I’ve never needed legal help before, so will someone please help me?

[ob1coby]

OK so this is where I think there is a problem. Anyone who honestly suspects illegal activity especially in behalf of children, SHOULD and HAS A DUTY to report it! But to the whom. Ie.. Police, Attorney etc.

Showing up at someones place of employment to report such activities should not be legal. Or at least until it has been substantiated through the proper authorities. It will cause harm even if found to be completely false. People like this guy know that and will do it just to cause harm. How can that be legal?

 

[Antigone*]

So that brings up a different question, but I'll start a new thread for that one. Thanks again for everyone's help.

Don't start a new thread, please keep it all here.

 

[quincy]

OK so this is where I think there is a problem. Anyone who honestly suspects illegal activity especially in behalf of children, SHOULD and HAS A DUTY to report it! But to the whom. Ie.. Police, Attorney etc.

Showing up at someones place of employment to report such activities should not be legal. Or at least until it has been substantiated through the proper authorities. It will cause harm even if found to be completely false. People like this guy know that and will do it just to cause harm. That should not be legal IMO.

It is not legal to show up at someone's place of employment and falsely tell others defamatory lies about the person. But you cannot (generally) prevent someone from doing it anyway.

If you suspect someone has committed a crime or illegal act, you report it to the police. You do not tell your friends or your neighbors or the mailman. That can get you sued, and rightly so.

And this is true EVEN IF you have honest and strong suspicions about illegal activity.

 

[Silverplum]

Don't start a new thread, please keep it all here.

I reported the new thread.

You do your part, I do mine, everything's good.

 

[ob1coby]

It is not legal to show up at someone's place of employment and falsely tell others defamatory lies about the person. But you cannot (generally) prevent someone from doing it anyway.

If you suspect someone has committed a crime or illegal act, you report it to the police. You do not tell your friends or your neighbors or the mailman. That can get you sued, and rightly so.

And this is true EVEN IF you have honest and strong suspicions about illegal activity.

OK, I think this is what I needed to hear. So if someone breaks this law is it a criminal matter or do they simply open themselves up to be sued?

 

[commentator]

Where in the sam hill, related to the federal government, do you work that they would (1) welcome any old stranger in off the street (2) let him talk to somebody important enough to take some action concerning you and (3) accept some kind of casual word of mouth statement that you molest children or hate homosexuals to the point that they would take some sort of action on this?

I spent many years working with the public in state government in jobs where we fielded an average of thirty calls or complaints a year that we did everything from mistreat the disabled (against a woman who had a severely disabled child) to attended witchfcraft covens. None of these complaints did any of us any harm, were sort of expected. I've never seen a federal work facility that it was easy to get into or on to or to contact via telephone.
Why would you be so worried about such silly mouth exercises? Is there something about you that you are hiding from your employers?

 

[quincy]

OK, I think this is what I needed to hear. So if someone breaks this law is it a criminal matter or do they simply open themselves up to be sued?

It depends on what activity needs reporting and, often, in what state it needs reporting.

Illegal activity involving children (which was the example you gave) would be reported to either Child Protective Services or the police. Other suspicions of or knowledge of criminal activity (drugs, theft, etc) is reported to the police. Communicating defamatory statements would be (in most states) a civil not a criminal matter, so you would probably not contact the police but you could contact an attorney (or, depending on the circumstances, the employer).

It all depends.

I agree with commentator that most federal jobs will have security in place that limits who can and cannot wander in. If you work in a post office, however, then someone can come in and tell others you are [defamatory statement here] and there is little you can do to prevent that.

As a federal worker, you had a background check which satisfied your employer that you did not have a criminal past. And, if your employer and your coworkers know you well, it would probably be hard for them to believe some strange character who comes in telling stories about you, especially when this stranger is from a different state (and even more especially if you have warned your employer in advance that stories may be told about you by your sister's weird boyfriend).

That said, you can be defamed by certain statements communicated about you and, should the boyfriend decide to tell lies about you that damage your reputation, seek out the help of an attorney in your area. You could potentially sue the guy.

Good luck.

 

[ob1coby]

For exactly THAT reason. Everyone wants to be suspicious and find out the worst. In that world, as I explained in my original post, "an accusation can be as bad as a conviction". I've watched with my own eyes as two people had their careers destroyed by an INVESTIGATION!!! An investigation that turned up nothing, but that mattered little to the supervisors and the press that faded away after the harm was done.

I am blessed to have a VERY good job, but in this day in age when everyone is so sensitive, great harm can be done very carelessly. Even purposefully by people with no principles.

As I said, I have nothing HONEST to fear. I could care less if anyone goes through the proper channels to have me investigated. It would truly make the accuser look stupid. It's the above scenario that worries me. Sorry if that makes me defensive.

 

[quincy]

For exactly THAT reason. Everyone wants to be suspicious and find out the worst. In that world, as I explained in my original post, "an accusation can be as bad as a conviction". I've watched with my own eyes as two people had their careers destroyed by an INVESTIGATION!!! An investigation that turned up nothing, but that mattered little to the supervisors and the press that faded away after the harm was done.

I am blessed to have a VERY good job, but in this day in age when everyone is so sensitive, great harm can be done very carelessly. Even purposefully by people with no principles.

As I said, I have nothing HONEST to fear. I could care less if anyone goes through the proper channels to have me investigated. It would truly make the accuser look stupid. It's the above scenario that worries me. Sorry if that makes me defensive.

You are right, ob1coby, that false accusations can often be as bad as a conviction. Look up the story of Richard Jewel and see how words harmed a person who should have been regarded by others as a national hero.

People can be careless with their words.

There are laws in place that are designed to regulate speech, so that there is truth in advertising for the protection of consumers, for national security purposes, for security in trade, so that people can maintain their privacy and keep their reputations unsullied. . . . . there are all sorts of limits placed on speech.

But it is only when someone exceeds these limits and violates a law with their words - advertises falsely, communicates a terrorist threat, reveals a trade secret or a personal secret, injures a reputation - that legal action can be taken. That is just the way it is.

The boyfriend's threats were probably idle ones. If he acts on his threats and spreads lies that injure your reputation, then you can act, as well, with the law to back you up.

Good luck.

 

[ob1coby]

thank you everyone for your help

 

[quincy]

Thank you for thanking us, ob1coby. We really appreciate it.

Good luck to you.

 

[Silverplum]

Thank you for thanking us, ob1coby. We really appreciate it.

Good luck to you.

See, I'm going to have to take note of your post here, Quincy...Auntie M recently removed a post of mine where I was SO cheerful to see a thank-you (to a different poster!) that I excessively added 8 or so smilies and thus displeased TheM.

Restraint is the key, I believe.

 

[quincy]

Really?

Yikes.




(testing, 123, testing)

 

[Antigone*]

See, I'm going to have to take note of your post here, Quincy...Auntie M recently removed a post of mine where I was SO cheerful to see a thank-you (to a different poster!) that I excessively added 8 or so smilies and thus displeased TheM.

Restraint is the key, I believe.

What good is the allowance of 10 similes if you can't use them

 

[Silverplum]

What good is the allowance of 10 similes if you can't use them

Sometimes, I think I'm the Cinderella of FA.

(I could've called myself something about a child from a previous marriage who may have hair that is neither blond nor brunette...)