bitter libel

[scooby25]

Illinois -
I am sure this falls under multiple categories. I need to know if fliers are protected speech and if the speech within them is legal if it is negative but truthful facts about an individual. Can I post flyers about my ex with a recorded portion of a conversation between the two of us on an audio chip, along with a written portion including his picture, first name and stating something written similar to; He cheated on his first wife, he was engaged to two women at the same time, he is cheating on his current wife, he paid his girlfriend’s rent while he neglected to pay child support for his autistic child.” I can back up all statements with evidence and do not believe he would take me to court over this but I need to know if and where I can legally post these fliers without penalty.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Do you REALLY want to play this game? Because the answer isn't as simple as you may wish.

 

[scooby25]

Unfortunately, I am not the bigger person. This man has destroyed my life and abandoned his child and there isn’t anyway to hold him legally accountable other than the small pittance of child support he is forced to pay. He is very good at hiding his income.

 

[acmb05]

Take the money that

you are going to end up paying a lawyer when he sues you and use that to hire a good PI who will find your ex husbands hidden assets. Then take him back to court to modify child support.

 

[casa]

you are going to end up paying a lawyer when he sues you and use that to hire a good PI who will find your ex husbands hidden assets. Then take him back to court to modify child support.

*Bravo!* There's some advice which will actually result in the other parent being held accountable.

 

[stephenk]

What was so attractive about this guy when you decided to have a kid?

 

[scooby25]

Obviously, I am a naive idiot. I have no concerns that he would sue me. I am only worried about any third parties that may have problems with me distributing the fliers and if public parking lots and like places have any laws forbidding this.

 

[acmb05]

not only public parking lots and such

But many towns have rules against posting fliers and I seriously dought you are going to get many stores that will let you post them either.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

What was so attractive about this guy when you decided to have a kid?

That's a very good point.

I can already see his poster.

"Trailer Trash skank will spread her legs for any man with a wallet"....

Are you REALLY ready to play that game?

 

[dallas702]

Ding!

Round 1 summary: she throws an uppercut; he stikes a bit low.

Round 2 coming up.

 

[TexasTom]

you are going to end up paying a lawyer when he sues you and use that to hire a good PI who will find your ex husbands hidden assets. Then take him back to court to modify child support.

Just curious, but I think that the statistical chances of her ex sueing her would be slim to nil, as she does not likely have deep pockets of change. Even if he wins the case, one can't squeeze blood from a turnip. If what she says is true, then her ex could sue her for libel based on breach of privacy, but in court testimony the truthfulness of her allegations would likely become documented in the court records, and then she'd be able to tell everyone to merely go check out the court records to read the documented testimony. In the meantime, he's out the cost of legal fees, and would likely have little to show for his time and effort except maybe his new poster regarding his ex wife. However, it would provide great entertainment value to all of her friends and if she saved all her material, perhaps she could use it as basis for writing a script of a future episode of "Desperate Housewives".

Tom

 

[scooby25]

We are at a stalemate. I know that he will neither sue me nor make his own attack. I am knowledgeable of certain areas of his business that he strongly desires remain undisclosed. He also knows that I will not divulge this information because I would then loose my child support. However, he currently refuses to pay his portion of the medical expenses for our child’s therapy. I would like to lash out at him one final time even if it is only a small and petty vindictive act. I just need to know if I can get in trouble for putting the fliers on the windshields of all the cars in his church parking lot.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

We are at a stalemate. I know that he will neither sue me nor make his own attack. I am knowledgeable of certain areas of his business that he strongly desires remain undisclosed. He also knows that I will not divulge this information because I would then loose my child support. However, he currently refuses to pay his portion of the medical expenses for our child’s therapy. I would like to lash out at him one final time even if it is only a small and petty vindictive act. I just need to know if I can get in trouble for putting the fliers on the windshields of all the cars in his church parking lot.

If you are expecting permission from this forum, forget it.

 

[scooby25]

I am not looking for approval. I know that my little schemes are not morally right, but I would at least like to keep my ex from continuing to play the role of the wholesome churchgoing gentlemen. I would like all of his future conquests to know just what kind of a man he is. It’s not as though I am planning on pouring sugar in his gas tank or slashing his tires. I am also not trying to play the pity card. However, I have no recourses to push the issue of child support. I have had to quit my job, drop out of college and move back in with my family to care for my son. When your son is banging his head on the floor and ripping his hair out and you can’t get more than Medicare treatment while your ex is living the high life, advancing his career, supporting the newest significant other all the while pretending he doesn’t even have a child let me know how forgiving you feel. If you know of any legal outlets available to those with limited means that would actually track down his income beyond accepting a pay stub and his word feel free to share.

 

[TexasTom]

We are at a stalemate. I know that he will neither sue me nor make his own attack. I am knowledgeable of certain areas of his business that he strongly desires remain undisclosed. He also knows that I will not divulge this information because I would then loose my child support. However, he currently refuses to pay his portion of the medical expenses for our child’s therapy. I would like to lash out at him one final time even if it is only a small and petty vindictive act. I just need to know if I can get in trouble for putting the fliers on the windshields of all the cars in his church parking lot.

I think fliers on windshields are a bad idea. Whenever I get fliers on my windshield, I normally turn on the windshield wipers to get the material off the glass, and secretly hope the culprit who put it there would get into trouble for littering. Placement of a single flier on the church bulletin board might get more attention for the duration it stays in place, but I'm not condonig that action.

Have you considered arranging a meeting with some of the church elders so that you can spill your guts on them and ask them for their "personal advice" on resolving the issue? You don't have to tell them up front what the issue is about, merely tell them you have a personal issue to discuss and need their advice. After they agree to meet with you, then during such meeting you can spill the messy details. If they have any scrupples, they may talk to your ex in private to chastise him into doing the honorable thing regarding child support. Perhaps you could ask the church elders to host a church-wide fund raising event to help with your sons medical costs. That might get some attention.

Just a thought...