Legal question regarding Twitter posts

[devastatedinMA]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Massachusetts

I have a few questions.

1. My husband got into a couple of heated arguements with his parents over the summer. He has made no real attempt to contact them. However, his parents have since involved his two brothers, sister-in-law and 16 yr old nephew. His nephew has taken it upon himself to post a couple of nasty posts on his Twitter page. My husband doesn't want to sue, however he does want to see if there is some law that he can show his family and say "He can't do that, here's the law as proof and please stop before it goes any further." Also, upon my further research/reading of his Twitter site (106 pages), he has posted about him (nephew) smoking pot (another reason we want to keep our two small children away from them). Should we contact a family lawyer for this?

2. Also, is there some protection for our children should anyone post pictures of them online which is something we do not allow.

3. His parents have a tendancy to show up unannounced. We have told both sides just to give us a mininum of 24 hrs notice just so we'll know and they'll know if we're home etc... I was told that there is a law that people just can't show up on your doorstep. I don't exactly believe this.

4. My husband is pretty much fed up with his family. And in trying to break away from them and to protect myself and our two children from them he has just mentioned "disowning" his parents/family. At age 35 I doubt that can happen but he still wants to know if there's a way.

This is a pretty messed up situation all the way around.

Thank you for your time in reading all of this.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

1. His nephew has taken it upon himself to post a couple of nasty posts on his Twitter page.

It depends on the content of the posts. If they contain false, damaging statements, they may be considered defamatory. They may also be considered free speech.

2. Also, is there some protection for our children should anyone post pictures of them online which is something we do not allow.

Probably not, unless you can prove invasion of privacy or a copyright violation.

3. His parents have a tendancy to show up unannounced. We have told both sides just to give us a mininum of 24 hrs notice just so we'll know and they'll know if we're home etc... I was told that there is a law that people just can't show up on your doorstep. I don't exactly believe this.

Anyone can show up at your door and knock. You don't have to open the door, and you don't have to let them in.

 

[devastatedinMA]

Thank you very much for your response. It does help.

Just so I can do further research locally, would it be a family lawyer I would talk to or general. I'm not to sure on that part.

Thanks again.

 

[mommyof4]

Thank you very much for your response. It does help.

Just so I can do further research locally, would it be a family lawyer I would talk to or general. I'm not to sure on that part.

Thanks again.

For what? Your husband is 35 years old. If he doesn't want to talk to or see his family ever again, nobody can make him do so. It's simple.

And really? Why is he so worried about what a 16 year old brat 'tweets' about him? I mean...what do the tweets say? "My uncle is a d***"?

 

[devastatedinMA]

For what? Your husband is 35 years old. If he doesn't want to talk to or see his family ever again, nobody can make him do so. It's simple.

Believe me, you know that and I know that. However, getting that across to his side is extrememly difficult. At one point they threatened to sue us for grandparent visitation rights. I looked that up an in my state they don't have a leg to stand on, but this is how stupid this whole mess has gotten to. Basically we just want to be left alone, and it would be easier to get across to them if there was some MA state law that we could show them and say "See, look here, leave us alone"

I told my husband that he has two choices to make.

1. Let them back into your life with strict ground rules

or

2. Tell them you don't want them to be a part of your life anymore and state the reason why.

And really? Why is he so worried about what a 16 year old brat 'tweets' about him? I mean...what do the tweets say? "My uncle is a d***"?

I've said the same thing to him, also. And to answer your question, yes, the tweets do say that. One is calling him a failure and the other is calling him a douchebag. Very childish stuff, we know. We just want it to stop and to be left alone.

 

[Zigner]

I told my husband that he has two choices to make.

1. Let them back into your life with strict ground rules

or

2. Tell them you don't want them to be a part of your life anymore and state the reason why.

or
3. Ignore them and don't say why.

I've said the same thing to him, also. And to answer your question, yes, the tweets do say that. One is calling him a failure and the other is calling him a douchebag. Very childish stuff, we know. We just want it to stop and to be left alone.

You have GOT to be kidding. To be honest, the only thing more childish than the tweets is your reaction to them. IGNORE THEM. Yeesh!

 

[justalayman]

I've said the same thing to him, also. And to answer your question, yes, the tweets do say that. One is calling him a failure and the other is calling him a douchebag. Very childish stuff, we know. We just want it to stop and to be left alone.

you can't control everybody else in the world. The kid has a right to speak his opinion. You and hubby have a right to not read it. You have to search or subscribe to read a specific persons tweets so the simple answer is: don't read them.

4. My husband is pretty much fed up with his family. And in trying to break away from them and to protect myself and our two children from them he has just mentioned "disowning" his parents/family. At age 35 I doubt that can happen but he still wants to know if there's a way.

yep, by actions you can effectively disown them. Don't call them. Don't answer your phone when they call. If they somehow get through on the phone, hang up on them or tell them not to call back and then hang up. If they show up to your house, tell them to leave and if they return, the police will be called for trespassing.

 

[devastatedinMA]

Zigner, we'ver tried option 3 for almost a year now. And they don't get the hint. Which is why I told my husband option 1 or 2.

Justalayman,
I know I can't control others, nor would I want to. But I think there's a fine line between free speech and liable/slander when someone puts things in writing. I've told him to ignore this stuff.

And basically, why did his parents have to go and involved the entire family? This is stupid, plain and simple.

Thanks for all of the responses, I really appreciate them all.

 

[Zigner]

I know I can't control others, nor would I want to. But I think there's a fine line between free speech and liable/slander when someone puts things in writing.

"Failure" and "douchebag" are opinions...nowhere NEAR libel (and, definitely NOT slander in this instance - Google slander)

 

[justalayman]

=devastatedinMA;2530669]
I know I can't control others, nor would I want to. But I think there's a fine line between free speech and liable/slander when someone puts things in writing. I've told him to ignore this stuff.

if the kid thinks this of his relative, well, that is his opinion and one of the great things about our country, we do get to express out opinions. It is everybody's right to do so. It is also everybody's right to ignore those we do not want to listen to.

And basically, why did his parents have to go and involved the entire family? This is stupid, plain and simple.

this is a family feud, not a legal battle. Until somebody starts getting physical, the courts really do not want to get in the middle of a family feud.

Did you ever think the kid is doing this because he knows it gets your goat? Ignoring a person often goes a long way to silencing them. The more you protest, the more the kid realizes his antics are working.

 

[devastatedinMA]

Did you ever think the kid is doing this because he knows it gets your goat? Ignoring a person often goes a long way to silencing them. The more you protest, the more the kid realizes his antics are working.

No one in the family knows we've seen his posts. We're trying to ignore his side but that doesn't seem to work. Someone I know did a search for his nephew's name and that's how we found out about the twitter posts.