Spread of personal e-mails

[dws613]

What is the name of your state? Arizona

I sent very personal e-mails to somebody I knew talking about mental issues I had and very personal information about myself in hopes she would understand me better and she distributed them to a lot of people she knows and here is some of what she said:

"...everyone who's read all your emails has gotten a great laugh-I've forwarded most of them to friends and they all agree.."

Is there anything I can do about this? That information for for her eyes and her eyes only. What can I do?

 

[meganproser]

The fact that she CLAIMS to have sent those emails to others does not mean she DID. You would need a witness who said he received that information from her and knew it was about YOU.

The information would have to be such that any reasonable person would be highly offended by having it spread around.

Depending on how personal the information was, you could have a claim for invasion of privacy.

It would cost you $$$ to sue her, unless you are able to act Pro Se.

As you see, the legal recourse available to you is not very practical. You can certainly inform her she’s given you grounds to sue her for Invasion of Privacy-Disclosure of Private Facts and that you have at least a year (maybe two, it depends on your state) to decide if you are going to file suit or not.

Perhaps she will be doing less laughing when she realizes that YOU DO have the option to sue her (assuming you can find a witness).

 

[dws613]

I do know she shared at least one of the e-mails with a friend, as the friend e-mailed on behalf of this woman and made several refrences to the e-mail in her response. It was actually her roommate.

Yes, the information was very personal (about being bi-polar, and several other mental conditions). I don't see how anybody would want everybody to know their business about their mental disorders.

What is "Pro se"?

Would I have to prove to the courts that the information she spread was true? If it wasn't true, could it be defamation anyway because she spread lies about me (even though I started them). Most of what I said to her is true, but I lied about a few small things (not the mental conditions though)

Well, I have a witness and the information was extremely personal (only a few very close friends and my immediatly family know about my conditions), so I guess I DO have a case, right?

Is there anyway to obtain her address? I have her full name, and I know her cross-streets & phone number but I don't know her exact address. Can I find it through public record or the courts? She just moved here about a month ago (to Arizona) so I don't know if I could find it or not. I suppose I could drive around and find her car in the area I know that she lives (I know the make, model and that the plate on it is from California) and see where she lives that way. Is that OK to do?

 

[meganproser]

the friend e-mailed on behalf of this woman and made several refrences to the e-mail in her response.

And can you PROVE this in court?

What is "Pro se"?

Legal representation of oneself

Would I have to prove to the courts that the information she spread was true?

If you lied in your communications with her, the whole communication must be reviewed in order to answer your question.

If it wasn't true, could it be defamation anyway because she spread lies about me (even though I started them).

An interesting legal question that I believe HAS been addressed, I just don’t remember the outcome!

Well, I have a witness and the information was extremely personal (only a few very close friends and my immediatly family know about my conditions), so I guess I DO have a case, right?

No one can tell you if you have a case, based upon the little bit of info you’ve given here.

I suppose I could drive around and find her car in the area I know that she lives (I know the make, model and that the plate on it is from California) and see where she lives that way. Is that OK to do?

I believe you are free to move about the country!

You need to consult with an attorney to determine if you have a case.

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state? Arizona

I sent very personal e-mails to somebody I knew talking about mental issues I had and very personal information about myself in hopes she would understand me better and she distributed them to a lot of people she knows and here is some of what she said:

"...everyone who's read all your emails has gotten a great laugh-I've forwarded most of them to friends and they all agree.."

Is there anything I can do about this? That information for for her eyes and her eyes only. What can I do?

What was the dollar amount (if any) of the damages you suffered?

Was there any defamation (i.e., lies) on her part?

 

[dws613]

What was the dollar amount (if any) of the damages you suffered?

Was there any defamation (i.e., lies) on her part?

I didn't suffer by losing any money. What...You can say all you want about people and if they don't lose money over it, it's OK?

Lies on her part? Lies she started, or lies she spread? She spread lies, I'm not sure if she started any. Although, she did tell everybody I was a liar about what I said, even though the part she thinks I was lying about is true.

 

[dws613]

the friend e-mailed on behalf of this woman and made several refrences to the e-mail in her response.

And can you PROVE this in court?

YES, I WAS E-MAILED THROUGH MYSPACE.COM WHICH HAS PEOPLES PROFILES, SO I KNOW THE WOMANS AGE, AND WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE.

If it wasn't true, could it be defamation anyway because she spread lies about me (even though I started them).

An interesting legal question that I believe HAS been addressed, I just don’t remember the outcome!

DOES ANYBODY KNOW ABOUT THIS CASE?

 

[Obnoxious1]

I didn't suffer by losing any money. What...You can say all you want about people and if they don't lose money over it, it's OK?

Pretty much.

You sent the information to her, she could do with it what she wants. The only way to ever keep a secret is to keep from sharing it with anyone.

 

[meganproser]

You can say all you want about people and if they don't lose money over it, it's OK?

No, it is NOT ok.

You sent the information to her, she could do with it what she wants.

The above statement is absolutely false.

DWS, I've already told you that there MAY be legal recourse for what happened to you, but the recourse is VERY costly and if you have "unclean hands" the odds of you prevailing in any action are greatly reduced.

Take the emails you sent to this woman, along with the email you believe will serve as PROOF that the defendant shared your private information with others, and have an attorney sort it out.

 

[Obnoxious1]

You can say all you want about people and if they don't lose money over it, it's OK?

No, it is NOT ok.

You sent the information to her, she could do with it what she wants.

The above statement is absolutely false.

DWS, I've already told you that there MAY be legal recourse for what happened to you, but the recourse is VERY costly and if you have "unclean hands" the odds of you prevailing in any action are greatly reduced.

Take the emails you sent to this woman, along with the email you believe will serve as PROOF that the defendant shared your private information with others, and have an attorney sort it out.

I'll show you how simple it is:

Megan has a mental illness that causes her to say really stupid things on message boards.

What is she going to sue her for? She is talking about people on a message board. That has not in any way damaged her except her pride. She wanted some pity for herself so she told her secrets, the person she told didn't respond the way she wanted; too bad.

 

[rmet4nzkx]

For what ever reason, YOU emailed this person, after that, you have no control over who they forward the emails to whether or not the contents are the truth. There is no defamation or invasion of privacy unless that person owed you a duty to confidentiality in the legal sense. You did not indicate any duty to confidentiality, thus you have no case. It may not be nice, fair or morally right, but it is legal. Please understand just because you can file a case pro se, doesn't mean your case has any merit or that you will not incur great expense representing yourself.

 

[seniorjudge]

I didn't suffer by losing any money. What...You can say all you want about people and if they don't lose money over it, it's OK?

Lies on her part? Lies she started, or lies she spread? She spread lies, I'm not sure if she started any. Although, she did tell everybody I was a liar about what I said, even though the part she thinks I was lying about is true.

I am asking you if there were any actual damages; you said no.

Now, we have to know what was said to see if any damages of any kind could be assessed against her.

 

[dws613]

I don't want this information spread as I intend to seek public office in the future and don't want this information used as blackmail or to trash me and I trusted her with the information, but with it in the hand of an unknown amount of people, it could easily spread if I do become a public figure as the people who recieved it could eaily find out my identity through the original recipient.

She told these people I had bi-polar, Obsessive compolsive disorder, I had attempted suicide and that I am a virgin (at least that much). Who would not expect that personal information to be kept confindential. I told it to her so that she would be more understanding of why I had treated her like "gargabe" so that she wouldn't come vandalize my house or car. I just wanted to end our relationship with no hard feelings (my bi-polar causes me to be irrational with my emotions sometimes and say things I don't mean to say, like dual-personalities).

 

[meganproser]

O1 wrote: I'll show you how simple it is:

Megan has a mental illness that causes her to say really stupid things on message boards.

It’s fine for you to make such an allegation here O1, because I am right here where I can see it and I have the option of immediately responding to it. Further, in the context of this particular message board, any such allegations are clearly “opinion”, therefore, not actionable.

If you were to add in the implication that you have knowledge of undisclosed defamatory facts about me, you would be crossing a line and defaming me.

What is she going to sue her for? She is talking about people on a message board. That has not in any way damaged her except her pride. She wanted some pity for herself so she told her secrets, the person she told didn't respond the way she wanted; too bad.

You obviously have no education regarding intentional torts. If you don’t understand the most basic concept of the rights held by individuals, perhaps you should not be posting to this particular forum.

Rmet wrote: There is no defamation or invasion of privacy unless that person owed you a duty to confidentiality in the legal sense. You did not indicate any duty to confidentiality, thus you have no case.

There is a little something called Common Law, which addresses that duty..."in the legal sense". There was no need for OP to indicate the duty because anyone with ANY KNOWLEDGE of Tort law knows all about that duty. Hence my posts telling OP that much depends on exactly what information was disseminated about him.

It may not be nice, fair or morally right, but it is legal.

What is legal? We do NOT have enough information regarding the publications about OP, to make this statement. PLEASE refrain from posting on topics you know NOTHING about.

DWS wrote: She told these people I had bi-polar, Obsessive compolsive disorder, I had attempted suicide

Under some circumstances, these revelations might be actionable. Under the circumstances you just described, I don’t think so. You gave this information to someone you knew had anger towards you and who you were ending a relationship with. Therefore, I don’t think you had a reasonable expectation that the information would be kept private.

If you are serious about pursuing the matter, you really must provide all of the information to someone who will take the time to thoroughly investigate the possibility of making a claim. We can’t do that kind of in depth investigation for you here.

 

[meganproser]

SJ wrote: Now, we have to know what was said to see if any damages of any kind could be assessed against her.

Exactly. THANK YOU for elaborating on your earlier post. There are people here who take your slightest comment and although completely ignorant of the basis for your comment, they use it to support their ridiculously incorrect interpretations of the law.