Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Georgia
I am being harassed online and posts made insinuating that I am selling stolen goods (which I am not). I have asked the owners of the chat forum (which is a crafting online site) to please put a stop to it. At first the posts were removed, but when it actually kept up, I was told the posters are only stating their opinion. The posts were indeed made to cause me distress and mental harm. It has happened in the past and although I have asked the owners to please do something about the same people harassing their users (and its not just me), it continues. Do I have legal rights as far as the insinuations and accusations that are not true and are harmful to me mentally and personally (I sell craft supplies on this site and it has stopped due to their accusations).
2 Answers from Attorneys
You may be able to sue the operator of the site and the posters. See a lawyer.
You may have a viable claim for slander and/or libel. In Georgia you have a one-year statute of limitations with which to file a claim for damages. When considering whether it is worth hiring a lawyer and filing suit, you should evaluate whether the tortfeasor, i.e. the wrongful parties (operator of the website and the author of the comments) have sufficient assets in Georgia to pursue. Simply put, do they have the resources to pay you if you win a judgment.
One caveat: most lawyers will not take a case like this on a contingency. Be prepared to either pay a flat fee or an hourly fee to file suit.
Best of luck to you,
Related Questions & Answers
Looking for something else?
10,200 active attorneys ready to answer your legal questions today.
Featured Attorneys
Earn additional revenue and grow your business.
