Legal Question in Constitutional Law in Oregon

Case? Libel/Slander

Recently a girl lied about having a cousin who died in the VT shootings. I posted a comment on

someone's website about it. Now apparently this girl is in the process of filing a suit against me.

Here is what I said, edited to protect personal information:

As a former student I know this girl and I know the REAL (person). She smokes pot, lies and steals then blames it on her bipolar disorder. She stole a very large sum of money from a previous job. I don't think the medication makes a difference whether (person) takes it or not.

Does (person) have a legitimate case? Everything I said is true and I've seen it, except for the part about stealing large sums of money. (Person) told a friend that. So I'm curious if (person) will have a decent case to bring against me? Also, (person) has ZERO proof that I wrote it.


Asked on 6/01/07, 5:29 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Edward Hoffman Law Offices of Edward A. Hoffman

Re: Case? Libel/Slander

Only false statements can be defamatory. If everything you said is true, you have not defamed her. Whether a jury would believe you told the truth is another question, and I can't even begin to answer it based on the limited information you have provided.

The problem here is that defamation isn't the only thing she might sue you for. She could also claim violation of privacy and false light publicity. If she has not widely disclosed her bipolar disorder (and the medication she takes for it) you may have crossed the line by revealing it publicly. And if you used accurate information to portray her in an inaccurate manner, her false light claim might be quite strong. She might even be able to claim intentional infliction of emotional distress. Here again I would need more facts before I could assess her chances in court.

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Answered on 6/01/07, 8:04 pm


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