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Man sues chatroom pals

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by BigAl, Jan 12, 2006.

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  1. BigAl

    BigAl F1 Veteran

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    #1 BigAl, Jan 12, 2006
    Mike Marlowe fully admits that he sometimes gave George Gillespie a hard time in that AOL chatroom.But never in his wildest imagination did he expect to be sued in court for what he characterized as "razzing."

    Geez, he wouldn't have lasted five minutes here...

    Full story:http://www.courttv.com/news/2006/0112/chatroom_suit_ctv.html
     
  2. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 darth550, Jan 12, 2006
    Hmmmmmm. Is there insurance for this kind of thing???????????
     
  3. Buzz48317

    Buzz48317 F1 Rookie

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    #3 Buzz48317, Jan 12, 2006

    There is insurance for anything!!
     
  4. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

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    #4 2000YELLOW360, Jan 12, 2006
    In California, except for defamation, words can't be a basis for a suit so anyone doing anything like that, except for defamation, could expect to get the case thrown out. However, making false statements about people can and usually will get you sued. If on the other hand, it's just your opinion, it isn't defamation, and you are exempt.

    Fawell v. Flint stands for the proposition that you can make fun of people and there is nothing they can do about also. If you recall, Flint accused Fawell of having sex with his (Fawell) mother. Court said parody was exempt, nobody could believe that statement, someone got a free ride.

    Art
     
  5. quartermaster

    quartermaster Formula 3

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    #5 quartermaster, Jan 12, 2006
    It will be interesting to follow this, and see what happens.
    Seems to me that if the site you are visiting offends you, then you simply have to stop visiting, no?
    Kind of like suing a restaurant after eating there for years because the food was still bad.
     
  6. 2000YELLOW360

    2000YELLOW360 F1 World Champ

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    #6 2000YELLOW360, Jan 12, 2006
    That would be like being bothered by the restaurant owners and suing the restaurant owners only.

    In this case, a better analogy would be if a diner keeps going to his favourite restaurant and keeps getting harassed by other patrons. The restaurant owners do nothing. The diner then sues the other patrons and the restaurant owners.
     
  7. FarmerDave

    FarmerDave F1 World Champ
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    #7 FarmerDave, Jan 12, 2006
    Selling that coverage to you would be like selling car insurance to a repeat DWI offender! ;)
     
  8. Horsefly

    Horsefly F1 Veteran

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    #8 Horsefly, Jan 12, 2006
    Art, wouldn't any bulletin board or chat participant be basically unable to take action against any other member if the offended member is using a screen name? Unless somebody is using their genuine real name, screen names like 2000YELLOW360 and HORSEFLY are not indicative or discriptive of real people, therefore nobody's REAL character is ever damaged by any razzing that takes place. Sounds like they wouldn't have a legal leg to stand on.
     
  9. acehole

    acehole Formula Junior

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    #9 acehole, Jan 12, 2006
    ""I don't know how four years of bantering back and forth led to this insane nonsense," he said. "It's just the Internet, for God's sake. It's nothing important"

    Lock him up!!
     
  10. Webby

    Webby F1 Veteran

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    #10 Webby, Jan 12, 2006
    D@mn that hurts...
     
  11. quartermaster

    quartermaster Formula 3

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    #11 quartermaster, Jan 12, 2006
    Either way, why go back? For years...
     
  12. Etcetera

    Etcetera Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #12 Etcetera, Jan 12, 2006
    What if someone's real character gets replaced by their internet character?
     
  13. Horsefly

    Horsefly F1 Veteran

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    #13 Horsefly, Jan 12, 2006
    You mean like becoming an internationally known character like HORSEFLY?
     
  14. MarkPDX

    MarkPDX F1 World Champ
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    #14 MarkPDX, Jan 12, 2006
    I dunno..... You could be Jim G's alter ego :D
     
  15. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #15 wax, Jan 12, 2006

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