Help! I am being sued for my participation in ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
davis_square
Apr. 30th, 2013 05:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ron_newman posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
davis_squareTwenty-five minutes ago, a constable delivered to me an unexpected package. It is a lawsuit by Jonathan Graves Monsarrat, alleging that he was libeled by me, Deb Filcman, and "John and Jane Does 1-100, presently unknown individuals". He is seeking $500,000 in compensatory damages, $5 million in punitive damages, and deletion of various LJ posts and comments.
I am called (incorrectly) "the moderator" of this forum.
Many participants here are named by LJ handle. "Plaintiff intends to identify the Doe Defendants through means of discovery and will amend this lawsuit to identify the Doe Defendants by proper legal names upon obtaining such information"
If I don't reply within 20 days, a default judgment will be entered against me.
All possible advice and help would be greatly appreciated right now.
In particular, if anyone here is or knows an appropriate attorney who'd be willing to help out at least a bit pro bono, let me know.
ETA 5/1/13: please see this followup post for PDF scans of the amended complaint I was served with, as well as the original complaint that I never received. Please continue the discussion there after reading the complaints.
I am called (incorrectly) "the moderator" of this forum.
Many participants here are named by LJ handle. "Plaintiff intends to identify the Doe Defendants through means of discovery and will amend this lawsuit to identify the Doe Defendants by proper legal names upon obtaining such information"
If I don't reply within 20 days, a default judgment will be entered against me.
All possible advice and help would be greatly appreciated right now.
In particular, if anyone here is or knows an appropriate attorney who'd be willing to help out at least a bit pro bono, let me know.
ETA 5/1/13: please see this followup post for PDF scans of the amended complaint I was served with, as well as the original complaint that I never received. Please continue the discussion there after reading the complaints.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 12:26 am (UTC)While not a lawyer, I will say this: if an attributed post that accurately and representatively quotes a news article (I'm not currently talking about the comments, just the post) is eligible to be found as libel, then the original article should be bundled in on the complaint. If the paper isn't part of the complaint, I'd argue that the case lacks legal merit based on the general principles used to link to news articles and blog posts. I believe a lawyer would call for dismissal.