St. Petersburg Web Design Blog

A Florida woman has been awarded $11.3 million in a defamation lawsuit against a Louisiana woman who posted messages on the Internet accusing her of being a “crook,” a “con artist” and a “fraud.”

This judgement represents the largest such judgment over postings on an Internet blog or message board. Lyrissa Lidsky, a University of Florida law professor who specializes in free-speech issues, calls the award “astonishing.”

This judgment is made somewhat more disturbing because the defendant wasn’t financially able to defend herself. She lived in Louisina therefore wasn’t able to make it to the courtroom and therefore the plaintiff was automatically awarded everything she asked for. The plaintiff in this case knew the defendant wouldn’t be able to pay but she still forked up the court costs to get the judgement for vindication purposes. Scheff says she wanted to make a point to those who unfairly criticize others on the Internet. “I’m sure (Bock) doesn’t have $1 million, let alone $11 million, but the message is strong and clear,” Scheff says. “People are using the Internet to destroy people they don’t like, and you can’t do that.” Editor note- but it’s okay to use the courts to ruin people?

Another disturbing factor of the lawsuits is that if this woman was able to defend herself she probably won easily. From the info posted by her colleagues on the web forum in question (at a site dedicated to exposing and warning people of abusive schools/programs for “problem” teens), it seems Ms Scheff’s colleagues believe she is quite unethical gets sued often and likes to sue other people, even people she meets in passing.

While some protection is needed against slander commonly found in these forums, protection is needed from people like Scheff who sue and slander defenseless people with the courts system.
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