the value of hiring an attorney for your troubled child
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the value of hiring an attorney for your troubled child

The first time my son got into some legal trouble, I didn't hire an attorney. I figured that he would just get a slap on the wrist and that he should accept his punishment, and that's what happened. The second time he got into trouble, I had to hire an attorney. I knew that since he had a record, the judge would not be so lenient about his punishment and he could suffer some serious consequences that could haunt him for his entire life. If you have a troubled child, my blog could help you understand the value of hiring an attorney for him or her.

the value of hiring an attorney for your troubled child

Reduce The Risk Of Criminal Defamation Suits At Your Business

Owen Bertrand

If you own a business, you should be aware that you could be at risk of being named in a criminal defamation case involving one or more of your employees. Defamation is a slanderous (verbal) or libelous (written) statement about someone that is untrue. Defamation can be both a civil and criminal offense, and in the latter instance, it is a class 6 felony for which the plaintiff can sue, with damages varying by state. Here's how you can keep defamation lawsuits at bay in your workplace.

Why is it important to be vigilant about potential defamation in your company?

In the good old days before mobile phones and the Internet, there were fewer means of defamation and ways to prove it. Now there are more risks to you and reasons you need to be on guard:

  • The Internet and text messaging are used for all types of communication today, including business correspondence. This leaves a record of any libelous statements.
  • Social media and celebrity culture may give employees the feeling that it's okay to engage in malevolent gossip.
  • Many workplaces allow employees to use social media at work. You could be named in a suit against an employee if it is felt your business encouraged, condoned, or otherwise made possible the defamation. At the very least, you could be hassled if your staff, records, or IT equipment are subpoenaed as witnesses or evidence.
  • Even outside of work, many employees feel free to blog or post on social media about management, coworkers, and clients in a derogatory fashion.

What can you do to minimize your risk of defamation litigation?

There are a number of steps you can take as a business owner to reduce the risk of litigation:

  1. Teach employees about what constitutes criminal defamation and why it cannot be tolerated at the workplace or between coworkers outside work.
  2. Develop written policies about defamation for your company, such as employees may not write about the workplace on their social media accounts.
  3. Discourage employee gossip.
  4. Monitor business correspondence if you feel employees lack the ability to police themselves on this matter.
  5. Consider blocking social media sites on your work computers.
  6. Take any employee complaints of potential defamation seriously before they turn into litigation.
  7. Consult a criminal defense attorney to conduct a workshop for employees and to ask how to further minimize your risk of lawsuits, especially if you already have a customer or employee that has mentioned suing for libel or slander.
  8. Ask an attorney who specializes in defense against defamation suits about whether your company's insurance policy is sufficient to cover any damages in the event of an unfavorable legal outcome against you.

You've worked hard to build your business. Don't let a defamation lawsuit ruin it for you. Follow the steps above, consult an attorney, like Charles P Dargo or a similar lawyer, for advice, and you can both reduce your risk of litigation and create a healthier workplace too.


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