Lawsuit filed against local Web site

According to the lawsuit, filed in Floyd County Superior Court, a posting on Watson's site claimed that Ed Hammitt engaged in illegal activity. via Rome News - Tribune

[RAPIER]

This is a bogus lawsuit! Nothing about this case has been done in a legal way. They have already dropped the law-suit, but plan to re-file in Chattooga Co., which is invalid because you have to sue the person in the county that they are living in.

[John]

Not in chattoog Co. you don't.

[John]

I heard that.

[Andy]

Nothing much that comes out of the Chattooga court system is legal. They're running their own little corrupt kingdom there. Maybe someday they will get some honest judges in there, but I doubt that from "Deliverance" County.

[Nobody]

Andy wrote:

Nothing much that comes out of the Chattooga court system is legal. They're running their own little corrupt kingdom there. Maybe someday they will get some honest judges in there, but I doubt that from "Deliverance" County.

"Deliverence" was filmed in North East Georgia's Chattooga River; not the Chattooga River in Chattooga County. Learn your facts.

[rotten]

Watson is a joke. Just look at the recent articles. She admits to getting her information from hearsay and not straight from the source.

[Ah Yes]

lol John, you think Chattooga County law supercedes state law?

Maybe in some Chattogians minds it does.

[mamiac]

Counties are all the same - they operate on the good old boy system until they are caught and held accountable.

It's up to the taxpayers, and people such as Watson, to bring the corruption to light so that these people can be held accountable.

Yayayayayaya for people that choose to speak up in the face of corruption.

[Vewy vewy interesting]

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080703/033...

[A big hmmmmm]

A Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation ("SLAPP") is a lawsuit or a threat of lawsuit that is intended to intimidate and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense until they abandon their criticism or opposition. Winning the lawsuit is not necessarily the intent of the person filing the SLAPP. The plaintiff's goals are accomplished if the defendant succumbs to fear, intimidation, mounting legal costs or simple exhaustion and abandons the criticism. A SLAPP may also intimidate others from participating in the debate.

[SLAPPY]

It's a bigger SLAPP in the face when people don't have their story straight and fall back on rumors and gossip.

[A big hmmmmm]

Im confused, why isn't the person who actually wrote the "opinion", i.e. "rumors" or "gossip", being sued instead of the web site owner? Didn't they already decide that a web site owner can't legally be held liable for what other people post
on their site?

And if that has already been decided then this lawsuit might fall under the "SLAPP" category?

[SLAPPY]

For example, just look at Watson's website today. It's called "I owe Jon Payne a big apology." She admits to using hearsay, "gossip" as the basis of trying to shame Payne.

She does confess up. But, this is typical of her website. She uses gossip and hearsay as the rule and not the exception.

[A big hmmmmm]

Kudos to her, or anyone, for owning up to being human and making a mistake.

That is so rare in todays' world.

[SLAPPY]

It wasn't just a mistake....it's a pattern.

[Name]

Still, if the courts, and law, say that the website creator can't be held liable for what peeps blog on there, then I'm still confused as to why the lawsuit is targeting her?

\

[Slappy]

Perhaps some people are about to make some new laws? I adore the First Amendment. But it's the age old question of where do you draw the line.

Is it right to accuse someone falsely? I'm just old fashion and believe what the Good Book says about that. Does the First Amendment supersede the Bible?

[NaddaChance]

In this day and age? Probably. Sad, but true.

[wow]

sure is alot of deaths happening in this county

[Nutcase]

Topix needs to post an update on this case. Perhaps go see BLC and the gang, and ask them how the wind is blowing? Go check www.romenewsbywatson.com .