Be Careful What You Post...

With ready access to electronic communications, defamation claims appear to be on the rise.  The broad spectrum of online forums giving individuals a place in which to air their personal grievances may have unanticipated consequences.  Sites such as nextdoor which allows neighbors to vent their annoyances in a public place, open the door to unintended legal consequences. Irate neighbor beware, that venting may land you in legal trouble without proper precautions.  The posting of a dispute on a site like nextdoor is public and permanent, meaning choose your words carefully. If your statements are untrue and injurious, the person whom you are making statements about may have a claim for defamation.  In order to prove defamation, the complaining party must show the statement/s were (1) published; (2) injurious; (3) false; and (4) unprivileged. Even in the event posted statements do not rise to the legal level of defamation they aggrieved party may deplete your financial resources in an attempt to prove a point.  The filing of a legal action quickly becomes costly, requiring intervention to defend. While it may be tempting to voice frustrations and even real concerns about neighbors, thinks carefully, choose your words wisely, and be prepared for the consequences.