Legal Question

Say you feel you got deceived by a buisness and you wan't to
go out on the public sidewalk and walk back and forth with a
sign.

What type of language would get you sued if any?

Can you say Things such as this place is unethical
run away you will thank me later?

How about this place uses deceit and unethical
sales practices?

Thanks.

You were deceived. You feel they are unethical. You do not say they did anything illegal. It sounds like you willingly entered into a transaction you regret. You were played and are pissed, but do not lose twice.

The public shaming by demonstrating outside the business with signage does not sound like a good idea, nor do I think it would be effective. You could be sued over your choice of words, even if they are true. You could get your ass kicked.

Tell your story with online reviews. Yelp, Angie’s List, whatever social media would be effective. You will reach a much larger audience, safely and without wasting your time on the street. Contact the Better Business Bureau.

Then let it go, but remember the bitter lesson.

You can't cheat an honest man.

Be sure that your role in whatever incident took place is something that can stand scrutiny.

And be sure you know if you are vulnerable in some unanticipated fashion. Although I, quite obviously, survived the most recent attack on my life, I sure never saw it coming. Some people have different value systems and different skill sets.

Quote: FleaStiff

You can't cheat an honest man.<snip>

FleaStiff,

I've heard this phrase many times but have never understood it.

For example, if I go to the casino to play BJ, and unbeknownst to me the casino has shorted the shoe by removing 6 aces, then I certainly have been cheated. According to your quote, I must therefore be dishonest.

Please elucidate.

Dog Hand

Quote: DogHand

FleaStiff,

I've heard this phrase many times but have never understood it.

For example, if I go to the casino to play BJ, and unbeknownst to me the casino has shorted the shoe by removing 6 aces, then I certainly have been cheated. According to your quote, I must therefore be dishonest.

Please elucidate.

Dog Hand

Im guessing it comes from con artists who feel an honest man wouldnt be receptive to most of their cons like the paper bag switcheroo

Or its biblical. An honest man has his integrity intact

Or the Lord will protect an honest heart (so dont adulterate or gamble or frequent prostitutes or lie or take the Lords name in vain. Etc. In other words besides Mother Theresa and Ghandi (even Moses was screwed) we are all dishonest souls

But yeah honest people get cheated all the time

Quote: DogHand

FleaStiff,

I've heard this phrase many times but have never understood it.

For example, if I go to the casino to play BJ, and unbeknownst to me the casino has shorted the shoe by removing 6 aces, then I certainly have been cheated. According to your quote, I must therefore be dishonest.

Please elucidate.

Dog Hand

Im guessing it comes from con artists who feel an honest man wouldnt be receptive to most of their cons like the paper bag switcheroo

Or its biblical. An honest man has his integrity intact

Or the Lord will protect an honest heart (so dont adulterate or gamble or frequent prostitutes or lie or take the Lords name in vain. Etc. In other words besides Mother Theresa and Ghandi (even Moses was screwed) we are all dishonest souls

But yeah honest people get cheated all the time

In America we have this thing written into our Constitution that says if you're outside with a picket sign by yourself you almost certainly have no money, so no one will ever try to sue you. Or maybe it's freedom of speech. Either way, one of those will protect you

Quote: TomG

In America we have this thing written into our Constitution that says if you're outside with a picket sign by yourself you almost certainly have no money, so no one will ever try to sue you. Or maybe it's freedom of speech. Either way, one of those will protect you

Freedom of speech will not protect you from libel or slander. If he is defaming the company and the company can show the claims were untrue, they can pursue him in a civil court. Will they? Probably not.

Duplicate.

Quote: rainman

Say you feel you got deceived by a buisness and you wan't to
go out on the public sidewalk and walk back and forth with a
sign.

What type of language would get you sued if any?

Can you say Things such as this place is unethical
run away you will thank me later?

How about this place uses deceit and unethical
sales practices?

Thanks.

Of course you are protected by the 1st Amendment, but the 1st Amendment has its limit and you can be sued for libel, so just be very careful to have sufficient proof or evidence to back up your claim(s). Perhaps you may seek advice from a lawyer. But if your business client is Trump, I’m 100% certain that you can hold a sign stating that Trump is a SOB, a racist, rapist, con-artist without fear of legal retribution from that SOB because of different standard for political figure.

Quote: 777

Of course you are protected by the 1st Amendment, but the 1st Amendment has its limit and you can be sued for libel, so just be very careful to have sufficient proof or evidence to back up your claim(s). Perhaps you may seek advice from a lawyer. But if your business client is Trump, I’m 100% certain that you can hold a sign stating that Trump is a SOB, a racist, rapist, con-artist without fear of legal retribution from that SOB because of different standard for political figure.

Dude, is there a thread that you don't hijack by bringing Trump into it. Seriously. I mean I understand that sometimes politics will bend with some topics of discussion, but you will bring him into nearly every conversation. You seem obsessed bud.

Quote: VCUSkyhawk

Dude, is there a thread that you don't hijack by bringing Trump into it. Seriously. I mean I understand that sometimes politics will bend with some topics of discussion, but you will bring him into nearly every conversation. You seem obsessed bud.

The best way to articulate/help/explain is to provide an example for comparison ...

Quote: 777

The best way to articulate/help/explain is to provide an example for comparison ...

Which always happens to be Trump ranting? Come on...

Quote: DogHand

FleaStiff,
I've heard this phrase many times but have never understood it.

Well, its not really true but this is what most con men count on.
Think of the guy peddling jewelry on the street. He puts a fantastic price tag on it and conveys the impression that it is stolen jewelry and the buyer is getting a real bargain from a thief who just wants cash to buy drugs. The honest man says 'I buy jewelry from a reputable merchant and do not ever buy stolen merchandise" and walks away; the dishonest man tries to get a bargain and winds up paying sixty dollars for a piece of garbage not worth five bucks.

I'd seek counsel, like you mentioned it's a legal question, you're going to have to know for sure, not just what people in the forum think is true. Maybe you can hire protesters to hold the signs for you, so you can live your life.

I remember reading about a store or place that had a sign that you are not allowed to leave a public negative review. Someone left a bad Yelp review and the place sued them. I am not sure what happened with that

Quote: GWAE

I remember reading about a store or place that had a sign that you are not allowed to leave a public negative review. Someone left a bad Yelp review and the place sued them. I am not sure what happened with that

I hope the customer hired a lawyer and counter-sued the store/place. Without a signed contract, a place of business has no power to indefinitely constrain or limit the future behavior and speech of their patrons.

My first home was a row home in a new development in Baltimore county. Somebody else in the community obviously had grievances regarding construction flaws in his home. He had a sign on his lawn that said "I bought a lemon -- You could too." He also picketed the sales office sometimes on a public street. I spoke to him once and he said the construction company, Ryland I think, had sued him for much more than the value of the home.

That said, I think as long as you're on public property you'll be legally okay and the wording shouldn't matter as long as its sufficiently vague. You can sure sure to be hit with a libel lawsuit. The reason you should be doing this should be primarily revenge as there is almost no way it will end well for either party. Will any sense of revenge outweigh the cost of doing this? That is a question for you to answer.

My opinion is at the end of the day you have to accept you'll get ripped off once in a while. I believe in the adage that you reap what you sow and take some comfort in that. It is better to be cheated than cheat someone else.

Quote: GWAE

I remember reading about a store or place that had a sign that you are not allowed to leave a public negative review. Someone left a bad Yelp review and the place sued them. I am not sure what happened with that

I hope the customer hired a lawyer and counter-sued the store/place. Without a signed contract, a place of business has no power to indefinitely constrain or limit the future behavior and speech of their patrons.