« Someone Else's Money | Main | Tiny Bubbles »
June 02, 2003
Bloggers Beware
There's an interesting case in Florida (West Palm Beach go figure) in which a woman is suing a man basically for blogging about their past relationship. Interesting, but not very you say? Look at the pre-trial order issued by the judge.
The order, entered by Judge Diana Lewis of Circuit Court in West Palm Beach, forbids Mr. Max to write about Ms. Johnson.
Still not concerned? There's more.
Judge Lewis ruled on May 6, before Mr. Max was notified of the suit and without holding a hearing. She told Mr. Max that he could not use "Katy" on his site. Nor could he use Ms. Johnson's last name, full name or the words "Miss Vermont."
The judge also prohibited Mr. Max from "disclosing any stories, facts or information, notwithstanding its truth [emphasis mine], about any intimate or sexual acts engaged in by" Ms. Johnson. That prohibition is not limited to his Web site. Finally, Judge Lewis ordered Mr. Max to sever the virtual remains of his relationship with Ms. Johnson. He is no longer allowed to link to her Web site.
I'm no First Amendment scholar, but this seems to me to be an extrordinarily stupid...and unconstitutional... order. Since when can a person not publish something that's true?
If you didn't want people to know about it, you shouldn't have done it.
Posted by Rita at June 2, 2003 07:24 AM
Comments
Amen!
Posted by: Da Goddess at June 2, 2003 08:27 AM
dang, some guys have ALL the fun. I never get lucky, sheesh.
Posted by: Tony at June 2, 2003 08:53 AM
Someone, somewhere, did mention that the judge was newly elected. Of course, she was supposed to have passed the Bar before then and taken constitutional law in law school.
But, Hey, maybe things have changed since I underwent the ordeal...probably a much "kinder, gentler" process, now.
Posted by: Willie G at June 2, 2003 04:44 PM
Are you sure that decision didn't come out of the Ninth Circus?
Posted by: Ralph Gizzip at June 3, 2003 07:49 PM