Q: can i file suit for defamation and elderly abuse under Title 18 in dc? under what sections? Cannot get an answer.
I am 70 years old. I asked a question during a town hall meeting at the senior wellness center I have attended daily for the last 7 years. The 55 year old program director, did not like the question because she did not have a valid answer, was embarrassed. She then filed a fictitious Barring notice and several Incidents reports to the DC department of Aging, attaching a membership photo of me that she darkened and enlarged at least 20 times in order to make me appear violent and to coincide with her language in the notice and reports. A month later, while having lunch in the dining room, I was approached by her security team and escorted out of the center in retaliation. I filed suit in DC small claims. She retained an attorney who has filed for a dismiss. The judge granted the dismiss because I did not specify what legal statute and cases related to the claims.
A:
A Washington, D.C. attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for four weeks. At this point, you could reach out to attorneys in the Libel & Slander sections to discuss. As a general note, keep in mind that such cases are not generally handled on a contingency basis the way personal injury cases typically are. That could mean paying legal fees on an hourly basis to pursue a matter in which the outcome is not easily predictable. I am not familiar with Title 18 - it appears to be captioned Crimes and Criminal Procedure. That is something that the criminal law attorneys here would have meaningful insight into. You could repost your question in the Libel & Slander category (for the defamation-related elements) and Criminal Law category (based on your mention of Title 18), or you could reach out to D.C. attorneys who practice in those areas. Keep in mind that libel and slander generally have very short statutes of limitations in most jurisdictions. Good luck
Tim Akpinar
A:
Addendum: You could also include the category Federal Crimes if you repost, in regard to your raising Title 18 - that is a federal statute under the U.S. Code. Good luck
Tim Akpinar
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