Fort Lauderdale, FL asked in Civil Litigation for Florida

Q: A male is trying to ruin my life by going to gov lawyers and telling them to never let me get a job. What can I do ?

He has destroyed my belongings and said he would bring his family to “ruin my life”. Keeps harassing me on social media (making false posts about me and trying to communicate with me through friends and himself). He cheated on me and I confronted him for it and now he’s mad and trying to “ruin my life”

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1 Lawyer Answer
Charles M.  Baron
Charles M. Baron
Answered
  • Hollywood, FL
  • Licensed in Florida

A: Sorry to hear about your ordeal. You have raised a number of legal issues, which I will address one by one.

1. "Destroyed my belongings". That's a crime. Call the police to press charges. If the culprit is prosecuted, determine if the State Attorney's Office will seek restitution (compensation). You also may demand compensation directly from the culprit, and file a lawsuit if he won't pay. If the suit is for $8,000 or less, you would file in small claims court, where you don't need an attorney.

2. Threats to "ruin my life" and harassment via electronic means. Go to the courthouse Clerk's Office that handles domestic violence injunctions (also called restraining orders) and determine if what he's been doing constitutes cyberstalking or other form of violence that they can help you with. You may also hire an attorney to send him a cease & desist letter. If he's doing the threats/harassment as a way to extort you for money or a benefit, or to prevent you from making a claim against him, or from reporting him for a crime, then call the police because he's committing a crime by doing that.

3. "False posts about me on social media". That might constitute defamation of character. Depending on the facts, you may be able to sue for defamation, though there are very limited circumstances in which it would be worthwhile to do so. You also can hire an attorney to send a cease & desist letter. You can also report him to the companies owning the social media.

4. "He cheated on me". If you mean you were in a romantic relationship and he had an affair with someone else, that's not a legal issue. If you mean he cheated you in some financial way, that would be legal issue that you would address the same way as No. 1 above.

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