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Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Date: November 15, 2014 03:12PM

On June 4, 2013, Fairfax attorney Andi Geloo filed a defamation suit against
several anonymous FU posters who posted on one or both of these threads (the
defamatory remarks have been removed):

http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/2/784442.html
http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/2/1085646.html

On June 23, 2014, the court made a ruling which appears to have ended the case.

Attorney Lee Berlik wrote the matter up on his legal blog (abridged version below),
and included a PDF copy of the court's ruling, which is attached to this post.

Bottom line: You can attack your fellow anonymous posters with impunity,
for the most part.

But when you start attacking people in the real world, if you cross certain lines,
like defamation, or even come close to crossing those lines, your anonymity wouldn't
protect you, and Cary wouldn't protect you.

And you may well find yourself having to spend real money to hire a real attorney
to defend yourself against a lawsuit, like the anonymous posters sued by Geloo
had to do.



From The Virginia Defamation Law Blog

Anonymous Online Critic Will Remain Anonymous Absent Defamation
Posted July 2, 2014 by Lee E. Berlik

Fairfax attorney Andaleeb Geloo filed a defamation action against various
anonymous posters to the Fairfax Underground site and sought to uncover their
identities by issuing subpoenas to Time Warner Cable, Verizon, and Cox
Communications.

At issue were statements referring to Ms. Geloo as a "run of the mill court
appointed attorney" and a "fat Paki," and a statement accusing Ms. Geloo herself
as being the secret author of a discussion thread entitled "Andi Geloo - Bullshit
Artist."

Cox moved to quash the subpoena. The court, applying the Yelp test as well as Va.
Code Section 8.01-407.1, granted the motion.

The issue here was whether the Fairfax Underground statements were defamatory.
The court said "no".

Simply stated, the statements were not defamatory because they were either
constitutionally protected opinion, or mere rhetorical hyperbole that no
reasonable reader would interpret as having defamatory meaning.
.
Attachments:
GELOO v. CERTAIN ANONYMOUS POSTERS on FAIRFAX UNDERGROUND.pdf

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: eesh ()
Date: November 15, 2014 03:18PM

This is really painful to read, it sounds like some kid on summer break wrote this.


-
Attachments:
Clipboard01.jpg

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: strings ()
Date: November 15, 2014 04:41PM

Hooray for free speech (and I think you're cute ,honey). So, don't sue me.

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: curious. ()
Date: December 14, 2014 01:33PM

One or more people posted as:

- "There are Other Places to Advertise"

- "FICTION"

- "fur"

- "skskk"

Just some general questions, for anyone who might be willing to answer:

What was the experience like?

Were you shocked, worried?

How much did the attorney cost?

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: Fubar ()
Date: December 14, 2014 03:42PM

This is why you should use proxies and a vpn when posting here (or anywhere really).

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: Basement dweller ()
Date: December 14, 2014 03:49PM

Fubar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is why you should use proxies and a vpn when
> posting here (or anywhere really).


So why does it say you are posting from Manassas?

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: per crapita ()
Date: December 14, 2014 04:08PM

curious. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One or more people posted as:
>
> - "There are Other Places to Advertise"
>
> - "FICTION"
>
> - "fur"
>
> - "skskk"


Be funny if they were all the same person. The way the facts are stated, it seems to leave that possibility open.

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: Too funny lol ()
Date: December 14, 2014 04:19PM

So it sounds like Cary handed over the IP's if she was already going to the ISPs.

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: STFU. ()
Date: December 14, 2014 06:56PM

Or Cary will hand over your IP the next time the FBI comes knocking.

Of course, in all likelihood, all IP and other information is already accessible to the NSA and other intelligence agencies, including all draft/previews, which are permanently saved.

Note that such accessibility would not contradict anything Cary says in his "Welcome" thread.

Further, consider that that the very small circulation, ideologically pristine "Partisan Review" received covert funding from the CIA in the 50s, as likely did the nonpareil "Paris Review" (although the evidence there is less clear).

Do you think the intelligence community has stopped such "cultural" activities in 2014? Of course not.

Its location in NOVA, with its large footprint of federal workers and contractors, affords Fairfax Underground a very nice window into a very interesting niche in American society that would be well worth a few thousand a year to maintain and have access to. One can think of other possible tradeoffs as well, that anyone familiar with the history of the site will be aware of.

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: Pakistan ()
Date: December 14, 2014 07:22PM

Swell place from top to bottom:

.
Attachments:
paki-top.jpg
paki-bottom.jpg

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: eesh ()
Date: December 14, 2014 07:28PM

No one is getting in trouble over this site. Nobody in the real world takes what is said here seriously. It's just one autistic nobody perpetuating all this pseudo-legal drama.

Blessed are the murderous.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2014 07:29PM by eesh.

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: suspicious ()
Date: December 14, 2014 07:49PM

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No one is getting in trouble over this site.
> Nobody in the real world takes what is said here
> seriously. It's just one autistic nobody
> perpetuating all this pseudo-legal drama.

It's funny how personally invested you sound. But I'm sure it's just a coincidence you respond to every single one of these posts

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: eesh ()
Date: December 14, 2014 07:56PM

suspicious Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> eesh Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > No one is getting in trouble over this site.
> > Nobody in the real world takes what is said
> here
> > seriously. It's just one autistic nobody
> > perpetuating all this pseudo-legal drama.
>
> It's funny how personally invested you sound. But
> I'm sure it's just a coincidence you respond to
> every single one of these posts

Blessed are the murderous.
Attachments:
1418525860251.jpg

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: before the edit ()
Date: December 14, 2014 08:20PM

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No one is getting in trouble over this site.
> Nobody in the real world takes what is said here
> seriously. It's just one autistic nobody
> perpetuating all this pseudo-legal drama.


What did you write before the edit, buddy?

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: Dear Michael ()
Date: December 14, 2014 08:37PM

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No one is getting in trouble over this site.


But someone did get in trouble.

Didn't you read the thread?

Someone (either one or several people) who posted anonymously on FU was sued.

They had to pay a lawyer a lot of money to defend themselves.


eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nobody in the real world takes what is said here seriously.

Someone in the real world took remarks made on this board seriously enough to file a lawsuit.

Other lawyers had to get involved. So did a judge, legal clerks, and secretaries.

The judge wrote a 13-page decision that engages in a very close, detailed analysis of the facts and the law -- with the relevant facts in this case being nothing more or less than words posted on Fairfax Underground.

People in the real world took very seriously indeed what was said on this board.

What world do you live in?

Why would you feel obliged to deny something that is staring you in the face?

Are you upset for some reason?

Are you drunk, or stoned, or going through a manic phase this evening?

Earth to Basl -- Earth to Basl

Have you gone completely nuts?

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: 6X ()
Date: December 14, 2014 09:31PM

Do you think she wrote most if not all of the comments on her web site? Oh shit was that defamation? http://www.avvo.com/attorneys/22033-va-andaleeb-geloo-691986/website.html

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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: Did you hear the one about ()
Date: January 21, 2015 01:01PM


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Best Bars in Tyson's Corner for MILF's, Cougars and Drunk Soccer Mom's
Posted by: WingNut ()
Date: January 21, 2015 01:13PM

All I could see in the links are where the OP shamelessly shills for this supposedly great attorney.

I didn't see any edits by Cary or anything.

If someone makes a false claim that she fucked up a case, that's one thing. If someone says shes a fat ugly dingbat, that's another.


idontlikebeingrightaboutshitlikethisbutiam



Edited 21 time(s). Last edit at 5/31/1967 05:57AM by WingNut.

Last edit at 11/30/2015 01:37PM Last edit at 5/14/2015 03:52PM Last edit at 1/28/2014 05:57AM Last edit at 11/29/2015 01:10PM Last edit at 3/14/2011 11:52PM Last edit at 7/20/2012 04:07AM
Last edit at 6/29/2013 11:18PM Last edit at 3/19/2011 01:02PM Last edit at 3/26/2012 09:07PM



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/16/2015 08:13AM by WingNut.


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Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: dUEjD ()
Date: March 27, 2015 10:57PM

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No one is getting in trouble over this site.
> Nobody in the real world takes what is said here
> seriously. It's just one autistic nobody
> perpetuating all this pseudo-legal drama.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Fairfax Attorney Files Defamation Lawsuit, Seeks Identity of Anonymous Posters on Fairfax Underground.
Posted by: George Fucking Mason ()
Date: July 26, 2023 06:14AM

dUEjD Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> eesh Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > No one is getting in trouble over this site.
> > Nobody in the real world takes what is said
> here
> > seriously. It's just one autistic nobody
> > perpetuating all this pseudo-legal drama.


still true.

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