Author John Grisham in being sued in BS lawsuit

[Wheezer]

RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) -- Best-selling author John Grisham and a couple he knows must answer allegations that they deliberately caused a woman's emotional problems by accusing her of sending them anonymous letters, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled Friday.

In a 6-1 ruling, the court reinstated Katharine Almy's lawsuit against Grisham, Alan Swanson -- a teacher at a private school where Grisham served on the board of directors -- and Swanson's wife, Donna.

A judge had dismissed the lawsuit after reviewing a deposition by a mental health professional who treated Almy. The justices, however, ruled Almy had stated allegations sufficient to hold a trial on her claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Almy, who denies writing the letters, is entitled to her day in court, said her lawyer, Bernard J. DiMuro.

Thomas E. Albro, the attorney for Grisham and the Swansons, declined to comment.

Donna Swanson received several handwritten letters between 1996 and 1998 accusing her husband of infidelity, among other allegations, according to the facts set out in Friday's ruling. Grisham, a Charlottesville-area resident whose legal thrillers include "The Firm" and "The Runaway Jury," also received an anonymous letter in 1998. The court did not describe the contents of that letter.

Almy claims Grisham and the Swansons set out to prove she wrote the letters, hiring two handwriting experts to compare the letters to other samples of her writing. Those included materials from a baseball league in which Almy's daughter played and Grisham coached and confidential records from her children's files at the school.

Almy alleges the defendants persuaded authorities to send a police officer to Almy's home to confront her, which she says caused her severe emotional problems.

if she thinks having police officers show up at her home was emotionally distressing what about all the loyal Grisham fans who will be sending her anonymous hate mail?

That will probably push her over the edge wouldn't you think?

 

[daveymark]

If the allegations are true, Kudos to Almy for sticking up for what she believes in. Apparantly some people believe being a well known author gives you carte blanche to harass others

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: Wheezer

Almy alleges the defendants persuaded authorities to send a police officer to Almy's home to confront her, which she says caused her severe emotional problems.

[/quote]

Yawn.

So having a police officer show up at your door causes "severe emotional problems"?

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: daveymark
If the allegations are true, Kudos to Almy for sticking up for what she believes in. Apparantly some people believe being a well known author gives you carte blanche to harass others

WTF???

She was suspected in sending letters, so they investigated her.

And that's valid a basis for a lawsuit?

 

[waggy]

actually it does sound like harrasment from them.

"Almy claims Grisham and the Swansons set out to prove she wrote the letters, hiring two handwriting experts to compare the letters to other samples of her writing. Those included materials from a baseball league in which Almy's daughter played and Grisham coached and confidential records from her children's files at the school. "

if they really thought she did it. they can get a handwriting sample without going to such lengths. Also how did they get the records from the school?

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: waggy
actually it does sound like harrasment from them.

"Almy claims Grisham and the Swansons set out to prove she wrote the letters, hiring two handwriting experts to compare the letters to other samples of her writing. Those included materials from a baseball league in which Almy's daughter played and Grisham coached and confidential records from her children's files at the school. "

if they really thought she did it. they can get a handwriting sample without going to such lengths. Also how did they get the records from the school?

The couple are teachers and he's on the board of directors at the school. No "lengths" at all, in fact it was the easiest way for them to get samples.

I don't see any harrasment here.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy
actually it does sound like harrasment from them.

"Almy claims Grisham and the Swansons set out to prove she wrote the letters, hiring two handwriting experts to compare the letters to other samples of her writing. Those included materials from a baseball league in which Almy's daughter played and Grisham coached and confidential records from her children's files at the school. "

if they really thought she did it. they can get a handwriting sample without going to such lengths. Also how did they get the records from the school?

The couple are teachers and he's on the board of directors at the school.

I don't see any harrasment here.

i do.

he has no right to those records. they are not there for him to look at for any other reason then for the child.

especially when there is way she can get the information.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy
actually it does sound like harrasment from them.

"Almy claims Grisham and the Swansons set out to prove she wrote the letters, hiring two handwriting experts to compare the letters to other samples of her writing. Those included materials from a baseball league in which Almy's daughter played and Grisham coached and confidential records from her children's files at the school. "

if they really thought she did it. they can get a handwriting sample without going to such lengths. Also how did they get the records from the school?

The couple are teachers and he's on the board of directors at the school.

I don't see any harrasment here.

i do.

he has no right to those records. they are not there for him to look at for any other reason then for the child.

especially when there is way she can get the information.

Naw, the files were were used for handwriting samples by the very people who have EVERY right to access those files.

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy
actually it does sound like harrasment from them.

"Almy claims Grisham and the Swansons set out to prove she wrote the letters, hiring two handwriting experts to compare the letters to other samples of her writing. Those included materials from a baseball league in which Almy's daughter played and Grisham coached and confidential records from her children's files at the school. "

if they really thought she did it. they can get a handwriting sample without going to such lengths. Also how did they get the records from the school?

The couple are teachers and he's on the board of directors at the school.

I don't see any harrasment here.

i do.

he has no right to those records. they are not there for him to look at for any other reason then for the child.

especially when there is way she can get the information.

Naw, the files were were used for handwriting samples by the very people who have EVERY right to access those files.

They have a right to those files for the purposes of running the school, not for their own personal legal issues.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy
actually it does sound like harrasment from them.

"Almy claims Grisham and the Swansons set out to prove she wrote the letters, hiring two handwriting experts to compare the letters to other samples of her writing. Those included materials from a baseball league in which Almy's daughter played and Grisham coached and confidential records from her children's files at the school. "

if they really thought she did it. they can get a handwriting sample without going to such lengths. Also how did they get the records from the school?

The couple are teachers and he's on the board of directors at the school.

I don't see any harrasment here.

i do.

he has no right to those records. they are not there for him to look at for any other reason then for the child.

especially when there is way she can get the information.

Naw, the files were were used for handwriting samples by the very people who have EVERY right to access those files.

For benifit of the child! not for a personal lawsuit!

i would be pissed off if i was the parents and talking to a lawyer.

 

[sjwaste]

intentional infliction of emotional distress is really hard to prove. look up the case law on it, she doesn't have a chance. it's not meant as a way to collect damages when someone's bugged you a bit, they have to have done something very severe by society's standards.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Turin39789

They have a right to those files for the purposes of running the school, not for their own personal legal issues.

Says who? Its a private school, remember.

And who says this is a personal legal issue? Seems school related to me. All three parties are related to the school. The trouble obviously stems from the school.

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

They have a right to those files for the purposes of running the school, not for their own personal legal issues.

Says who? Its a private school, remember.

And who says this is a personal legal issue? Seems school related to me. All three parties are related to the school. The trouble obviously stems from the school.

How is a woman sending a letter to another woman telling her that her husband is cheating on her in any way related to runing an elementary school?

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: waggy

For benifit of the child! not for a personal lawsuit!

i would be pissed off if i was the parents and talking to a lawyer.

This was not a personal lawsuit. It was a criminal investigation by members of the school. A PRIVATE school. All three parties are involved with the school, making this a school related matter.

You can get all the ambulance chasers you want, she doesn't have a case.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Turin39789

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

They have a right to those files for the purposes of running the school, not for their own personal legal issues.

Says who? Its a private school, remember.

And who says this is a personal legal issue? Seems school related to me. All three parties are related to the school. The trouble obviously stems from the school.

How is a woman sending a letter to another woman telling her that her husband is cheating on her in any way related to runing an elementary school?

All are involved in the school. If a parent is terrorizing a board member and teacher, it IS a school matter.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

They have a right to those files for the purposes of running the school, not for their own personal legal issues.

Says who? Its a private school, remember.

And who says this is a personal legal issue? Seems school related to me. All three parties are related to the school. The trouble obviously stems from the school.

how is this school releated? this is a matter of some nutcase writing letters about how he cheats on his wife.


not to mention School records are private. even in a private school. this kid has nothing to do with it. no reason to drag her into it by having her/.his records opened.

while he may be righ tin the lawsuit he is wrong with this. it does seem to me he is doing it just for harrasment. there are better ways to get a sample of writing.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

They have a right to those files for the purposes of running the school, not for their own personal legal issues.

Says who? Its a private school, remember.

And who says this is a personal legal issue? Seems school related to me. All three parties are related to the school. The trouble obviously stems from the school.

How is a woman sending a letter to another woman telling her that her husband is cheating on her in any way related to runing an elementary school?

All are involved in the school. If a parent is terrorizing a board member and teacher, it IS a school matter.

fine then talk to the PARANT. pulling hte childs records are a BS move and it is wrong.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

They have a right to those files for the purposes of running the school, not for their own personal legal issues.

Says who? Its a private school, remember.

And who says this is a personal legal issue? Seems school related to me. All three parties are related to the school. The trouble obviously stems from the school.

How is a woman sending a letter to another woman telling her that her husband is cheating on her in any way related to runing an elementary school?

All are involved in the school. If a parent is terrorizing a board member and teacher, it IS a school matter.

fine then talk to the PARANT. pulling hte childs records are a BS move and it is wrong.

Why? They needed handwriting samples. They OWN those files. It's their school.

And what good would talking to the parent do?

Finally, the only pages they would need from the file are the entry forms and notes filled out by the parent. Any actual academic RECORDS would not be filled out by the parent, thus were not used.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

They have a right to those files for the purposes of running the school, not for their own personal legal issues.

Says who? Its a private school, remember.

And who says this is a personal legal issue? Seems school related to me. All three parties are related to the school. The trouble obviously stems from the school.

how is this school releated? this is a matter of some nutcase writing letters about how he cheats on his wife.


not to mention School records are private. even in a private school. this kid has nothing to do with it. no reason to drag her into it by having her/.his records opened.

while he may be righ tin the lawsuit he is wrong with this. it does seem to me he is doing it just for harrasment. there are better ways to get a sample of writing.

Get this straight: Grisham is not sueing the parent. The parent is sueing Grisham and the teachers. The teachers and Grisham were being terrorized by a parent. This makes it a school issue.

No academic recoreds were used, obviously. Only forms and notes written by the parent.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

They have a right to those files for the purposes of running the school, not for their own personal legal issues.

Says who? Its a private school, remember.

And who says this is a personal legal issue? Seems school related to me. All three parties are related to the school. The trouble obviously stems from the school.

How is a woman sending a letter to another woman telling her that her husband is cheating on her in any way related to runing an elementary school?

All are involved in the school. If a parent is terrorizing a board member and teacher, it IS a school matter.

fine then talk to the PARANT. pulling hte childs records are a BS move and it is wrong.

Why? They needed handwriting samples. They OWN those files. It's their school.

And what good would talking to the parent do?

Finally, the only pages they would need from the file are the entry forms and notes filled out by the parent. Any actual academic RECORDS would not be filled out by the parent, thus were not used.

there are other ways ot get hand writing samples then going into the private records of a child.

It seems to me to be harrasment by him. I see NO reason for them to go into a childs records over this.

while i agree he is going to win the case. Him doing it this way is not the way he should have gone for it.

but hey if you think its ok to go into a childs private records for a personal lawsuit (wich has NOTHING to do with the child) thats your opionion. mine is diffrent.

 

[daveymark]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy

For benifit of the child! not for a personal lawsuit!

i would be pissed off if i was the parents and talking to a lawyer.

This was not a personal lawsuit. It was a criminal investigation by members of the school. A PRIVATE school. All three parties are involved with the school, making this a school related matter.

You can get all the ambulance chasers you want, she doesn't have a case.

six supreme court justices disagree with you. If it's any consolation, one supreme court justice agrees with you.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: daveymark

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy

For benifit of the child! not for a personal lawsuit!

i would be pissed off if i was the parents and talking to a lawyer.

This was not a personal lawsuit. It was a criminal investigation by members of the school. A PRIVATE school. All three parties are involved with the school, making this a school related matter.

You can get all the ambulance chasers you want, she doesn't have a case.

six supreme court justices disagree with you. If it's any consolation, one supreme court justice agrees with you.

No, the Virginia Supreme Court only agree that the case should be heard. They have not passed judgment on their actions.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

They have a right to those files for the purposes of running the school, not for their own personal legal issues.

Says who? Its a private school, remember.

And who says this is a personal legal issue? Seems school related to me. All three parties are related to the school. The trouble obviously stems from the school.

How is a woman sending a letter to another woman telling her that her husband is cheating on her in any way related to runing an elementary school?

All are involved in the school. If a parent is terrorizing a board member and teacher, it IS a school matter.

fine then talk to the PARANT. pulling hte childs records are a BS move and it is wrong.

Why? They needed handwriting samples. They OWN those files. It's their school.

And what good would talking to the parent do?

Finally, the only pages they would need from the file are the entry forms and notes filled out by the parent. Any actual academic RECORDS would not be filled out by the parent, thus were not used.

there are other ways ot get hand writing samples then going into the private records of a child.

It seems to me to be harrasment by him. I see NO reason for them to go into a childs records over this.

while i agree he is going to win the case. Him doing it this way is not the way he should have gone for it.

but hey if you think its ok to go into a childs private records for a personal lawsuit (wich has NOTHING to do with the child) thats your opionion. mine is diffrent.

AGAIN: Grisham and the teachers did NOT file suit. This was a school matter since facilty members were being harrased and terrorised.

And yet again: The academic recoreds were obviously NOT used. Only forms and notes filled out by the mother.

There is no privacy issue here. This is a PRIVATE school. Those forms are only private in that the school cannot hand out her academic records without permission. There is no law saying the school cannot use entry forms and notes from the mother for an in-house investigation.

In fact, that is what those forms are for: School reference.

Finally, she is suing for emotional distress. NOT for any violation of privacy laws.

She WILL lose.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Originally posted by: daveymark
If the allegations are true, Kudos to Almy for sticking up for what she believes in. Apparantly some people believe being a well known author gives you carte blanche to harass others

You are an idiot. Your ignorance in this post shows why America has become a nation of knee-jerk civil lawsuits.

 

[Turin39789]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Turin39789

They have a right to those files for the purposes of running the school, not for their own personal legal issues.

Says who? Its a private school, remember.

And who says this is a personal legal issue? Seems school related to me. All three parties are related to the school. The trouble obviously stems from the school.

How is a woman sending a letter to another woman telling her that her husband is cheating on her in any way related to runing an elementary school?

All are involved in the school. If a parent is terrorizing a board member and teacher, it IS a school matter.

fine then talk to the PARANT. pulling hte childs records are a BS move and it is wrong.

Why? They needed handwriting samples. They OWN those files. It's their school.

And what good would talking to the parent do?

Finally, the only pages they would need from the file are the entry forms and notes filled out by the parent. Any actual academic RECORDS would not be filled out by the parent, thus were not used.

there are other ways ot get hand writing samples then going into the private records of a child.

It seems to me to be harrasment by him. I see NO reason for them to go into a childs records over this.

while i agree he is going to win the case. Him doing it this way is not the way he should have gone for it.

but hey if you think its ok to go into a childs private records for a personal lawsuit (wich has NOTHING to do with the child) thats your opionion. mine is diffrent.

AGAIN: Grisham and the teachers did NOT file suit. This was a school matter since facilty members were being harrased and terrorised.

And yet again: The academic recoreds were obviously NOT used. Only forms and notes filled out by the mother.

There is no privacy issue here. This is a PRIVATE school. Those forms are only private in that the school cannot hand out her academic records without permission. There is no law saying the school cannot use them for an in-house investigation.

Agree to Disagree, though I doubt I'm going to make the effort to look up the results of the lawsuit. Generally if it were an in house investigation, the people investigating are not the people involved in the investigation(that sounds akward). This certainly doesn't sound like the school decided to investigate the parent of one of it's students. And I'm sure the child and mother had some expectation of privacy with those records, they aren't exactly public domain. But IANAL.