QUESTION
Is saying you will write a bad review if you are not reimbursed extortion?
Asked on Oct 30th, 2014 on Business Law - Indiana
More details to this question:
My friend was recently towed due to, in my view, the inaction and fault of management at my apartment complex. We are in college and the 120 dollar fee to get his car back wiped out his account until his next pay check from Jimmy Johns. So I called asking they reimburse my friend. I said if they didn't give his money back then I would write a review about what happened. The land lord called my room mate and said I threatened them with extortion and slander and they are going to send an email of what actions they can legally take in situations like this. So my question is, is this slander?
1 ANSWER
It is not libel or slander (libel is written defamation; slander is oral defamation) because you did not publish (nor even threaten to publish) any false statement of fact, nor did you cause any damages. You simply said that you would publish your opinion of the way the apartment management handled the situation if they did not handle it to your satisfaction. Nor is it illegal for you to threaten to do that which you have a legal right to do unless someone else gives you some consideration not to do it, e.g. "if you insist on charging that much, I'm going to take my business elsewhere", "if you don't gas up the car when you use it, I'm not going to let you use it anymore", "if you don't give me a raise, I quit."
Answered on Oct 31st, 2014 at 10:00 AM