If someone asks him, ‘What are these wounds on your body?’ he will answer, ‘The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.’ Zech 13 v 6

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Lawsuit Update

Today I received notification that Eric and I will in fact be deposed (next week) by Patrick and Jairus's lawyer. Eric and I had agreed to go straight to mediation. We had even agreed to pay for half the legal cost of mediation (which our half will be in the ball park of $3,000.) After a lengthy silence, their lawyer replied with a deposition date. Indicating that they will be able to have a more meaningful mediation if some discovery is done in this matter.

My interpretation:

Michael Davis (their lawyer) wants to profit as much as possible from this situation. Why STRONGLY recommend mediation to just turn around and say a deposition is in order? Unless of course Patrick and Jairus just want to mess with us. Could their motives be malicious? Why wouldn't they want to go straight to mediation? Another example that you should watch what Patrick does not what he says.

The cost of the deposition is separate from the cost of mediation.I find it crazy, maddening, and somewhat depressing that Patrick, a convicted sex offender, is able to sue one of his victim's parents for telling their story. We will never recover the cost incurred to defend the blog's publication which, in essence, is our story.

4 comments:

Delena said...

Danielle I'm so sorry about all this. I just discovered your blog. I had heard something about this last year but didn't know the whole story.
I didn't read every blog so perhaps I missed it. How is Jairus involved?

You are right to be outraged, angry and outspoken with this. I think any parent would do the same. Even with a genuine repentance restitution still needs to be made. A sincere repentance also accepts the consequences.

God Bless you in your fight.

Danielle said...

I do have a few posts that explain Jairus's culpability. He knew his brother, Patrick, was a pedophile and did not warn us. He supported his brother's relationship with our family. He supports his father being in hiding. Those are the highlights of Jairus's involvement.

sheriemcm said...

are you being deposed separately? which day? I would love to grab coffee sometime after things have settled down a bit. The New Normal, as they say.

Leah K. said...

That is just sickening that you are getting sued for telling your story. A victim & thier family have a right to speak-out about what heppened to them. Do we not still have freedom of speech? Makes you wonder. I hope that this insanity stops. I get so upset when a victim & / or their family are told to be silent. A victim/survivor lives in silence until the day they reach out for help & telling them & their family that they have to go return to that silence is wrong.