I do not believe this site is intended to be a substitute for retaining of competent "real life" legal advice. Anyone who believes otherwise is misguided. The Internet provides countless search engines--but for those too inept or too disinterested to click "search", there is nothing wrong with compiling an answer and replying here. Realizing you DON'T know something, but seeking out the right answer is the definition of LEARNING and that is why most of us are here. Sorry--remind me again--why are you here?

As for your advice, what expertise would someone in a parish have? Or people in a work place? They probably do not have, offhand, the answer to the question the poster is asking and they do not have a law library or search engine at their fingertips. And, many people may be reticent to divulge the particulars of a "real life" difficult situation to coworkers/family because of privacy issues. Were I to find myself in a position such as the poster described, I don't think I would call up everyone I knew--in particular, coworkers, for fear being involved in this type of incident would hurt my employment status. I also believe your sterling advice to "talk to the local police" ( about how to file a complaint against them???) borders on absurd.

"Hello, Chief, could you help me file a complaint with significant legal ramifications again your officers that could result in a lawsuit costing you your job, as well as taxpayers millions of dollars should I win? <cheerful smile>"

Surely, you jest.

Also, you state the poster is to consult with people at work and at his/her parish, then in the next sentence you caution them to NOT discuss it with anyone aside from their counsel. Which one of those two diametrically opposed courses of action would your expertise recommend?

Furthermore, while my posting offered facts available to anyone who isn't too lazy or too illiterate to use a search engine, in it I also recommend twice that the poster seek REAL competent legal advice from a local attorney.

Also, it seems disingenuous to join a message forum on the INTERNET only to immediately advise people NOT to USE this type of forum. Perhaps you misunderstood and thought your participation in this forum was mandatory? Regardless, it is unwarranted to criticize accurate information, regardless of where it came from, especially when you offer nothing substantive of your own, aside from "Talk to people in your church or workplace, but don't discuss your case with anyone but an attorney".

Ummmmmm, 'kay. Allllllllllrighty, then.

If you sit in a court room and actually LISTEN to the litigants, you will hear a lot of case law being cited. Guess what the study of law entails?? For those of us who study it---the answer is RESEARCH. Looking up "answers". Finding out what has gone before (precedence) in support of, or likewise, in juxtaposition to our position. No one inherently "knows" the answer to legal questions. Attorneys, in particular, new ones, RESEARCH---and know WHERE to look to find the answers they need.

I was in court yesterday for a civil matter addressing an issue of prescriptive easements on a property that had a defective deed. Before going to court, I spent a great deal of time looking up other rulings that were similar in nature to my own case. RESEARCH. And, you can bet these other rulings were quoted "VERBATIM" ( not ver batim, as you incorrectly write). I can just imagine the opposing attorney yesterday interjecting with a distainful sneer, "Aww, pshaw, Judge. Don't listen to him. He is just quoting something he looked up on the Internet that the Supreme Court said. He didn't REALLY write that himself." Those who participate in this genre understand the necessity implicit accuracy.

These postings are full of what people think, from an emotional standpoint. I would much rather share words of import, words of authority from sources that do, quite often, know more than I do, instead of merely blathering on about my emotional response to any topic raised.

"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." (Martin Luther King, Jr. ) I fear that you, my dear, are in possession of a healthy measure of both.