I’ve also noticed that someone has taken to impersonating me on the same blog by posting a bunch of crap they hope will be attributed to me. So be careful what you believe to be my writings online these days.

Uh, Richard… Didn’t you recently get yourself beaten into a near coma after you attacked some racists online and they found out where you lived and gave you a tune-up?

I’m really glad that those 2 law firms have stepped. Please let us know who they are, cos some good ‘ol link love from just about every blogger in SA has your back with this!

Keep your head up mate!

@Donn – Thanks so much for the update, it’s fantastic to hear that the publicity is leading to good things. I’m especially happy to hear that 2 people have come forward to help you, we’re all on your side, keep pushing mate!

@Richard – I’m going to moderate some of your comments mate, it’s important for this thread to remain tip top :)

Really? You can’t? I try to do it everyday. So far so good. ;o

“messy divorces”

They don’t cover divorces, messy or clean, or anywhere in between.

This is generally true, and I have considered the service before, hence my use of the FNB Law on Call service.

The problem with defamation is that if they support either side they’re screwed. If you thought you could just insult people people and get away with it, they’d be screwed. If you rushed to the courts every time you got insulted, the same applies. It’s a legal landmine, either way.

Legal insurance is like any other insurance: it covers stuff you are likely to encounter; not the weird stuff, or messy divorces, or business problems.

The lawyers have agreed to help, pro bono, and one in particular is fed up with timeshare in general. I think it is unfair to expect them to represent me though, so I’m doing most of the leg work and they will read through what I have written and fix it.

There is a law student at Rhodes who is helping too. She has sent me useful stuff, and I have found other interesting stuff at http://www.saflii.org/
which as a lot of the reported cases online.

You need to check that. Logically, I believe that it makes more sense that you are covered, because the chief reason people buy their product is for help when they are being legally attacked. Take that away, and you’re paying 48 bucks per month for sweet fanny fuck all.

Lame. This is important stuff and we wanna hear it! Please type your comments into a text editor and save locally before committing them to the ether in future. :)

two lawyers have come forward to help

That’s great news! Have they agreed to take your case on pro bono?

If not, then I’ll make the following suggestion: go and start calling law firms and ask to speak to one of the partners and ask them whether they will take on your high publicity case pro bono. In exchange you will name drop their firm (and the names of senior counsel they instruct) every time you are interviewed and on your blog.

When the media (and other bloggers) report on your case, your legal firm will also be mentioned.

“Not that I think they’re listening”

Oh, I’m sure they’re hanging on your every word. I hope they’re looking very closely:

*holds up middle finger*

They won’t institute proceedings if someone defames you, so I’m pretty sure the reverse is not covered. The last exclusion clause is the most interesting: if they can settle they will. It doesn’t say whether they have to settle in your favour. It’s a good escape clause, if nothing else.

FWIW, I think you’ll find LegalWize has an exclusion for defamation, unless you were defamed by someone else. FNB’s Law on Call excludes it. Even so, they were helpful in explaining a bit about the legal process.

QVC’s lawyers are experienced, but they have made some very dumb mistakes, such as not serving the interim court order for 4 weeks, and then waiting just 28 hours to file the contempt motion (during which time I didn’t publish anything).

The publicity has been EXTREMELY helpful: two lawyers have come forward to help, and much sane and useful advice has been offered. I still need to digest it all.

The series of interviews on 702 were also most useful, and I’m sure QVC can’t be too happy about them.

The publicity and blog entries have also helped to make companies aware that they cannot ignore their customers.

My biggest problem at present is to shut up and not give QVC any clues about my next move(s). Not that I think they’re listening, but you never know.