Can We Please STOP Asking For Legal Advice?

78 replies
I don't know if it's just me, but I'm getting
sick and tired of seeing people asking for
legal advice on the forum.

The only way to get reliable and accurate
advice is to consult with a lawyer.

The warrior community is wide and diverse
and warriors come from every corner of the
globe. The law of the land isn't global... it
is defined by local and national statutes.

So, the only legal advice you should get on
this, or any other forum, is consult a lawyer
in your jurisdiction
.

John
#advice #legal #stop
  • Profile picture of the author Chris Ditfort
    Just let it go, I don't see anything wrong with people asking for advice. Simply ignore them If you don't like to see those type of posts.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Taylor
      Chris,

      Originally Posted by Chris Ditfort View Post

      Just let it go, I don't see anything wrong with people asking for advice. Simply ignore them If you don't like to see those type of posts.
      It's not about MY preferences, it's about making
      sure that other warriors with legal issues get the
      best possible advice from a reliable and accurate
      source.

      I've seen some people with real legal issues being
      given really bad advice that would get them into
      even deeper trouble.

      John
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      • Profile picture of the author Chris Ditfort
        Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

        Chris,



        It's not about MY preferences, it's about making
        sure that other warriors with legal issues get the
        best possible advice from a reliable and accurate
        source.

        I've seen some people with real legal issues being
        given really bad advice that would get them into
        even deeper trouble.

        John
        Hmmm Thats True Lol
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      • Profile picture of the author WillR
        Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

        I've seen some people with real legal issues being
        given really bad advice that would get them into
        even deeper trouble.
        I've also seen a lot of posts where people were asking for legal advice when all they really needed was common sense advice.

        But I do agree with you on serious legal questions. Just like I wouldn't go to my butcher asking him how to change the belt drive in my car, I'm not going to come to a forum full of strangers and expect serious legal advice. Nor should anyone else.
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      • Profile picture of the author IMSince2003
        Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

        Chris,



        It's not about MY preferences, it's about making
        sure that other warriors with legal issues get the
        best possible advice from a reliable and accurate
        source.

        I've seen some people with real legal issues being
        given really bad advice that would get them into
        even deeper trouble.

        John
        I've seen this also. Many times people just need some common sense, but there's no knowing if the person asking the advice is going to blindly follow someone's totally uninformed "legal" opinion, so just don't do it!
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      • Profile picture of the author Black Hat Cat
        Banned
        Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

        Chris,

        I've seen some people with real legal issues being
        given really bad advice that would get them into
        even deeper trouble.

        John
        How do you know that? Are you a lawyer?
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      • Profile picture of the author TheJustWarrior
        Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

        Chris,



        It's not about MY preferences, it's about making
        sure that other warriors with legal issues get the
        best possible advice from a reliable and accurate
        source.

        I've seen some people with real legal issues being
        given really bad advice that would get them into
        even deeper trouble.

        John
        This is an industry forum, and like it or not, this industry has the biggest fools with $12 bucks and a hosting account.

        If the legal aspects are not IMPORTANT...what is?


        The legalities should always be a freely discussed priority. The sustainability of internet marketing is an issue that should interest EVERY member here.
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        • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
          Banned
          Originally Posted by TheJustWarrior View Post

          This is an industry forum, and like it or not, this industry has the biggest fools with $12 bucks and a hosting account.

          If the legal aspects are not IMPORTANT...what is?


          The legalities should always be a freely discussed priority. The sustainability of internet marketing is an issue that should interest EVERY member here.
          You haven't been here long enough to be telling one of the super mods on this forum how to run things around here. :rolleyes:
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  • Profile picture of the author Norfolk
    That's a noble idea (kind of), but unfortunately one thread in general discussion won't change a thing.
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  • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
    Same thing is happening with people asking for tax advice or accounting issues. Again both are best addressed by a local qualified professional. These issues are pretty important for the long term survival of your business.

    Rich
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  • Profile picture of the author BIG Mike
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Wow, Michael Milken. We are honored indeed to have the 488th richest person in the world visit us.

      I'm just curious though: Don't you have another photo of yourself other than the one that's on Wikipedia?

      fLufF
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      • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
        Banned
        Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat View Post

        Wow, Michael Milken. We are honored indeed to have the 488th richest person in the world visit us.

        I'm just curious though: Don't you have another photo of yourself other than the one that's on Wikipedia?

        fLufF
        --
        Wow, that was a fun Wikipedia read. $1.1 billion in penalties sure isn't chump change...eh Michael?
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        • Profile picture of the author tpw
          Originally Posted by Michael Milken View Post

          I'm well aware of the differences in laws between states and countries. There are people on here from all over the world. Are there not?

          Also, I never said anyone could be a legal expert by utilizing free resources. I said they could find the answer to their questions. Huge difference. I also never said that you should blindly follow any advice given here.

          If people want to spend big bucks an hour to ask a lawyer a question when they can access legal libraries or ask the point of view of someone whose been where they are, then be my guest. Unless you're making big bucks, I doubt if the average person on here has the money to spend every time they have a legal question. But in typical fashion...you all are advising people to go the dependent, expensive route instead of the low-cost, effective and independent route.
          Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat View Post

          Wow, Michael Milken. We are honored indeed to have the 488th richest person in the world visit us.
          Originally Posted by Joe128139 View Post

          Wow, that was a fun Wikipedia read. $1.1 billion in penalties sure isn't chump change...eh Michael?

          You'd think that after paying $1.1 Billion in penalties that you would never advise someone to take the cheap route over the safe route... :rolleyes:

          Your advice is tantamount to recommending a man facing a death penalty should trust his jail house lawyer over the attorney with a track record of successfully defending hundreds of death penalty cases. :p

          Since that jail house attorney (and Warrior Forum do-gooder) are not bar certified, their advice is worth as much as you paid to get that information.
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    • Profile picture of the author MP80
      I can understand that a lot of Warriors who have been here for a while are getting tired of seeing 'this' and 'that' all the time. Yes you have seen and heard it all, and yes you do also have great advice - so I say this with all due respect.

      Personally, as a relative newcomer, I appreciate all kinds of threads and advice (including 'legal'). They are especially valuable when someone is speaking from their personal experience with a particular problem that many of us may one day find ourselves facing. If nothing else, these threads can at least help us to learn from the mistakes of others, and perhaps prevent many warriors from stepping on that same 'landmine' down the track.

      Let's face it - someone searching on the net for legal advice probably is not yet ready, or in a position to go and hire a lawyer :p. They may simply be feeling some anxiety about a problem and are not sure what to do next. So they turn to their community - the WF community - to have a conversation. Where do you think they are going to go when they can't find the information they seek?

      Google of course.

      Isn't it in many ways better that they have fellow warriors to discuss these issues with - people who (for the most part) understand their business and the position that they are in? Surely we can at least point them in the right direction - Do we really :confused: need more rules to prevent us from even discussing these kinds of issues? What a dry, boring forum this would be if we couldn't talk about any and all kinds of IM topics. One of the great things that I have noticed about Warrior Forum is that when someone gives 'bad' advice, usually someone else steps in to offer another point of view. So the person asking (and everyone else) gets an opportunity to weigh the situation up from all angles and benefit from the discussion.

      Personally, I am yet to see one thread re legal issues where it is not mentioned at least a handful of times 'This is not legal advice and I am in no way qualified to give you legal advice...' (Of course I have not seen them all, so forgive me if the forum is full of them lol ) I would also suggest that anyone who does not have the commonsense to work out that part for themselves isn't going to last long in IM anyway.
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  • Profile picture of the author globalpro
    I have to agree with Mike. With the mix of international users on the forums, and the varying laws of each country, to seek any legal or financial advice here is not the way to go.

    Originally Posted by Michael Milken View Post

    I don't see anything wrong with people asking legal questions. You don't know whether or not there are any lawyers on here. What if someone on here has gone through the same situation as the person asking the question and can offer them some tips on how they resolved their issue? You don't have to be a lawyer to know laws. Heck, I've met jail birds with better knowledge of the legal system than some lawyers. Besides, a lot of legal information is readily available for free on the internet or in a few books. If you ask a lawyer, what do you think he's going to do? He's going to tell you he will look into it and give you a call back. All the while, he's looking through his law books.
    It's not the asking advice part that's the problem, but too many people can end up with major problems by taking the advice of others here and running with it. Not to say there isn't some good advice given, but mostly you will get 'seek out a professional' answer.

    Even the few attorneys we do have here (Brian Kindsvater and Bob Silber are 2 that come to mind) will tell you to seek professional advice apart from the forum. They have also prefaced their comments that just because they say it, doesn't mean you can consider it a legal opinion. You would need to hire them for that to work.

    At the end of the day, 'good advice' with 'good intentions' won't get you very far in a court of law.

    Thanks,

    John
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  • Profile picture of the author sunray
    But what determines the jurisdiction? Owner's nationality, location of the host and server, or the target market? If an Austrailian, living in Singapore, hosts a website in the UK and targets mostly Americans - what's the jurisdiction of that site?!
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  • Profile picture of the author Rod Cortez
    Another thing to think about: those who have been here long enough know there have been plenty of charlatans posing as attorneys and were later found out not to be. A couple of them ran WSOs, a few others gave horrible advice that caused other members a lot of grief.

    Luckily, the membership here were able to out these phonies, but the damage had already been done. I think a lot of people come here asking for legal advice because they want to see if others have been through a similar situation and/or they don't want to pay for an attorney. Though ultimately, it probably SAVES them money in the long run by going to an attorney than not.

    Though I don't think it's a good idea to ask for legal advice in a marketing forum, I also don't think there should a rule against asking. Though we do have teenagers in here as part of the membership, most of us our grown adults so if a person is going to ask for advice here, they should be really careful about the answers they are going to be getting.

    RoD
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  • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
    Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

    The only way to get reliable and accurate
    advice is to consult with a lawyer.
    As John is not a lawyer I am unable to follow
    the above advice.

    .
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      It's fine to ask if someone has been in a similar situation, and how it was resolved, BUT...

      > We seldom get the whole story. We get the part that suggests the answer the asker wants to get.

      > When someone answers based on their experience, we rarely get the whole story. We get the part that puts the answerer in the best light, or the other party in the worst.

      > The truly tedious questions are the "is thus and such legal" type questions. Things like "is it legal to steal content if I rewrite it", which to me is akin to asking "is it okay to steal a car if I change the VIN number?"

      > Many times, people aren't really asking about the legal niceties of a situation. They're asking about some vendor's terms of service; the question is often answered within those terms.

      I've asked several would-be advisors (often anonymous constructs with screen names that look like someone dropped a sandwich on the keyboard) if they are willing to indemnify the party they are giving advice to, and willing to back that up with a bond big enough to cover the ramifications of following their advice. Haven't had anyone step up yet...
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      • Profile picture of the author David Keith
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        It's fine to ask if someone has been in a similar situation, and how it was resolved, BUT...

        > We seldom get the whole story. We get the part that suggests the answer the asker wants to get.

        > When someone answers based on their experience, we rarely get the whole story. We get the part that puts the answerer in the best light, or the other party in the worst.

        > The truly tedious questions are the "is thus and such legal" type questions. Things like "is it legal to steal content if I rewrite it", which to me is akin to asking "is it okay to steal a car if I change the VIN number?"

        > Many times, people aren't really asking about the legal niceties of a situation. They're asking about some vendor's terms of service; the question is often answered within those terms.

        I've asked several would-be advisors (often anonymous constructs with screen names that look like someone dropped a sandwich on the keyboard) if they are willing to indemnify the party they are giving advice to, and willing to back that up with a bond big enough to cover the ramifications of following their advice. Haven't had anyone step up yet...
        of course no one giving free advice is going to provide financial protection if their advice does not get the intended results. even if they were i real lawyer just working off the clock to help you. they would not do that because those bond fees they have to pay for such things is payed by their normal fees.

        i think the real issue is whether people asking for legal advice take the "popular opinion" on a forum as legal advice or if they take it as merely advice given by people in good faith.

        i would not hesitate to post a legal issue and ask for some advice, but i would not be willing to just accept popular opinion as legal fact.

        that is the whole reason for the disclaimer many people put on such thread saying they are not a lawyer.

        the problem is not asking for legal advice from unqualified sources, the problem is taking those unqualified opinions as legal fact.
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        • Profile picture of the author Kay King
          Except most people don't give their qualification - or lack thereof - when they hold forth with a legal opinion. Those opinions are often "how I think the laws should work" and worthless. Yet others are macho balderdash of the "they can't do that to you" variety.

          Non-college? How about high school students or middle school students, high school dropouts and people from countries with different laws?

          Someone confronted with a legal threat who asks "what should I do" on a public forum is likely to believe those who tell him it's not a problem. That's where the danger lies.

          kay
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        I've asked several would-be advisors (often anonymous constructs with screen names that look like someone dropped a sandwich on the keyboard) if they are willing to indemnify the party they are giving advice to, and willing to back that up with a bond big enough to cover the ramifications of following their advice. Haven't had anyone step up yet...
        I know it's usually bad form to quote oneself, but please bear with me...

        Here's a typical exchange that brings that response (quoted above):
        WantsToKnow: I bought a trademarked domain name for my affiliate site, and now the trademark owner wants me to turn the domain over. What do I do? Can he legally make me do that?

        Idjet1: Tell him to go stuff himself, you paid for the domain and you're promoting his product.

        Idjet2: Offer to sell him the domain for a gazillion dollars.
        Both Idjet1 and Idjet2 are offering legal advice that could land WTK in court against a motivated legal team with a position much weaker than the one they began in. Such posturing carries no risk for Idjet1 orIdjet2, especially since they usually hide behind empty profiles. Would they have the same bravado if they had skin in the game? The next one will be the first.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    MP80 - that's my take on it. I think those looking for advice here just don't have the finances to go to a lawyer -- either that or they are just groping around for some quick ideas or options they might be able to use. I genuinely hope that is all they use the advice for is to maybe find some options they hadn't thought of to look into and that they don't actually USE any of our advice actively.

    What always amazes me, though, is how far some people go with their businesses without at least looking up the legal aspects of what they are doing. It seems they don't think of doing a patent search BEFORE they get that domain name. They don't seem to look up and read about copyrights and what constitutes infringement BEFORE they start posting material they didn't write. When did "online" business start to mean "no sharps necessary"?
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  • Profile picture of the author David Keith
    i am certainly not for taking unprofessional advice about legal matters, but i also live in the real world where going to get a lawyer at the first sign of trouble is not very practical for a large portion of the WF audience.

    i see at as a way to get cheap (all be it unprofessional) advice that might give a person a better understanding of their situation.

    i also dont really see the harm in it. most of us take unprofessional advice about such matters. for instance, if i had some legal issue come up today, i would probably talk to other business people i respect to get their opinion. i might ask someone i feel is wiser than me such as a parent or some other authority figure.

    getting advice from a non-college educated person is not always a terrible thing as long as the person receiving advice realizes that the advice they are getting is not professional legal advice.

    in almost every legal thread i have come across, i see a few folks mention the "i am not a lawyer so dont take this post as legal advice" disclaimer. that should give people a good idea that the advice they are receiving may be decent advice, but its not a professional opinion.

    as for me, i have done online business a really long time. and if i had a legal problem today, i would like to hear what others warriors think. its likely someone here would have been through a similar situation and may be able to give some practical advice to help me out. it may be as simple as what questions to ask a lawyer.

    lets face it, even good lawyers are not perfect, so knowing what questions to ask them might go a long way to saving you money and getting the desired outcome.

    i get advice like this all the time in my property rental business. i talk to others who buy/sell/rent property, and they are able to give good advice.
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  • Profile picture of the author Saito
    Originally Posted by Michael Milken View Post

    I don't see anything wrong with people asking legal questions. You don't know whether or not there are any lawyers on here. What if someone on here has gone through the same situation as the person asking the question and can offer them some tips on how they resolved their issue? You don't have to be a lawyer to know laws. Heck, I've met jail birds with better knowledge of the legal system than some lawyers. Besides, a lot of legal information is readily available for free on the internet or in a few books. If you ask a lawyer, what do you think he's going to do? He's going to tell you he will look into it and give you a call back. All the while, he's looking through his law books.

    If you don't like the threads, don't reply. It's getting tiring to see the main forum with more whining threads than threads about making money.
    +1 to this!!! I am concerned when anyone, anywhere, suggest that people stop questioning.

    There is nothing wrong with asking for legal advice. There is only something wrong with GIVING it if you're not qualified to do so.

    Many "legal" questions can be answered in a way that is satisfactory to the asker without having to give specific legal advice. You can always answer questions with something like "I read here that..." or "My attorney once told me..."

    People can always cite sources and share references for the benefit of all.

    And some "legal" questions anyone can answer lawfully. For example, is murder a crime?
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    • Profile picture of the author tpw
      Originally Posted by Saito View Post

      There is nothing wrong with asking for legal advice. There is only something wrong with GIVING it if you're not qualified to do so.

      And herein lies the problem.

      Most people answering legal questions are unqualified to give such opinions.

      And most people asking are taking those statements as a matter of legal fact.

      I have seen -- more frequently than I would care to admit -- people offer, with the greatest sincerity, advice that would get the Original Poster in a world of hurt, if the OP followed that advice.
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      • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
        Originally Posted by tpw View Post

        And herein lies the problem.

        Most people answering legal questions are unqualified to give such opinions.

        And most people asking are taking those statements as a matter of legal fact.

        I have seen -- more frequently than I would care to admit -- people offer, with the greatest sincerity, advice that would get the Original Poster in a world of hurt, if the OP followed that advice.
        ..and Bill as you and some of our long standing warriors know unfortunately we've had people posting on this forum in the recent past claiming to be a lawyer only for it to transpire they were not!

        Rich
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  • Profile picture of the author TheTruth2011
    Someone says it how it is. However I don't disagree with some guidance for general things(perhaps a referral to good legal advice sources)
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  • Profile picture of the author David Keith
    there is nothing magical about legal or financial advice that makes it so that you should not enter into discussion about them with people who dont have degrees in the subject.

    yes, bad legal advice can cost a business money, but so can bad general business advice, or bad marketing advice.

    everyday on this forum, i see tons of bad advice that costs people money. why are we not advising people to only take marketing advice from a marketing consultant with a marketing degree. taking bad marketing advice will surely cause a business to lose money.

    bad business advice has cost me thousands of dollars in my 16 years online. i bet i have spent high 5 figures buying stuff over the years that came highly recommended that turned out to be piss poor products. but you know what, i still enter into marketing discussion with people almost daily.

    i have learned over the years to weed out much of the bad advice, but some still slips past my BS meter from time to time and costs me money.

    bad advice costs people money, and there is way more bad advice given on this forum about marketing issues than legal issues. so if we want to protect people from taking bad advice that might cost them money, lets make it so that only people with a marketing degree can give marketing advice.

    why are we so quick to tell people to get professional legal advice, but we almost never tell them consult a guy with a marketing degree before they use any of the marketing advice they get here on the forum.

    in both cases if you take bad advice, you will lose money. and the ladder has cost people on this forum way more money over the years than the former. like hundreds times more.
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Luis
    Banned
    I don't see any problem with people asking for advice here in this forum, even if it's anything related to laws.

    It's always better to ask the opinion of people who may have undergone a similar experience or predicament, before they go out to seek the advice of a professional such as a lawyer. They want additional information before they go out and seek professional help, to know their options and which recourse to take based on their particular situation.

    Of course, if they just take any advice from strangers, then they are dumb and deserve anything bad that will befall them. But I believe that people asking for such advice are not that dumb; they just want more information before they call their lawyer and pay money for legal advice.
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  • Profile picture of the author osool
    Hi friends
    I am really afraid after reading this post ... I don't know really what are you talking about what kind of legal problem please tell me I don't want to do something wrong or against the law.. Please clarify and give more example... Please pm me .. I am just starting my online business but after reading this post I believe I going to stop thinking about IM
    Thanks a lot
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  • Profile picture of the author GarrieWilson
    Nothing wong w/ asking friends for advice or guideance.

    It's good to know basics before visiting an attorney. It's also good to get advice and then do your own research.

    People all the time ask about which disclaimers are needed. An attorney isnt needed to answer that. Infact some wouldnt even know the answer.

    Legal advice, just like marketing advice, given here needs to be taken with a grain of salt and verified on our own.

    Garrie
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeff Burritt
    Banned
    There's an old saying: The man that has many counselors makes wise decisions.

    Why not put the odds in your favor by getting a few more commentors?

    The problem with lawyers is that they construe everything to have legal connotations. And therefore requiring legal advice. This perpetuates their profession.

    Life is complex. Life is full of risks. It's important to have forums where information flows freely without the blockage of too many rules. Free information, obviously, is a mixed bag. Only common sense and life experience helps a person learn to eat the hay and leave the sticks.

    From my experience, what people find is usually what they look for. Or, what a person consumes is what they've already developed an appetite for. Or, a person only hears what they understand. Or, not until the student is ready will the teacher appear. And on and on.

    There are many ways of saying that while it is ideal for us to learn from another's experience, we humans, unfortunately, most effectively learn from our own trial and error. So then, most of the questors of such 'legal advice' aren't really seeking answers, as much as they are really seeking affirmation. The feeling that they are not alone in this world of tribulations. And that's the real affinity for community. Even online ones. Some comfort is better than no comfort. Even false hope is better than no hope.

    Are there charlatans and fools? Everywhere there's people.

    That said, if a seeker comes to this forum, doing their best to learn and listen and share objectively, then, I believe, they are more likely than not to find generally good wholesome advice, in spite of the large volume of useless banter.

    By the way, I'm an attorney. And I've done plenty of useless bantering

    Regardless, your bill is in the mail.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tsnyder
    To sum up... the problem is that people like the alleged Michael Milken
    see themselves as romantic jailhouse lawyer types who can find answers
    from free sources and dispense them as if they actually know something.

    Anyone with half a brain knows that nobody... qualified lawyers included... can
    possibly answer a legal question on an internet forum because you can't possibly
    know all relevant circumstances and details that might affect the advice you
    would give.

    Only a fool would ask for, and act upon, legal advice obtained on an internet forum.

    Such fools should be banned from calling themselves business people.
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    • Profile picture of the author ShayB
      Originally Posted by Tsnyder View Post


      Only a fool would ask for, and act upon, legal advice obtained on an internet forum.

      Such fools should be banned from calling themselves business people.

      "Who's the more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him?" ~Obi-Wan Kenobi
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeff Burritt
    Banned
    Good idea, ban all fools. And watch D.C.'s population plummet!
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  • Profile picture of the author sal64
    1- if people didn't try to buck the system... most wouldn't need to ask for advice.

    2- There should be a rule preventing these questions being asked. We are not a legal and financial advisory service.

    3- If I ever need advice on how to plea bargain and get my sentence reduced... I'll know who to PM.

    Sal
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    • Profile picture of the author David Keith
      Originally Posted by sal64 View Post

      1- if people didn't try to buck the system... most wouldn't need to ask for advice.

      2- There should be a rule preventing these questions being asked. We are not a legal and financial advisory service.

      3- If I ever need advice on how to plea bargain and get my sentence reduced... I'll know who to PM.

      Sal
      just curious, how many of the 400k WF members do you think posses any sort of marketing degree or marketing certification that verifies they are qualified to give marketing advice.

      i bet there is not more than a couple hundred guys here with a marketing degree of any sort. Yet most of us listen to and act on some of the advice given by lots of people here.

      The key thing is not to prevent questions from being asked or replied to, but to get people to realize that most of what is said on this forum about every subject matter should not be taken as fact that will apply to every situation.

      its odd to me how many of you view legal advice as somehow different than other business / marketing advice that can in fact do just as much harm to any individual and their business.

      can you imagine what a true professional marketing expert with a degree would say about the WF WSO section? He would laugh at all the bogus advice being given and sold.

      on a quick side note. I spent a few minutes looking around the sig links and wso's offered by many of the members advocating getting professional legal advice. It is interesting to note that many of those sales pages are in violation of FTC guidelines and wide open to legal actions. If those same people paid lawyers to check their sales pages, they would find some very huge holes.

      I am referring to things such as income representations that violate the law, testimonials that indicate non-normal results, missing or incorrect privacy policies, and false scarcity tactics, and several other legal violations of the law.
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      • Profile picture of the author BackLinkiT
        I would never give legal advice via an open forum in any event. It is impossible to obtain sufficiently detailed instructions to give adequate advice and the risks inherent in attempting to do so are just too great.

        Peter
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        • Profile picture of the author David Keith
          Originally Posted by BackLinkiT View Post

          I would never give legal advice via an open forum in any event. It is impossible to obtain sufficiently detailed instructions to give adequate advice and the risks inherent in attempting to do so are just too great.

          Peter
          but you would be ok with giving marketing advice based on a couple of paragraphs from someone knowing full well that you almost certainly don't have all the necessary information to give good marketing advice?
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          • Profile picture of the author BackLinkiT
            Originally Posted by David Keith View Post

            but you would be ok with giving marketing advice based on a couple of paragraphs from someone knowing full well that you almost certainly don't have all the necessary information to give good marketing advice?
            The two situations are entirely different to be fair. I cannot be sued for giving marketing advice and very often the errors being made are quite obvious anyway.

            I can be sued for giving negligent legal advice.
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            • Profile picture of the author David Keith
              Originally Posted by BackLinkiT View Post

              Yes. I can't get sued for that.
              you cant get sued for giving your opinion on a legal matter either as long as you disclose that you are not a lawyer or qualified to give legal advice. which is a line you see around the WF all the time.

              and in truth if you position yourself as an expert in a particular field of marketing then yes, there are cases where you can be held liable for giving advice as an expert.
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              • Profile picture of the author BackLinkiT
                Originally Posted by David Keith View Post

                you cant get sued for giving your opinion on a legal matter either as long as you disclose that you are not a lawyer or qualified to give legal advice
                I am a lawyer though, David. That was the point of my first post.
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                • Profile picture of the author David Keith
                  Originally Posted by BackLinkiT View Post

                  I am a lawyer though, David. That was the point of my first post.
                  and in truth, there is a pretty easy "out" for anyone who is sued for giving legal advice in a forum situation even if they dont give the normal disclosure. As many have mentioned you are almost always getting only part of the story. It is damn hard to sue someone for giving bad advice (legal, medical, or otherwise) when the person suing did not disclose everything about the situation. In almost every case they would have an unbelievable shaky case right from the get go.

                  my point throughout this thread is that taking advice in a forum about anything is risky and is a "poster beware" environment. but the idea that people should be discouraged from asking any sort of question to get the opinions of others who may or may not be qualified to answer is kinda silly.
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                  • Profile picture of the author davezan
                    Originally Posted by David Keith View Post

                    but the idea that people should be discouraged from asking any sort of question to get the opinions of others who may or may not be qualified to answer is kinda silly.
                    If anything, folks ought to consult a lawyer if they're in the midst of an actual
                    dispute
                    , rather than ask for such in an online forum. OTOH, some (if not many)
                    lawyers consider giving legal advice in an online forum as unethical as advertising
                    beyond their licensed jurisdiction. (even if it's to also cover their arses...)

                    Personally, I give suggestions. Nobody listens to me if I give advice anyway, heh.
                    Signature

                    David

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                • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
                  Banned
                  Originally Posted by BackLinkiT View Post

                  I am a lawyer though.
                  I thought I smelled something lol .
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          • Profile picture of the author Tony Marriott
            Originally Posted by ShayRockhold View Post

            "Who's the more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him?" ~Obi-Wan Kenobi

            I was going to answer that question but I am not sure if I am qualified - Sorry Ben (or do you still prefer Obi-Wan?)
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  • Profile picture of the author kokopelli
    ... feel free to ignore free (or paid) "legal advice" at anytime, it's just someone's subjective take on an issue - sometimes it's no more than an "educated" guess, sometimes a little less than a personal opinion ...
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  • Profile picture of the author kakarotoni
    People can ask whatever they want to ask, its freedom of speech. If they happen to find someone who was in a similar situation they were in then maybe they would get advice from that person. Sure, a lawyer is the best possible way to get legal advice but it also costs 200+ dollars an hour to get that advice.....whats wrong with trying to get that advice for free to start off with?
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    John, I disagree with you.

    Only a fool takes the legal council from an Internet forum.

    But if you're looking to argue, I can argue that only a fool would consider the marketing/business advice from someone on an Internet forum regardless of their post count or alleged "earnings".

    Really, I'm not looking for an argument, but if people want to ask legal advice, they should be able to. This is a respected assemblage of Internet marketers, and arguably (Don't argue with me.) the best place to ask Internet marketing questions of all aspects, INCLUDING LEGALITIES.

    If you don't like it, don't partake.

    But don't encourage the tattletales who say "OMG YOU CAN'T CREATE THIS TYPE OF THREAD" and contribute nothing of merit to the discussion. (God. I hate whiners. Especially whiners who don't contribute.)
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
    I find it interesting that some of the ones that are dead set against "unqualified" legal advice have no problem giving "unqualified" advice about depression, marriage, finances, self-improvement, and health issues such as weight loss, acne, and bird flu through writing ebooks, articles, etc.

    Why the double standard? If I can read a little, get some advice here and there, have some personal experience in those areas I can write an ebook and everyone would applaud me for not being a whiner but someone who's going places and going to make it big but under the same situation I can't give legal "advice"?

    The other thing is that most of what is asked on this forum is not legal advice. It's common sense that, in my unqualified/uneducated opinion, most anyone can help with. Things such as:

    Using trademarks in domain names is pretty much illegal in every country
    Stealing someone's articles and putting my own name on it is illegal in pretty much every country
    Taking money and not delivering is illegal in almost every country
    Breaking into someone's website or stealing passwords is illegal in almost every country
    Using someone's licensed/protected/trademarked/copyrighted property such as music and graphics is illegal in almost every country without my own license or explicit permission to use

    Furthermore questions like "How do I file for a copyright in the USA" don't need a lawyer's answer in my opinion. Point them to copyright.gov.

    Questions like "in my situation I'm not sure which option to choose because me and my partner....." probably DO require a lawyer.

    A real life example that I have a question about is that in the United States if you charge interest on payments (someone buys a car for $3000, x payments at x amount and x interest) you have to provide a "truth-in-lending" form in most cases which explains clearly how much the interest is costing you.

    My general question is if I have a $997 product that I offer for full price OR 3 payments of $333 (or $340 or whatever) do I have to provide a truth-in-lending form to US citizens because the sum of the payments is more than the base price. In other words is this "interest"?

    I'm probably not going to get a lawyer or ask a lawyer. I may go to a "qualified" source of information like ftc.gov or some of the bigger and well known legal sites or I may ask on the Warrior forum. I know the idiots that say "dude don't worry about it" or "get back to work" or "what's the big deal" are idiots. If someone like Bob Silber or Brian Kindsvater come along and answer or someone who isn't a blatant idiot I'm more likely to stop there.

    One of the big topics for these types of questions is about using unlicensed content. Being on the receiving end of this issue I am very well aware of the realities in the real world. In my case we had offices and phones and computers and employees so it's a little different in that sense than Bob who is in his parent's basement writing up his little websites. Those that refer to these lawyers as trolls or say they go away or anything other than you better comply if you're using the property are idiots and don't understand how the real world works.

    My opinion for what it's worth but since I'm not a lawyer and have no knowledge whatsoever about these things and no common sense then probably not worth much.

    Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author David Keith
    My point is that while there is lots of good advice on this forum, there is a good bit of bad advice like the above example. But that bad advice and its consequences are far from limited to legal matters.

    Should we encourage people to stop asking for advice about topics because someone who is unqualified might offer up some bad advice that might cost the OP time, money, legal problems, or any number of other bad consequences.

    In your above example John, almost without fail, some senior member would pop in and say with authority that these posters are giving bad advice. Then of course its up to the OP to decide what to do with all the opinions they gather, but I am not for discouraging people to ask for opinions.

    I am sure this thread started after reading the ongoing thread about the threat of legal action due to an image theft. In that thread, several people offered some sound advice that was not "just go get a lawyer". That OP appears to be very limited in options due to his finances, so this advice was probably welcome. Although, sadly that OP seems to have decided upon taking the ostrich method of dealing with the problem.

    BTW, thanks for the opinions offered by several members on this topic toady, I have enjoyed the clean a insightful discussion even though I seem to be in the minority on this one.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeffery
    Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

    I don't know if it's just me, but I'm getting
    sick and tired of seeing people asking for
    legal advice on the forum.

    The only way to get reliable and accurate
    advice is to consult with a lawyer.

    The warrior community is wide and diverse
    and warriors come from every corner of the
    globe. The law of the land isn't global... it
    is defined by local and national statutes.

    So, the only legal advice you should get on
    this, or any other forum, is consult a lawyer
    in your jurisdiction
    .

    John
    John,

    With all due respect, your sound advise "So, the only legal advice you should get on this, or any other forum, is consult a lawyer in your jurisdiction." is exactly why questions related to "asking for legal advice on the forum" is important. Your point may not have been considered by the person asking for help or they just need reassured. In any case - in almost all of the threads I have read on the topic -more than one person always recommends consulting a lawyer.

    The point is .. if people never ask a question then they will never get an answer.

    Jeffery 100% :-)
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    In the minute it took me to write this post.. someone died of Covid 19. RIP.
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  • Profile picture of the author unoentremil
    Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

    I'm getting
    sick and tired of seeing people asking for
    legal advice on the forum...
    John
    Well John, I would extend that to 99% of the information available on-line but, after all, that's the nature of the Word Wild Web. Isn't it.

    Undoubtedly, finding reliable sources is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. Proficiency in searching and filtering takes years even for skilled professionals. Anyhow, getting good advice is possible if you dedicate time to find where, who and - of course - how to ask :-)

    All the best
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Chicas
    Some excellent points have been covered on this thread.

    I do believe that most of us are on this forum to learn and give advice on marketing and making money on line. Quite often certain legalities come into play with such subject as one would expect. So for anyone to say we should stop asking or giving such advice is an irrelevant comment/request.

    I should also say that I still see where John is coming from, but what I DO NOT understand is how some people just want to gang up and beat up someone that seems to be in legal distress (this is not directed at John either). I'm sorry but do you really know what kind of problems this person is in? What kind of life he is living? Like it was noted, this thread originated from another thread where the OP mentioned infringing on copyright law due to photographs. Some people were quick to leave snobby and snide little comments. He later pointed out that he was pretty broke and a family member passed away from cancer and has no money for an attorney.

    Now let me ask you, how does leaving snobby (and sometimes bashing) comments help out? I mean come on, we all have our own problems and I don't see how such comments really contribute anything. Maybe it was wrong for me to extend a hand and offer help for free since I'm not an attorney or told him to go seek one right away, although in my first post I also pointed him to a non profit place to seek help (eff.org).

    Anyways my point is that we are all here to help each other out and contribute. As long as you come from this mind set I think it's okay to offer your sensible advice. It might not be the right one but any sensible person knows that this is just such... advice from a FORUM.

    So with that I thank everyone that contributed to this thread, it was certainly worth reading.

    All the best.
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  • Profile picture of the author hardraysnight
    Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

    I don't know if it's just me, but I'm getting
    sick and tired of seeing people asking for
    legal advice on the forum.

    The only way to get reliable and accurate
    advice is to consult with a lawyer.

    The warrior community is wide and diverse
    and warriors come from every corner of the
    globe. The law of the land isn't global... it
    is defined by local and national statutes.

    So, the only legal advice you should get on
    this, or any other forum, is consult a lawyer
    in your jurisdiction
    .


    John
    Can We Please STOP Giving Legal Advice?
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  • Profile picture of the author chrislangley
    I agree that consulting a local lawyer is the best course of action, most of the times though, folks just want to vent
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  • Profile picture of the author Barry Unruh
    Can we legally ask people to stop asking for legal advice without infringing upon their rights to freedom of speech?

    Wait a second...did I just ask for legal advice???

    The better question for people to ask is "Has anyone experienced something similar to this so I can clearly explain the situation to my attorney?"
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    • Profile picture of the author Martin Avis
      The trouble with asking for legal advice on a forum like this is that the lawyers amoung us are generally unable or unwilling to offer more than general principles coupled with the excellent suggestion that seeking professional counsel is the only sensible course of action.

      Sensible people who bother to read the thread and reply to it simply say 'seek legal advice'.

      Everyone else who tries, however well meaningly, to help fall somewhere on the range that encompasses reasonable common sense at one end and outright lunacy that could get the OP into massive trouble at the other.

      The trouble is that knowing which bit of well-intentioned advice falls where on that scale is not always obvious even to disinterested observers. To the often already panicked OP who is ready to cling to any straw, often the most wrong advice is the most appealing.

      That's why I agree with John's suggestion that such threads should not be allowed - not because they are boring, but because they can often end up being highly damaging to the thread starter - who often ends up admitting to his or her guilt on an open public forum!

      Equating legal advice, where the penalties can be ruinous, to marketing advice, where the effect of taking a bad suggestion is not even on the same scale is pretty silly.

      In any case, this is a marketing forum, not a legal one. There are lots of forums out there that are ready to advise on legal matters - just Google 'legal advice forum' - and although I personally would never use them, they are probably more likely to be able to help if you are desperate.

      Sadly though, desperate people rarely take good advice: they cling to the answers they want to hear.

      Martin
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      Martin Avis publishes Kickstart Newsletter - Subscribe free at http://kickstartnewsletter.com
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      • Profile picture of the author Rabindra
        Originally Posted by Martin.Avis View Post

        The trouble with asking for legal advice on a forum like this is that the lawyers amoung us are generally unable or unwilling to offer more than general principles coupled with the excellent suggestion that seeking professional counsel is the only sensible course of action.

        Sensible people who bother to read the thread and reply to it simply say 'seek legal advice'.

        Everyone else who tries, however well meaningly, to help fall somewhere on the range that encompasses reasonable common sense at one end and outright lunacy that could get the OP into massive trouble at the other.

        The trouble is that knowing which bit of well-intentioned advice falls where on that scale is not always obvious even to disinterested observers. To the often already panicked OP who is ready to cling to any straw, often the most wrong advice is the most appealing.

        That's why I agree with John's suggestion that such threads should not be allowed - not because they are boring, but because they can often end up being highly damaging to the thread starter - who often ends up admitting to his or her guilt on an open public forum!

        Equating legal advice, where the penalties can be ruinous, to marketing advice, where the effect of taking a bad suggestion is not even on the same scale is pretty silly.

        In any case, this is a marketing forum, not a legal one. There are lots of forums out there that are ready to advise on legal matters - just Google 'legal advice forum' - and although I personally would never use them, they are probably more likely to be able to help if you are desperate.

        Sadly though, desperate people rarely take good advice: they cling to the answers they want to hear.

        Martin
        After going through all the posts on this thread, I personally think that Martin has summed it all up really well. I personally don't see that there is a need for us to carry this discussion any further. Just my thought...

        Kind Regards,

        Rabindra

        Note: I believe the OP was trying to help/suggest people to do the right thing in terms of legal matters but most people seems to have misunderstood. On that, as far as I am concerned there was no need for the OP to mention like, "....I'm getting sick and tired of seeing people asking for legal advice on the forum." The reason I am saying this is simply because not all the requests made (in the forum) in terms of legal advices were directed to John to answer. It's open to everyone and who are willing to help those people who are in need, hence as a wise man he (John) could have addressed the situation in better way, I believe. (again I am not trying to play smart , just my thought...)
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        • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
          Banned
          Some of the replies above, and I say this quite unapologetically, are daft in the extreme.

          Equating legal advice with marketing advice is like comparing fish riding on bicycles to oranges.

          Seriously, I despair.

          If you don't get John Taylor's point, you need your bloomin' head examining.


          Mark Andrews
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        • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
          Banned
          Originally Posted by Rabindra View Post

          After going through all the posts on this thread, I personally think that Martin has summed it all up really well. I personally don't see that there is a need for us to carry this discussion any further. Just my thought...
          So then PLEASE tell me why you waited until 3 days had passed to add your opinion and bring it back to the top? :confused::rolleyes:

          Originally Posted by Rabindra View Post

          as far as I am concerned there was no need for the OP to mention like, "....I'm getting sick and tired of seeing people asking for legal advice on the forum."
          I don't know the OP personally, and can only speculate on his experiences on this forum. I don't feel completely out of line though when guessing that he has seen more threads on the subject then either of our post counts combined.

          Combine that with the fact that such threads often become littered with poor advice, and that often the OP listens only to what they want to hear, and I think the title for John's complaint becomes completely appropriate.


          Originally Posted by Rabindra View Post

          The reason I am saying this is simply because not all the requests made (in the forum) in terms of legal advices were directed to John to answer.
          Doesn't mean that he, or anyone else for that matter, don't see the same crap over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over (repeat at least 162,874 more times in your head).

          Originally Posted by Rabindra View Post

          It's open to everyone and who are willing to help those people who are in need, hence as a wise man he (John) could have addressed the situation in better way, I believe. (again I am not trying to play smart , just my thought...)
          I have no problems with the way John addressed the situation; and can't really see why you do. :rolleyes:
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          • Profile picture of the author Rabindra
            First of all thanks for taking your valuable time to go through my useless post and posting a detailed reply. I personally don't want to drag it further as this is a never ending discussion because no one can say in black & white who is right here and who is wrong. Again just for the argument sake, since you have asked me a number of questions I personally felt compelled/responsible to provide you with the reply:

            Originally Posted by Joe Robinson View Post

            So then PLEASE tell me why you waited until 3 days had passed to add your opinion and bring it back to the top? :confused::rolleyes:
            That was the first time I saw the thread (when I was looking for something else) my friend hence my post is after 3 days later. By the way, how on earth can you prove if someone visits this post next year and makes a comment means that he/she waited by this very thread for a year just to leave a post? What a nonsense! :confused::rolleyes:

            I think we all have better things to do than just waiting around every single thread that exist in the world's largest IM Forum. Well if you can access every single thread that exist here and monitor in any one time and if that is what you do than sorry I have only one thing to say - have a better life.


            Originally Posted by Joe Robinson View Post

            ]I don't know the OP personally, and can only speculate on his experiences on this forum. I don't feel completely out of line though when guessing that he has seen more threads on the subject then either of our post counts combined.
            Neither do I know him personally. Having said I do respect not only OP but also you and every single warriors (don't you have equal respect for all?). And this is not about who have been in this forum longer and who saw more threads/posts etc. (no disrespect to John, at all). This is all about an specific topic and obviously not about who are the most experienced person in this forum. Mind our own business!


            Originally Posted by Joe Robinson View Post

            Combine that with the fact that such threads often become littered with poor advice, and that often the OP listens only to what they want to hear, and I think the title for John's complaint becomes completely appropriate.
            I am not saying the title for John's complaint is inappropriate. If you look back to my previous post, there is only one sentence that I highlighted from OP and I repeat that for you, there is no need for me and you to be sick and tired of something as long as they are not directly related to you and me and we are not in a direct response. [Such opinion (...sick and tired) sounds as if you have the sole responsibility to look after everyone here in this forum.] Why not leave that up to the OP owner to decide? If someone does that to your thread than of course by all means you can proceed as you feel comfortable, I am no complaining for that. But if you visit some one else thread and you don't like something there, than what is fuss about. If the person who paid for the thread is happy then why don't just you and me rather mind our own business and leave the thread? So my point was to mind our own business.

            Now you may say that you should have a morale courage to point out something that you feel is not right, than I am not against you and no one is stopping you from doing so but again my original point is - there is no reason why you must feel sick and tired by visiting someone else's paid thread. Are you forced to visit those threads that you feel sick and tired of? I guess not.. If so than I am sure you also believe in equal rights? I guess yes...

            Originally Posted by Joe Robinson View Post

            Doesn't mean that he, or anyone else for that matter, don't see the same crap over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over (repeat at least 162,874 more times in your head).
            Well who is forcing you to read those crap "in your language" over and over and over and over again? Are you always forcefully invited? Why don't you mind your own business then? By the way, separating paragraph into sentences disjoints the full meaning of what I meant to say. So rather than just replying by sentence why don't you read the full paragraph as a one?

            Originally Posted by Joe Robinson View Post

            I have no problems with the way John addressed the situation; and can't really see why you do. :rolleyes:
            Neither I have any problem with the OP in overall but as I already mentioned above, there is no need to feel sick and tired by seeing something on someone else's paid thread. Hence mind your own business!

            Finally, since this is John's thread, if he doesn't like whatever I am saying here than I must mind my own business and leave this thread peacefully. But if someone else try playing smart than I feel responsible to reply.

            Last but not the least, apology warriors for wasting your valuable time and specially John (OP) for wasting spaces on your invaluable thread, for this none-sense argument that takes us nowhere. I promise to rest my conversation here with this post regardless.

            Peace,

            Rabindra

            P.S. (Sorry slightly out of the context) 21st century, a multi-cultured society, therefore we must learn to respect each and everyone around the world. We should learn to think as "we or Us" as opposed to "I or Me". We can never take anything for granted anymore. Something that someone feels comfortable with, may not necessarily be comfortable for someone with different belief and culture. Does that mean we are right and someone else is wrong? Therefore whenever we speak we've got to learn to balance so that no-one is left-out. Again just my thought....

            (Disclaimer: I have no any personal interest/intention to turn this thread into some none-sense argument field. Therefore If OP feels that this post is totally irrelevant and I am being irresponsible here then please just send me a PM, I will personally delete my post, almost immediately. Thanks)
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            • Profile picture of the author Chris W. Sutton
              We had someone on here a few years back who claimed she was a lawyera d she ran a WSO offering certain legal services. Well, long story short, she WAS NOT a lawyer and a lot of people were scammed.

              The fact is that you have no idea who you are dealing with on here and I can't believe anyone would take ANY legal advice from this forum. Heck, after reading some of the threads and replies on the WF, I can't see why anyone would take ANY advice on here because people can pretend to be anything they want to be.

              As a matter of fact, one person in this forum pretends to be a hillbilly marketer but I sure wouldn't eat any of the roadkill recipes he puts out!
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              • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
                Originally Posted by Chris W. Sutton View Post

                We had someone on here a few years back who claimed she was a lawyera d she ran a WSO offering certain legal services. Well, long story short, she WAS NOT a lawyer and a lot of people were scammed.
                This has happened more than once. If someone new to the forum is claiming they are a lawyer ask for their license to practice law if you cannot quickly find it online. If they cannot provide it, or you start getting any explanation or song and dance, immediately report them to myself or a moderator.

                .
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  • Profile picture of the author kreistik
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author tpw
      Originally Posted by kreistik View Post

      Just let it go, I don't see anything wrong with people asking for advice. Simply ignore them If you don't like to see those type of posts.

      We can also ignore posts like this one... :rolleyes:
      Signature
      Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
      Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
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  • Profile picture of the author Tim Franklin
    "Never wrestle with a pig—you get dirty and the pig likes it” has been said to be Abraham Lincoln-esque, but there is no record that Lincoln said anything like it. The saying has been cited since at least 1946 and has been popularly used in political speech.

    I find it interesting to read the various opinions, about qualified and unqualified opinions, and from those that are offended that someone would be tired of seeing posts that ask questions, then there are those that are offended that someone might be offended at a lack of questions being asked.

    Then there are those that are offering opinions about opinions where opinions are opined upon by various alleged statements made in ignorance.

    I for one am glad that should anyone wish to present a question regardless of the worthiness of the same, they are free to do as they wish, no matter what anyone else thinks about the motivating factors of that posters nature or even that posters true intention.

    (over all what a colossal waste of time) Mine included.

    If you put half the time, that you spend reading worthless threads with good intentions, into marketing you would be a wealthy old codger.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Tim Franklin View Post

      "Never wrestle with a pig--you get dirty and the pig likes it" has been said to be Abraham Lincoln-esque, but there is no record that Lincoln said anything like it. The saying has been cited since at least 1946 and has been popularly used in political speech.

      I find it interesting to read the various opinions, about qualified and unqualified opinions, and from those that are offended that someone would be tired of seeing posts that ask questions, then there are those that are offended that someone might be offended at a lack of questions being asked.

      Then there are those that are offering opinions about opinions where opinions are opined upon by various alleged statements made in ignorance.

      I for one am glad that should anyone wish to present a question regardless of the worthiness of the same, they are free to do as they wish, no matter what anyone else thinks about the motivating factors of that posters nature or even that posters true intention.

      (over all what a colossal waste of time) Mine included.

      If you put half the time, that you spend reading worthless threads with good intentions, into marketing you would be a wealthy old codger.
      The irony.
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrick Kelly
    Hi,

    The reason we consult professionals is they have information most of us do not have (or at least we think they have!). Advice in WF is very useful, yet best to take appropriate action based on the full set of facts (accurate objective ones) - thus save your action until you have consulted the appropriate professional /lawyer!

    cheers, Patrick
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by Michael Milken View Post

    You don't know whether or not there are any lawyers on here.
    Even if someone is A lawyer, that does not make them YOUR lawyer.

    The reason you go to a lawyer is not simply because they know the law, but because there is a massive framework in place to ensure a lawyer who does NOT know the law will not stay a lawyer very long.

    That framework dictates what a lawyer is ethically permitted to advise a client.

    Client. Not random person asking for free advice. That framework doesn't do jack squat if you ask some lawyer you met on the street how to reduce your taxes, and he says "just stop using banks; the government can't legally tax cash."

    Since he is not your lawyer and you are not his client, he has no obligation to give you good advice. He can ethically tell you to stick it in your ears and live in a cardboard box, because he's not your lawyer! He's just some guy.

    More importantly, if you hang out with lawyers (as I do), you will rapidly discover that many of them enjoy this subtle distinction and will most assuredly f#$k with you just because they can. Then they'll go off and laugh about it with all their lawyer buddies, and clink their glasses about how it serves you right asking for free advice anyway. Cheapskate.

    You'll also find a number of people on forums like this who wave their law degree around as though it trumps everything else. You have to have the right specialty. I've found a number of contract lawyers expressing their opinions on matters of constitutional and intellectual property law around the internet, and sometimes their knowledge of these subjects is no better than a layman's.
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    "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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  • Profile picture of the author shamabamma
    Asking in a forum situation is good for getting general advice and figuring out what direction to go in, but nothing beats a real lawyer in your town, county, etc. If you're on a budget like I am I've found that trading out with an attorney is a good way to get legal advice without paying through the nose. I've helped two attorneys set up a wordpress site and set up their email so it works and syncs up on all of their mobile devices and I've gotten my LLC papers for two companies along with some personal legal advice for free. I know both guys pretty well so your situation may require a written agreement as to how many hours your services are worth, but it has worked for me in the past
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  • Profile picture of the author sloanjim
    cheepos trying to get free advice that would cost them a lot in the real world. If they follow it and it's wrong "you get what you pay for."
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    • Profile picture of the author Joseph Robinson
      Banned
      We brought back a thread, from Christmas Eve, for this?


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      • Profile picture of the author Richard Van
        Originally Posted by Joe Robinson View Post

        We brought back a thread, from Christmas Eve, for this?



        It was a link spammer agreeing with the OP, ironically hiding behind a site stating they were an intellectual property firm.

        They've gone now so it looks like Jim brought the thread back but it was the link spammer.
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        Wibble, bark, my old man's a mushroom etc...

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  • Profile picture of the author Steadyon
    Originally Posted by John Taylor View Post

    I don't know if it's just me, but I'm getting
    sick and tired of seeing people asking for
    legal advice on the forum.

    The only way to get reliable and accurate
    advice is to consult with a lawyer.

    The warrior community is wide and diverse
    and warriors come from every corner of the
    globe. The law of the land isn't global... it
    is defined by local and national statutes.

    So, the only legal advice you should get on
    this, or any other forum, is consult a lawyer
    in your jurisdiction
    .

    John

    Nonsense.

    There is nothing wrong with asking for other opinions or viewpoints.

    Sh*t - many lawyers don't even know the law and judges or juries often get things wrong.

    Of course you can and should seek proper legal advice when it is required, but you don't need expensive legal advice straight off in many cases, when one is just testing the waters so to speak.

    So I see nothing wrong with asking for general advice.

    If what the OP said is correct then by the same token, the Warrior Forum isn't the best place to get Internet Marketing advice either!
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  • Profile picture of the author jeresteem99
    It's people like you that make my day
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