Taking legal action against the JWs for DFing??? Need serious advice

by 2pink 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  2pink

  i posted a thread a bit earlier about our impending judicial committee/Dfing for celebrating "false religious holidays". they have seen decor on the outside of our house, so i guess that is their "evidence" that we engage in false religion now! ok, whatever!

  my husband and i have talked and are serious about taking legal action against the JWs if they try to DF us against our will. after all, they truly are stealing our first amendment rights of freedom of religion. (no we will never be JWs again, but we want to maintain our "status" as not DFed for the few remaining JW contacts we have...pls dont judge us there...most of you can understand it's complicated!).

  so i'm just wondering if anyone has ever sued the WT on this basis....and what the outcome was. i am in need of some real legal advice because i am not messing around here....this is wrong and i am not afraid to call them out on it. we are going to consult an attorney on this, but...

  seriously how can they get away with this BS? unwarranted harassment and threats surely don't fit in with our guaranteed US constitutional rights???? and the biggest thing is...how can they do this when the "decision" (hahaha yeah right) to get baptized was made under pressure when my husband was a minor (16) and i was barely 18?

  any advice is welcome and appreciated....posting here or messaging me is great too. i would love to hear any and all stories from those who have taken this to court, and what the outcome was. And i'd love to hear any strategies that helped you along the way.

  thanks for reading and happy holidays! (i don't care what it costs me....i love saying that!)
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  fokyc

  Perhaps Docbobs site might be helpful to you:

  http://www.docbob.org/wordpress/?p=22

  There have been many posts before on this subject.
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  DocBob

  Check out: http://www.paradisecafediscussions.net/printthread.php?tid=2230
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  dissed

  Last year, two 'brothers' noticed our decorations while encouraging us to come to the meetings, and we prepared ourselves for a judicial comittee. It hasn't happened yet.

  But like you, we contemplated a lawsuit if they mentioned the action from the platform defaming our good name in the community. And have our attorney warn them to that effect, beforeheand. (To say you are no longer a JW = you did something really bad) Since then, we have decided NOT to do anything and just ignore any and all of their actions.

  We have the resources to wage a lengthy legal battle against the Elders, in which the court costs alone would ruin them financially. But that would only hurt those still blinded by the WTS and not the real source of the problem, the GB. That's why we decided on a course of just ignoring them and leaving the WT behind. If family wants to abide by the shunning edict, then fine. Perhaps, this might be a wakening moment for them.
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  leavingwt

  we want to maintain our "status" as not DFed for the few remaining JW contacts we have

  These people will most likely shun you, if they know you're pursuing legal action their favorite organization. Moreover, WT has a team of "free" lawyers ready to wrap themselves in the 1st Amendment. Please consider all of this as you make your plans.
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  ThomasCovenant

  How about reminding the elders that you know where they live and work?
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  Found Sheep

  I thought about this too. I even found a lawyer that was willing to help. They were going to Df me for something that wasn't true. Enough time went by that by the time they were going to have my JC I no longer cared and DA myself. I just wanted them to know it was my choice. I didn't get kicked out I wanted out... but if it was a year ago I know i would have sued
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  Mad Sweeney

  If I understand things, suing the Borg is fruitless and will break you financially, but threatening suit against the local brothers can scare them into shutting up, and you probably won't even need to go through with the filing, saving you thousands of dollars.
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  Found Sheep

  ya it's the elders I would have sued!
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  mamalove

  I too would like to know if anyone has done the legal letter and the elders still DF? My day is coming, I know. My ex has tried several times to get them to have me declare my status.