Sue first, ask questions later?!

Da-amn. I don't think they need to wait around for other people to ruin their reputation - they seem perfectly capable of doing it themselves. Are those guys for real?!

Fools

Don't Horizon realise that look like bullies and now the whole internet knows how they deal with their tenants. If they'd simply asked for her to take down the tweet no one would be any the wiser instead the whole web knows and will know for some time, that will damage their reputation more.

ahh...

streisand effect

<EOM>

Not too bright.

"We're a sue first, ask questions later kind of an organization," Jeffery Michael, whose family runs Horizon, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

So I guess he will be getting sued for disreputing the company's name next.

Is that all?

When I website I helped set up and hosted ended up with a slightly negative comment about a pub the landlord barred all my friends and wanted to know where I lived so he could "Come and have a quiet word" with me which sort of backed up the comments made about the landlord.

If a company / person is bothered by a single tweet / website comment and claims it has damaged their business its a sign of total desperation.

*whaaaaaaccckkkk!*

Thats the sound of their marketing bods facepalming..

I need a lawyer

Blah blah blah. I was going to write something insightful and mildly comical but instead I just want all of these people to die.

DIE. DIE. DIE.

I'm in Cyprus

and I've just emailed "Horizon Group Management" to tell them they're stupid.

Time for an international law case?

Will I find plenty of expert witnesses to tell the courts they're dumb?

Free speech anyone?

Enough said.

Obviously...

they have something to hide, if they were able to pick out that comment, and knew it was directed at them, they're obviously aware of the situation, which makes the comment valid and therefore they're not entitled to any damages.

Several years the US government and many states enacted legislation prohibiting this kind of behavior, known as a S.L.A.P.P. lawsuit, Illinois was one of them. this suit will go nowhere...

Wildbank Court, Woking, Surrey.....

is a similar place that has mould and damp problems, although Estate Agents dont tell their clients, nor do certain Landlords who pretend they are nice people !!

'"We're a sue first, ask questions later kind of an organization"

I think he meant "We're a sue first, THINK later kind of an organization,"

Broke soon?

Google for their name and Chicago and 9 out of the 1st ten are this story in some form which makes them look like scumlords. It looks like they are headed towards becoming a "Go broke and ask questions later" company.

Boys, that's Chicago

Anyone shocked at the "sue first" comment should just realize that Chicago is just that kind of a place. People think NYC is harsh but New Yorkers are kindly humanitarians compared to the disgusting soul-less sharks that reside in Chicago. No wonder Blagojevich loves that town. Note to the hapless tenant being sued for 50k: sue the sausages right back; that's the only way you will get these pork-loving bluffers to back off. Note to Chicago: swine-flu=you.

They just never learn - the little guy now has a voice

Just put a link to this article on twitter wit the #fail tag. How many people follow that?

Hmm

So seeing as they just took this public and all that, I guess emailing them and telling them in verbatim the 1st Amendment rights and SLAPP suits. Being that im from NY does this mean it will now become a Federal case?

/Credit goes to AC Tuesday 28th July 2009 21:55 GMT for this idea.

Let the good times roll I say

Can I be sued now too?

So seeing as your suing a former tenet about a post on Twitter that I never heard of or saw (and probably the rest of the world), there by drawing attention to it which is more then likely to harm you more then it would have. And not to mention the classic comment ""We're a sue first, ask questions later kind of an organization," Jeffery Michael" from your owner (Boy that one is a winner), your going to sue for damages you brought upon yourself by bringing this to light. Problem is this guys and gals, I quote verbatim so sorry if this bothers you:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

-The Constitution

and you might want to read this page FYI:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_lawsuit_against_public_participation

You fail :) Enjoy the adverse attention people you earned it.

BTW your more then welcome to contact me regarding this message.

Yup I just sent that to them. Lets see if I can get my name added :)

*clap* *clap* *clap*

Well done!

If you had just shut up and let it be, no one would have cared. Now you make a big song and dance and instead of 20 people it's more likely to be half a million and rising by the hour, who all think you're a petty vindictive company with nothing better to do than pick on it's customers.

Methinks with this much word of mouth damage, $50k could just be the tip of the financial iceberg!

And here they are!

Why not send them a message?

http://www.horizonrealtygroup.com/contact.aspx

I did - I can't imagine many of their 1,500 customers who have property managed by them could be happy knowing that mould is growing throughout their properties.

Shakespear

Stratford's favourite son had it so right......

So pathetic

I'm sorry, but this Horizon place sounds quite pathetic. Was Horizon trawling Tweeter for stuff that can harm their image. I think they have caused more damage to their name and fame, by suing this person. Shame.... poor little people..

The great thing about Horizon Group Management is

By putting Horizon Group Management into these responses, then anyone searching for Horizon Group Management are more likely to find that Horizon Group Management gets more hits to this site than the Horizon Group Management site, the people that sue first, ask later.

So Horizon Group Management, welcome to the world of stupid lawsuits.

Heres to Horizon Group Management and their wonderful customer service.

Lots of love

A non Horizon Group Management home dweller.

Hahaha

Well these guys have certainly, under their own steam, brought to attention the fact that I should never ever consider using them should I ever need accom. in Chicago, mould-free or otherwise.

Epic Fail

Sue first...

We're a sue first, ask questions later kind of an <del>country</del> organization...

Here in Germany, for that statement alone the lawsuit would be thrown out and that comapny fined for abuse of the law.

I think they have hurt themselves

If they have given the twitterrer no change to make redress then they might hurt the case befor eit starts.

STARTING the case also hurts them

Eejits

How on earth did they find it?

With only 20 people following - unless one of them worked for Horizon - how did this tweet even come to their attention? I've missed something here...

Errr. sorry to be a wet blanket....

But as far as I can tell the case has not yet been heard.

And while I think it an excellent jape, would not hundreds of El Reg emails help to strengthen their [Horizon's] case???

There is such a thing as bad publicity

Way to go Horizon, worldwide bad publicity - and all for free!

Tards.

Sean Connery

They pull a knife, you pull a gun.

They post on twitter, you sue them for 50 grand.

THAT'S the Chicago way.

pfft let them sue

Sounds like it is easy enough for horizon to lose it. If the apartment is moldy then there is nothing libellous about that post.

She can probably counter sue after it for emotional stress. In an all honesty I wouldn't blame her either.

Sue first ask questions later what kind of stupid company policy is that?

Re: Sarah first

Quite.

This is the UK, land of Healthy & Safety!

In England, you can be sued for not clearing snow off the pavement, should some errant soul slip on it.

And in Scotland, the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond simply teem with litigious types. There's an empty primary school in Midlothian whose lights burn all day, all night, all year long - for fear that a burglar may break in, and in the dark stumble injuriously on his way to the claims court. (It's a warranted fear, too: there is precedent)

So are the Americans guilty of the crime of which you accuse them? Perhaps, but careful of casting first stones - someone might pick one up and throw it right back.