can they be sued/is it illegal

C

connorh

New Member
Jurisdiction
North Carolina
So I have a friend that pretty much raised her nephew and now her brother has decided that he does not ever want her to see him again. She know some pretty personal/detailed stuff her sister-in-law cheating on her brother and when I say detailed I mean x-rated. She says that she is going to show everyone all the x-rated texts she has copies of from her S-I-L and her lover to hurt them as bad as they have hurt her by keeping her nephew from seeing her. I am worried that he may try to sue them for something (slander, blackmail, threats, etc..) Everything would be true and she has text to show as proof. Is there anything at all that she could be sued for?
 
Did she ever get legal custody/guardianship of her nephew or even legal visitation (which is not too terribly common)? If not, she has no legal rights to see him. It is totally up to his parents or those with legal custody.

She should in NO way "show everyone" in retaliation. Because yes, even if it is true, she could still be sued and then have to prove it-- which can cost a lot of money and a lot of time. Even if it is true, it might be considered stalking or harassment depending on how she copied the texts and what she does with them.

She really needs to be the bigger person and let the nephew decide when he turns 18 whether he wants to continue a relationship with her. She will majorly be hurting not only her brother but also her nephew if she decides to spew this "Truth" as she sees it.
 
She said she was given the texts by her brother when he found out about the long term affair. So I just want to make sure I understand. So I tell her she can definitely be sued for stalking or harassment and may have to prove what she says is the truth. If she has copies of the texts that she was given would they not be proof enough?(just asking) It will be a long time before her nephew turns 18 and she is destroyed over this. It is almost like she had a child and after 5 years of raising him someone knocked on the door and said oh by the way he is not really yours and just took him away. I feel really sorry for her and her husband, as they did everything for that child.
 
The brother is the one who decided to withhold her nephew from her, but her first reaction is to release personal information that could destroy the reputation of her sister in law? Just how is that justice?
 
Ok I guess I should have given more background information. The S-I-L has manipulated the brother into making the decision. So she feels it is totally her fault anyway.
 
I'm sorry, I have to say this. Whatever legal means the SIL could or could not take, I do not have words to describe my disgust at someone who would even consider doing what your friend is considering doing. While I understand that she loves her nephew, he is not her child and she does not have a legal right to him. She also does not have a legal right to be in possession of someone else's personal communications and for her to be even considering publishing them is despicable, whatever she may believe the SIL is responsible for.

And I very much doubt she would be able to prove in court of law that her brother was "manipulated" into making any decisions about HIS child.
 
What she needs to keep in mind is that doing anything in retaliation will only further alienate her brother. If she does her best to maintain good relations with the brother, at some point down the road she may get to spend time with her nephew again. He did not raise his child for 5 years. Now he thinks he wants to. This could be a very temporary situation.
 

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