Slander/Deformation

[Kidders71]

Hi all, needs some help. Going through a divorce and am now trying to sort the finances. My ex's solicitor has come out with a comment saying work that I had done for my shop book keeping was sub standard, yet I got our accountant to help me through it all previously. Can i sue for slander/wrongful accusation? She put Without prejudice on the title? Thanks guys

[mattie]

Your ex's solicitor has been told to say that by your ex.
solicitor's are under instruction, they may have advised your ex not to bring this up.

It sounds like your ex doesn't have anything to criticise you about, so is having to make things up.

If you have a good solicitor, he is going to look stupid in court, just don't start retaliating - stick to the facts.

[Gromit]

Probably not a good idea to sue a solicitor, unless you have a lot of money.

I would ask them to clarify the statement, or ask them to be more specific. That way you will know what they are getting at and whether the accusation is valid. if your accountant helped you set up your bookkeeping, and you followed that procedure, then you should be OK. I assume this bookkeeping information was used on your Tax Self Assessment and that the figures you supplied have never been challenged.

[jaycee401]

Matties right, ive just been thru a land reg hearing and the applicants sol tried to make me look like something he had stepped in, my sol made him look a pillock on the day!!
Revenge is sweet, fingers crossed for you.

Could I just ask you Mattie when I got the first solicitor letter on behalf of the applicant it said at the end of the letter that if I chose to ignore the contents I would suffer the consequences, which i found very intimidating would this be grounds for reporting him to the law society, it was without prejudice.

[mattie]

jaycee401

I am not a solicitor, but I think that as long as anything starts with "without prejudice" they can be as nasty as they like.

However, if you one the case, I would forget about it.

[jaycee401]

Thanks Mattie, trouble is I dont know if i have won yet, we ran out of time so the adjudicator gave both paries extra days to put the final papers in and then he will give a written decision.

[themas]

It was in writing so it would be libel, not slander. In any case, you could only sue if it ws published, which I presume it wasn't. Forget about suing and concentrate on rebutting it with the facts.