If you need to make it extra formal, you can hire a lawyer to hand-deliver it on your behalf. They no longer can say, Oh, I didnt realize it. Or, I was never told to stop. Theyre now on notice of their illegal activity. This sounds like a violation of the U.S. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, but I would need to know more to say conclusively. Also on a forum regarding our business, she is saying things about me, the business, how I ran it that are less than flattering and not true. If youre receiving persistent personal or sexual harassment, unwanted treatment, or being threatened, use a Cease and Desist Harassment Letter. Yes, a cease and desist letter is certainly an available option for your situation. If you have been on the receiving end of unwanted advances or sexual harassment, for example, preparing and sending a Cease and Desist Letter to the perpetrator documents the abuse and formally requests that it stop. This corporation that own the retirement park has been taken to court by 2 other states for harassment. If you are concerned about it, I recommend you see an attorney to analyze the circumstances. Ill address these issues coming up. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. This is a formal motion in which both sides will be able to brief the court. You may also use this lawyer in a lawsuit if the person doesn't cease and desist as ordered. However, a cease and desist letter could be sent to an accomplice, who may be unknowingly aiding or abetting the illegal act. I need to send a cease & desist letter to a security manager who lies & deceives patients to cover up staff misconduct, I need to stop someone from calling me & using his porn site Facebook site texting constantly & calling me 5 to 7 times in one day to vent his marital grievances & defaming his spouse . CEASE AND DESIST DEMAND VIA EMAIL TO support@infopathy.com Anton Fedorenko . Cease and desist letters are sent when someone wants another party to cease their illegal activity without having to escalate the situation by bringing legal action in court. Remember that its often the initial response by an offended party, so you must carefully consider how to respond. A Cease and Desist Letter aims to resolve a dispute before going to court. However, if there are damages, some sort of settlement payment may be negotiated between the parties to avoid litigation. In many cases, a Cease and Desist Letter may be all it takes to prevent any further infringement of your rights. I dont pay rent in money, but I contribute to landscaping, groceries, having a patio built, things like that. Can I sue them? Really, a cease and desist letter should state the type of illegal activity thats occurring, the reason its illegal, so the contract or the law that establishes its illegal, and then where do we go from here? Failures to abide by these laws may entitle you to send a Cease and Desist Letter to a debt collector and possibly take legal action against them if the harassment does not stop. What does the letter do? He is a non-US resident, and is willing to comply with this. Threatening legal action may be enough to stop the offending behavior or violation. A letter concerning copyright infringement allows you to decide how you want your protected work used. If someone is damaging your reputation, or threatens to do so, by spreading untrue stories about you or your business, you can write a letter telling them that the information is untrue and that they should stop spreading the lies. Does she reserve any rights here? For example, if you are a professional and an acquaintance tells neighbors that you are a liar and a thief, this may negatively impact both your personal interactions with your neighbor and your professional reputation. Not just stating the legal doctrine, but also giving some examples of whats occurred. I feel as his parents we have the right to decide if, when and where are sons pictures are used. Further if they dont stop if I can take them to court for it. What are some common mistakes? Really as soon as possible, and typically parties will do that when the situation has gotten so severe that theyre willing to take some legal action to get this to stop. You should contact an attorney immediately. I need to take back my finances from the Veterans Admin. It has come to our attention that you have been copying [CLIENTS COPYRIGHTED WORK]. Truths And Myths, APEGA PART III addendum A MUST READ!!!! Alternatively, you might consider a lawsuit for a violation of the Minnesota Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act among other things. Issuing a cease and desist letter is the first step to getting the offending party . I recently refused to sell part of my property to my neighbor and since then, he has been distributing letters throughout the community with false and demeaning information about my wife and I as well as my parents. Since someone doesn't commit libel or slander until the damage is done, the idea of a defamation lawsuit is to get reimbursement for the damage the lies have already done to your reputation. My son is 9 months old and my sister-in-law has continuously posted pictures of our son on her Facebook after we have asked her not to, we do not want any pictures of him on Facebook. The letter details what the alleged misconduct is and demands that it can longer continue. I am not the only person who she has bullied. In this case, you are not bound to a specific option but can choose what is suitable for your particular situation. There are a few circumstances when using a Cease and Desist Letter is a good idea. To establish these causes of action, you have to show that the communication was untrue and harmful to your reputation. Outside of broken windshields, home entry- have video & documentation from police & reimbursement from insurance company. Legal Templates cannot and does not provide legal advice or legal representation. The recipient of your professional letter is the third party who has done you wrong, so to speak. from U.C. However, a lawsuit may be necessary if a Cease and Desist Letter fails to accomplish its intended goal. Now, why would you do this? The type of trademark you have will be an important factor in analyzing your situation. This is commonly the last resort before an injunction or a court order is filed. You will need to know which things need to be included in your cease and desist letter to make sure that it is effective and clear about its intentions. Who can send one? She slammed a door in my face a few weeks back which I took as hostile which is only one example of many. View the letter as an opportunity to verify whether you are or arent in violation of someones rights. I have significant experience in intellectual property matters. Is there anyway that you can help or give some kind of advice?? Cease and desist letters are an effective way of stopping someone's inappropriate behaviour. It may be viewed as part of a settlement negotiation. Yes, you can send a cease and desist letter. Yes, a cease and desist letter is the appropriate next step. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. A cease and desist letter requests that the recipient stop engaging in a specific action and avoid repeating it in the future. The crucial question would be whether their use of your image is lawful. What do you suggest? What type of defamation is there? Despite that fact that she has been entered in both the DO NOT CALL and DO NOT MAIL registries, she continues to receive solicitations from several companies. I am on the board of directors of a non profit. What kind of trademark infringement occurred? Harassment can take many forms. You could respond by: Receiving a Cease and Desist Letter is a stressful experience. You have the right to ask a creditor to stop contacting you even if you owe the debt. The purpose of the letter is to threaten further legal action if the behavior does not stop. Under United States copyright law, [CLIENT NAME]s copyrights have been in effect since the date that [CLIENTS COPYRIGHTED WORK] was created. Some things on the report speak of my mental and physical health, make purposely untrue statements about me and basically will turn off any potential employers from giving me a job. Hope I have given you enough info. A cease and desist letter, also known as a demand letter or a C&D, is a letter formally requesting that an individual or entity stop a specified action and refrain from repeating the action in future, under the threat of litigation if the recipient does not comply.. We believe their misuse is a defamation of character. If you decide to write your own letter, the tone should be formal and legally intimidating. I also called them as well. I recently filed a FLSA / Wrongful termination lawsuit against my former employer. The illegal activity or behavior must cease. ..He assured me that safeguards were in place to protect against large losses. Yes, a cease and desist letter is an appropriate way to handle inaccurate information posted on a website. A cease and desist order can take the form of a temporary court order until it can hold a trial to determine the outcome or permanent court order after the problem is over. If you are losing business or your job because of the lies, securing a lawyer may be the best alternative. Hi Aaron, You could sue for defamation or have an attorney send a cease and desist letter. Is this copy write temple applicable for that? hi-i have my business name trademarked. Is there anything I can do in this situation? A cease and desist letter isn't a lawsuit, but rather a notice that a lawsuit may be filed if the behavior or actions aren't stopped. Is there a template or form letter that I can assist her to send demanding that these various companies remove her from their mailing lists? Jamess, the scenario you presented appears to be a good case of copyright infringement. By using this website, you agree to ourTerms of Use. When Should Cease And Desist Letters Be Sent? You may also see this referred to as a demand letter or a stop harassment letter. I called the company today to schedule a pick up and immdediately the lady raised her voicemail and told me that I shouldnt have got the furniture if I didnt have a job and that I needed to pay. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. If you do, then you should consider requesting a restraining or protective order (or whatever it's called in your jurisdiction), and ask the court to set a minimum distance for the perso. Attorneys generally are licensed state by state, so youll want to contact an attorney in your state to write a letter on your behalf to address the illegal conduct that is harming you or your business. I have no record of doing such and at that time I was 16 years old, a minor. What type of slander? A complete list of any and all Facebook and Instagram accounts You have created, developed, maintained or controlled; A complete list of domain names that You own, maintain or control; A complete accounting of each and every customer who purchased your software, or any other Facebook or Instagram services, including an accounting of all compensation or revenue received by You, and the URLs for each profile and/or Page for which You rendered those services; and. It is a cost-effective way, and usually the first step, in asking the recipient to stop a certain activity or risk legal action. Seeking the removal of intellectual property and compensation for use of said images since 2007. I live in the UK and I should be most grateful if you could please let me have a template for slander/libel. I have reported her to mgmt/owner several times but the owner informed me she never addressed this person because its hearsay. Option 3: Have Someone Else Deliver The Letter. This applies to URLs as well. Here are five ways that a Cease and Desist Letter can be used to stop an individual or a business from infringing on your rights. These are typical examples where you want to send a cease and desist letter. I +1d this but I dont see where to download it. The letter may also warn of legal action that the sender plans to take if the recipient doesn't abide by the request. I feel so violated. Now a company called Takhar Collection Group is harassing me and calling me, threatening me for this BMG company and I did not order the CD. Should I message you before buying a gig? If someone says that your cute little dog is ugly as sin, it may hurt your feelings, but it isn't likely to hurt your reputation. With family members, a cease and desist letter may do more harm than good because a cease and desist letter can be perceived as harsh and formal. I live in Orlando Florida, if it matters. Thank you very much for copies of forms. But again, anybody can send it because its a letter. 504, the consequences of copyright infringement include statutory damages of between $750 and $30,000 per work, at the discretion of the court, and damages of up to $150,000 per work for willful infringement. This letter or letter may be used as a formal request to get them to stop using your material. It is a letter written to complain about a certain act, statement, or claim. Accordingly, you are hereby directed to. Im Aaron Hall, an attorney in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is trying to slander, discredit, etc myself and my family. During my conversations with name deleted, I was told that the most I could lose would be 800.00 per weekly trade and that he would try to make me a profit of 200.00 per weekly trade, a loss to win ratio of 4 to 1 which I assumed was reasonable in light of his past claimed track record. A cease and desist may be used if someone is infringing, or illegally using, your copyright or trademark. It warns of potential legal action if the matter is ignored. His response to the cease and desist letter is inadmissible as evidence if the matter goes to trial. The debt they are trying to collect is not your debt. We have contacted the site that these posts appear but they have ignored our requests to have the posts removed. Weve corrected the download link and apologize for any inconvenience. Would you recommend sending a C&D for this? Many times things are hearsay but this is in actual print. Reply myeyeballhurts Additional comment actions of course, gram was the one who asked if there was anything we could do Reply Hysterymystery Additional comment actions will strictly comply with Facebooks and Instagrams terms of service. "Our offices . These letters can be used by companies to protect their rights or by someone who is being subjected to harassment, and offer them help during a difficult time. These may be at odd hours or so frequent as to constitute unlawful activity. However, she is still using images of projects that she worked on during her employment at our company on her own website and not giving credit to our company. She did something the other day to another co-worker who got really upset over it. She has already suffered through two bouts of shingles and doesnt need this uninvited stress. How well are you at handling matters of intellectual property? Section 16600 just says contracts restraining employment are void. In the event this agreement is breached by me, [CLIENT] will be entitled to costs and attorneys fees in any action brought to enforce this agreement and shall be free to pursue all rights that [CLIENT] had as of the date of this letter as if this letter had never been signed. Your IP: If they do not halt the illegal actions that infringe on your trademark, you always have the option to follow up on your legal threat and file a lawsuit against them. Here are four of the most common uses of a cease and desist letter: Stop harassment from debt collectors. Watch this video before you send a Cease and Desist Letter: In this video, you get answers to these questions: A cease and desist letter is often the first step to asking an individual, or a business, to stop illegal activity. A cease and desist letter is merely a letter. Does anyone know where I can find a cease and desist template regarding personal data protection?? Aaron, Pattie. Thank you! Would a C&D be appropriate in this situation? My family could see all the lies this person decided to write about me. A cease and desist letter could be used for a contract. I dont know how long they have been operating for, but what are my rights? (DATE) Dear Sir or Madam: This CEASE AND DESIST ORDER is to inform you that your harassing and intimidating actions against me has become unbearable. He then said he would first speak to Mr name deleted who would be doing the actual trading to let him know about my situation before agreeing to accept and agree to auto-trade my money. This problem goes beyond a cease and desist letter. Organizations or individuals who engage in this illegal conduct are likely to violate federal copyright law. Stop trademark and copyright infringement. Im the only who is really persistant. The letter indicates that you are asking them to stop the conduct or otherwise alter their actions. Typically though, theyre sent from a law firm because when theyre coming from law firm letterhead, the person receiving it knows youre serious, knows that you mean business. It doesn't mean a cease and desist letter is unlawful. I run a small business manufacturing packaged goods. They also may not know that their mark or logo has caused or is causing brand confusion with your trademark. First, if this person had the intention of depriving you permanently of your property (money) then he/she is guilty of the Theft Act 1968 (in the U.K.). I never intended for them to publish, sell or otherwise make available my info to any website. My friend is a graphic designer in California and she was contracted by a company to create a flyer and other materials. We suspect its outsourced for this advertising income. Why this action or behavior violates your legal rights in some way. Use our Cease and Desist Harassment Letter template to warn your offender that you'll take legal action unless they stop. Yet they knowingly admitted in their letter, that they got the photo from the county website (of which clearly has my name on the photo). Finally, it makes somebody aware that they may be sued and may face legal consequences. In many situations, a cease-and-desist letter is an appropriate first step when you want to ask someone to stop engaging in an activity that violates your rights. That said, there may be no harm. Or maybe youre saying, You need to pay me some money to avoid getting sued. In other words, Im proposing a settlement here in addition to this letter that says cease and desist., Ive done these of all sorts, all these different types are examples where Ive worked with clients and they theyve asked for anything from, Please stop, to, Stop and pay $100,000 for the damages that youve already caused through your unlawful actions.. A Former Employee Cease and Desist Letter is used when you have a former employee who is slandering your company, breaking your enforceable non-compete agreement, or disclosing your IP and trade secrets to an unauthorized third party. A cease and desist letters order imposes a court order on a company or person that prohibits activities that are deemed suspicious. And then of course theres obvious stuff like the letter not looking professional, grammar, spelling or format problems, issues or inaccuracies. You can then choose to ignore them, open a dialogue with them, or try to negotiate an agreement outside of court. However, there may be a better way to resolve many conflicts besides a cease and desist letter. If they don't, you have written documentation that you have notified them of the possible consequences of ignoring your request. Yesterday, she accidentally txt a co-worker something about me. I assume that C&D is the best option to use for these other bands? She opens her mail and I help her to decipher it. Yes, you could use a cease and desist letter as a first step to seeking an end to the unlawful use of your copyrighted images. Youre incredible! It may ask that the other party halt the illegal activity or end some form of harassment. This letter is to demand that your harassment . Although you won't always need an attorney to apply for a protective order, you do have to fill out court forms and attend a court hearing. A cease and desist letter regarding the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act violations would be an appropriate response. I help pay bills for an 89 yo friend with macular degeneration. Aaron I have emailed you about sending a C&D letter. Dear Ms. Suich: We are writing on behalf of our client, Empowerly College Counseling (hereinafter "Empowerly" or "Company") with regard to certain obligations you owed and continue to owe to Empowerly. I was never provided a copy of the letter by the neighbor, only through those which have received it. If another person or business is infringing on your trademark, use a Cease and Desist Trademark Infringement Letter to explain why its confusing for customers and demand that they stop using it. My first call was to name deleted and I informed him as to the reason for my investment and what the money was to be used for. Here is the copyright infringement cease and desist letter sample template form: CEASE AND DESIST DEMAND Maybe its trademark infringement, copyright infringement, harassing phone calls or letters. Thank you. The purpose of a cease and desist letter is to warn someone to stop illegal conduct. If you are in Minnesota, I would be happy to help you if you call our office and schedule an appointment (usual attorney rates apply). Is this in line with your expectations? Yes, anyone can send a cease and desist letter, but it has more weight when sent from a law firm because a letter from a law firm communicates that (1) the sender is very serious about taking legal action if the illegal conduct does not stop and (2) an attorney has determined that the conduct is illegal. I was recommended this website through my cousin. A cease and desist letter is just what it sounds like - a letter. Your situation is more complex than can be handled on a blog. When it comes on law firm letterhead from an attorney articulating that the conduct is illegal, that sends a much stronger message than an individual. Mention the Details of the Parties. Another business with a similar name (also trademarked, but under different categories from my type of business) just sent me a cease and desist letter giving me 14 days to stop using my registered name. Typically issued by an official source such as a court or governmental agency, a cease and desist order is a legally binding demand. Someone in the family wrote about 20 posts on facebook allslandering me and my character. Your neighbor could send one. Federal and state laws govern how debt collectors attempt to collect what is owed. . The debt collector is harassing you and it is causing significant stress. What can I do to make him give my jewelry back? The letters are being signed with my name In Pen.This is causing confusion for my clients, as most are aware Thea I had moved dealerships, and I wonder how many scheduled to go in, only to be told, I was no longer there. You write and send this letter to the person spreading lies about you or threatening to do so. Can You Sue Someone for Public Humiliation? I had a falling out with an old friend. Bullying and threats are also considered forms of harassment. You should be able to recognize exactly who is responsible for the actions. Home Business Documents Cease and Desist Letter. This is essentially an attempt to stop libel and slander without going to court. Your attorney can also help you avoid actions that may expose you to further legal risk. The reason is, even though they did not register the mark, they have a common law trademark that preserves their right to continued use. Can you tell me what are California laws on this? For example, Turn over the confidential information youve been improperly using and pay a settlement amount, a dollar amount of some sort, and then we wont sue you. And perhaps it will say, You have 10 days to respond. The number of days It really depends on the situation. So sometimes notice is an element in a legal issue, and so to that extent, a cease and desist letter can fulfill the notice requirement. Common uses for a cease and desist letter A valid trademark is legally protected from use by other parties. Defamation occurs when another party makes untrue and harmful statements about you or your company. The name of the individual or the establishment should be clear in your letter. Second, it may show bad faith as opposed to good faith. Therefore, one must first petition the court and make a strong argument that the alleged offender's actions are in fact illegaleither in a criminal or civil manner. There are many advantages to sending a Cease and Desist Letter. If a debt collector continues to contact you even after you send a cease and desist letter, file a debt collection complaint with FTC, CFPB, and your state's attorney general's office. Make sure to have all your factual details written since an attorney will need them to prepare the cease and desist letter. Will a C&D demand still be appropriate in this case? I hand-drew/created an original logo for a band that they immediately approved( without input or changes) and printed on merchandise, promo items, their website, posters/flyers for shows and social networking sites, drum kit, album artwork, animated version of the logo, and stage props, etc. ddroverblog, Public Domain & Fair Use: Part One Liz Schriftsteller, example business letter | objectlogic.net, example of a business letter | objectlogic.net. . If you choose to respond, always be respectful, professional, and polite. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Im sure that is understandable. And as of now, theyre not responding to my follow-up emails either. The letter should reveal the grounds of the claim and the infringing party's right to cure the issue. Help! Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates. i even reported them to the BBB and nothing as been done..how can i get a lawyer to sue them as all efforts have been fraustrating.please reply asap, Hi thereI was wondering what could be done if a previous sub contractor that quit doing work for our Company because of a dispute is now using our projects that were designed by and paid for by our firm he was just a laborer but is posting our projects on his business cards and also his portfoliocan we send a cease and desist letter.