Restraining Order Settlement Agreement

[ChrisWilks90210]

I received a mutual release agreement which would make me admit to engaging in harassing and defamatory conduct and hacking into an email account. It also says I must pay $15,000 to the plaintiff because of her loss of work due to damage to her reputation, physical injury, and property damage. All of which cannot be proven, simply because I never did anything wrong. If I do this, they will drop the TRO. The TRO is only important because I start law school in fall.
I have never once laid a hand on her, and cannot be shown to have done this, i.e. no witnesses/police report. Likewise there are emails, text messages, and visits well after all these incidents took place. This stems from a video being placed on the internet of her smoking marijuana. She is powerful politically and is using her legal connections to pressure me into settling and admitting this.
At this point I am confident I can win because I never did anything violent actions to her, and did not post any video. It will cost me another $6,000 for a lawyer, and I would much rather fight this out then have to admit to anything I did not do, and pay $15,000.
As the way it reads now I will not sign it, however if they remove the $15,00 and the admittance, I would likely sign it. How likely are they to do this? How can signing this agreement come back to hurt me? Do you have any other suggestions?

 

[army judge]

Don't ever admit to anything, especially if you didn't do anything.

Why would you help someone lynch you?

The TRO is meaningless.

Just obey it, and stay away from her.

A TRO isn't a criminal conviction.

It won't impact your ability to attend law school or your bar admission.

Let her sue you.

Let the accuser prove her case.

If the case were that ROCK SOLID, her lawyer wouldn't offer a settlement.

You don't have to do anything.

Hiring a lawyer is better than letting someone pick your pocket for fifteen grand.

Defend, defend, defend, deny, deny, deny!!!

You didn't do anything, so why give away $15,000???

Wanna give me $5,000, just because???

No you don't.

Don't be bullied into admitting to something you didn't do, or know anything about!!!!

 

[JustWantJustice]

I agree with the above. Just because that is what they are offering doesn't mean that you are going to have your life destroyed if you don't take it. If she was smoking pot and someone else put a video of it online, why is this even your problem?

Sounds like you ought to let them try. Just call their bluff, and go to court.

I'm assuming a TRO is a restraining order? I never understood why my ex got a criminal attorney and spent so much money and time fighting that with me. I just wanted him to be required to stay away from me, not to call and harass, etc. He fought that like it was a felony he was charged with.

 

[army judge]

I agree with the above. Just because that is what they are offering doesn't mean that you are going to have your life destroyed if you don't take it. If she was smoking pot and someone else put a video of it online, why is this even your problem?

Sounds like you ought to let them try. Just call their bluff, and go to court.

I'm assuming a TRO is a restraining order? I never understood why my ex got a criminal attorney and spent so much money and time fighting that with me. I just wanted him to be required to stay away from me, not to call and harass, etc. He fought that like it was a felony he was charged with.

You're very smart.

It seems there is something about those orders that make people react as if their world has ended.

I've had clients beg me to do something.

I always respond, why fight it, if someone wants nothing to do with you?

Just honor their wishes and leave them alone!!!

 

[JustWantJustice]

Well, I don't think anyone who's not an attorney should ever, ever consider themselves smart in that area. One thing I've learned from all this domestic stuff is that just when you think you know what the law is on something, you find out that you're wrong.

But about these restraining orders, WHY do people fight them so hard? Does it come up bad on a background check or smoething? I never understood why he spent so much money and time on this. I just wanted him to be required to stop stalking, harassing, etc. What is the big deal about this, from the point of view of that person ("defendant")? I don't get it.

For the original poster: If they are offering this, consider it the absolute best they think they can get. Factor in the fear and intimidation factor, and what have they done to you? Made you a nervous wreck, from the way it looks to me.

If everything you've put on here is true, what do you have to lose by going to court? You dind't make her smoke pot with a camera running, and you didn't put it online. So what has she got? Sounds like she might be concerned about her own reputation and thinks she might be able to push you around and put some money in her pocket at the same time.

 

[JustWantJustice]

Also, I just reread that first post. Sounds like she's got two actions going against you, one is the restraining order and the other some suit for civil damages. So she claims not only that you put a video of her on the internet, smoking pot, but that she is so afraid of you that she has to have this order . . .. . but at the same time, she was friendly enough with you to send text messages and things like that?

She sounds full of hot air to me. And keep in mind that if she's got friends in the legal system, she knows that this civil suit for money is nothing until it happens. It's not a charge, ie criminal matter. It's just something she tossed at you to get you good and scared.