Internet Lawyer thoughts for today. As an Internet Lawyer, I can't help but wonder about all of the laws being filed that will outlaw the enforcement of monetary judgments for defamation taken in foreign countries. This is not really just an Internet Lawyer issue or one of interest to internet lawyers.
Think about it. If we can pass laws that basically invalidate a court judgment taken in another country because that country does not respect the doctrine of free speech as expansively as we do, then what can other countries do to us? And who says that when you go to another country you should not have to abide by their laws? Even if you stay in the US, if you publish lies about someone in Germany, you should expect if that person is harmed by your lies that you will be held accountable under German law. If your child is injuried in an auto accident by a wealthy citizen of Germany, you file suit, take a judgment, and then try to collect in Germany, you are going to be awfully upset to find that they passed a law prohibiting you from recovering. I know many will try and distinguish this situation. But I think the analogy is legitimate. When we in the US thumb our noses at foreign governments and foreign laws, we can expect them to return the favor. In spades. Just wait and get ready for the unintended, and unanticipated, consequences to come.
