13 January 2006
Legal mumbo-jumbo
I have this pet peeve where I ask a rather simple question and someone decides to jump in with a ridiculously complicated answer. Like this one:My question: Do you any of you host contests? If so, where do you list them? (besides the website, that is)
One of the answers I received so far: Parties hosting "contests" should be aware of the many laws that may impact on the same, both state as well as federal laws. The rules of the contest must be very clearly written and the contest and these rules must comply with those laws.I do not express or imply any other comments about any other aspect of the post to which this is a reply or about any other posts in this thread.This reply and any articles referred to in this reply are not legal advice and are not intended as legal advice. This reply and any articles referred to in this reply are intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This reply and any articles referred to in this reply do not create any attorney client relationship and are not a solicitation.
I hear you can get sued or whatever for bad mouthing people on these things, so all I'm gonna say is that this guy's initials are I.H. If you haven't guessed, I.H. is a lawyer. I'm a member of a couple of self-publishing forums and this is what I get. I wouldn't be so pissed if it weren't for two things: 1) I didn't ask for legal advice and 2) I had emailed him--or another lawyer like him--regarding a question about my company and pretty much got the same complicated answer in which a simple "no" would've sufficed. My response to I.H.:
If I wanted legal counsel I would've asked for it. But thanks for your $.2 and the explanation that makes no sense to me whatsoever. It was a simple question, really, or so I thought. Authors do this all the time. A new book is being released, they offer a free prize. They want people to enter so they sponsor a contest. There are places out there that allow you to post your contests for free. All I want to know is: who are they and where can I go? Short and simple.
I wanted to say something more childish, like "Was I talking to you, butthead?" But we're not in high school here. I'm a grown woman--a grown woman with my own business, no less--I can be and act professional. I'm hoping he got the point without my having to "go there".
