ExpertLaw

This site is run by a bunch of trolls and cowards who have to hide behind screennames. Rather than give professional legal advice, they take cheap shots at anyone who dears to ask a question. You have to be very careful what you say because they will find an opportunity to make you look guilty and then lock the thread so it stays on the site perminately. If you want legal advice from real legal professionals with real credibility then you should go to avvo.com. The legal experts there aren't afraid to show face and will take the time to answer your questions professionally. Uezr

Don't make the same mistake so many others have made by falling for this gimmick! Many have sought assistance from this site by posting information about some unfortunate situation, hoping to receive genuine assistance from someone more knowledgeable about how the law works.

The way it often works is this: you find what appears to be a professionally-run helpful legal website. Then you post something that reveals some sensitive information about your matter, or information that could be recognized by someone else on the other side of your matter. Then people reply to your post often with worthless information that completely miss the point, thereby taking your post and making it into something entirely different from what you had intended. When you try to put the post back on track, someone starts lecturing and admonishing you.

Then you come to the harsh realization that everything you have posted, as well as the replies, are discoverable by the opposing side to your matter. Worse, when you are deposed by opposing attorneys, you will be asked under oath and threat of perjury if you have ever posted anything about your case on any website, and about the specifics of it, so that it can be located and read by the people on the other side of your lawsuit!

So, then you want to have your post removed from "Expert Law". But guess what? There is no way to have it removed. First of all, you probably won't find any way to contact someone for assistance, and if you do, they won't reply to your request for assistance or be able to assist you. Even if you do find a way to contact someone who does reply, you will likely be scolded "Didn't you read the Terms & Conditions, whereby all posts are the property of the website Owner, and that you have forfeited all rights to your posts?". You are now officially screwed! You came for assistance, maybe because someone is taking advantage of you, and now you have become taken advantage of again.

Just be thankful you read this BEFORE you posted sensitive information.

Usable advice: 97 out of 100

Posters who leave happy and appreciative: Most, actually.

Posters who cry when they're told the legal truth: Varies.

Posters who have been banned elsewhere and continue to troll: See above

There is a merry little band of sycophants below. Perhaps they should be careful though since defamation suits are costly to defend.

If you want your hand held while you're told "I'm so sorry dear but that mean old nasty ex of yours is allowed to see the child without you. It's so horrible! They're just Mean Meanies!", go to drphil.com. On the other hand, if you want a straight "No, and here's why", then come on in.

If you can't understand what you're being told, asking for clarification is much better than stomping your feet and frothing at the mouth like a cete of rabid badgers just isn't going to do it, I'm afraid. And the big shocker? The people who respond not only know their stuff, but they're also glad to explain the minutiae to you.

(Oh hi, newly-banned ex-member! I sure am surprised you're here!)

I could find no where else to vent my frustration with this site and looked up to see if there was a way to review it. That's how I ended up here and no surprise to find other people saying the exact same thing I was thinking of saying - condescending! And bullies!

I went in to ask for help on something expecting professional advice because I was under the assumption that this was an "expert law" forum. Instead, I was immediately insulted and made to feel like my question was not welcome there. I politely tried to defend myself by letting them know that there was no need to be rude, but my comment was deleted. When I asked why they deleted my comment and not that of the other poster, they deleted my comment again. Trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, I posted something in the general section paying close attention to the rules to make sure I want breaking them. Again I was attacked and accused of trying to make a winning case out of my case when my post had nothing to do with it. Instead of going along with their antics, I contacted the site administrator who decided to instead tell me off and then he went on to delete my post. I told him that if he was going to keep deleting my comments that he should just delete me entirely from the forum, but THAT he refused to do. Those actions pretty much imply that they just want you there as a punching bag, probably to vent the frustration of their miserable lives.

They do have a "holier than thou" attitude. While there are a few good people who do actually help, they are wasting their goodness on such a foul place.

After that, I just go to Avvo. They give god legal advice from REAL lawyers, they are not condescending, and they don't act like your questions bother them... and believe me, I've asked some pretty ignorant questions from which after their good advice I would have understood if it bothered them, but they never acted bothered.

Would that everyone would just dump expert law and save their time, sanity, and pride and just go to Avvo.

Dillon, Dillon, Dillon. How about you go ahead and tell everybody the real reason you were banned?

While you're explaining, I'll continue, if that's okay with you.

Given that both EL and FA share a number of members I might as well address the complaints all at once.

First, the basics. At both sites, members cannot delete posts. FA will allow a temporary delete, but ultimately it's up to the moderator. EL tends to keep a much closer eye on what's happening but more to the point the mods there won't hesitate to ban or smack down even a long term poster. You rarely see that at FA, though there is one relatively recent instance where a senior member was banned... and banned again. You've almost got to praise the idiot since it takes a lot to get permanently banned to begin with. Yes, I know you're reading this, WJ.

There is a clique at FA, and you'd probably be surprised to know that it's a really small little clique - I'm talking 5-6 members tops. The biggest weapon in their arsenal is, you've guessed it, an attorney. Don't forget -- you snark at the attorney, you snark at them all and your life has become a living hell until the mod closes the thread. And for heaven's sake, if you have a problem about family law, keep your sanity and look elsewhere.

Then there's the tone. EL tends to be considerably less obnoxious and again, senior member status is by no means a get-out-of-jail-free card. FA on the other hand descends into mayhem far more quickly and it's virtually unheard of for a long-standing member to be banned permanently.

But you know what? After all that? There are senior members who try to diffuse the bickering. They're the ones who try to turn it back around and actually - shocking, I know - find case law and statute. That in itself illustrates what has been said earlier - if a senior slaps another senior it's not that big a deal. But if you do that while being a lowly newbie? You're done for. If I had the choice I'd go to EL every time.

Crazy, huh kids?

I used expert law to seek advice Regarding California visitation changes. I was met with bullying and one sided opinions with no expert advice. When I went back to inform them of what a lawyer had said regarding my question, I was once again accused of trying to do something that I wasn't, I had found my solution that I was seeking yet they tried to turn it around on me and make me a bad guy.
When I posted the reviews from this site (site jabber), it brought two people from expert law here, and their response below is an example of what you will endure if you question, disagree, or they just don't like what you posted when you went looking for advice.
I hope they waste money on a defamation suit, it will be costly to sue 8 people, including myself, who gave bad reviews, and who also have had similar experience as mine.
I did take pictures of my question and the responses, so good luck proving that what I said just now is false and/or that it is not a matter of opinion.
Also, when you make them mad, they won't be afraid to post your real name (admin did) and that goes against the websites privacy policy.
You have any regular joe that can comment on the forum and not have any kind of knowledge of the law. Yet they are called "experts"
Be aware of the policy, expert law website states "Notice: Information provided in the forum is not intended to substitute for professional advice, including but not limited to professional legal advice. If you submit a question or comment it is assumed that you are interested in soliciting, receiving or giving general information and not legal advice. Laws vary by state, and the laws described in this forum may be different in your state or may have been changed since the information was posted. The legal help offered in this forum comes from volunteers who may not have any formal legal training or knowledge, and all information should be confirmed with a qualified legal professional. All information is made available on an "as is" basis. You should accept legal advice only from a licensed legal professional with whom you have an attorney-client relationship. Use of this forum is subject to the ExpertLaw terms of use."
So you have regular joes thinking they know the law, yet the site itself already states the help comes from volunteers who may or may not have formal training.
If you are seeking advice for a question, from someone who knows the law, use another site, any site besides this one.

Update:
They have used my name, probably from the admin giving out that info.