Defamatory Comments on Social Networking Sites

[Bastogne]

My question involves defamation in the state of: IL

My ex-wife continually posts bulletins or status updates via MySpace and Facebook with derogatory comments about me. When posted as a bulletin, it is available to her 300+ friends and whoever they choose to show it to. When she posts these comments as her status, it is available for the entire internet to see. I will post examples below, but my question is do I have any course of legal action in this matter? If so, would it be criminal or civil? If it were civil, what would be the possible outcomes or penalties if found to be true? Examples:

"J**** says do I not have 2 of the most adorable little boys ever? Thank God they take after me and not their f*%#ing insane father."

" I wish....I didn't have a crazy ex husband and that we could just get along"

"Your ex? Bi Polar"

[LawResearcherMissy]

Aside from making you angry, what damages have you suffered?

It's hardly unusual for ex-spouses to trash talk each other. To sue, you need to be able to prove more than "she hurt my feelings". In order for there to be a cause of action for it, there need to be damages - fired from your job, kicked out of a professional organization (or denied entrance to one), or other quantifiable money damages.

Take her out of your MySpace network, stop reading her bulletins, and tell your friends that you'd take it as a kindness if they didn't fill you in every time she felt the need to act a fool. A thick skin is a necessary piece of equipment on the internet.