Lawsuits

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Lauren

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My friend asked me to post this to get some opinions, scriptures etc regarding her situation....

Her son was injured by another boy (who is a blood relative), and is currently in therapy for psychological issues arising from the incident. The incident was not an accident, but more likely a premeditated harming of her son. The perpetrator was tried in a court of law for his acts, but because of his age, was not incarcerated. As part of his judgment, his family must pay her son's counseling through 2010.

His mother is concerned that the psychological damage could continue into his future and is thinking about filing a lawsuit for a couple thousand dollars in order to provide for any counseling concerns beyond the 2010 deadline given by the judge.

However, some of her friends have suggested to her that this is not the Christian way to behave, that a Christian should not file a lawsuit.

I asked her the motive behind the lawsuit - was it to lash out at the other boy's family or was it purely for practical reasons? She did admit that she was still angry at the boy's family as they have acted like the incident was just a boyhood prank rather than a serious act that will in all likelihood cause some severe psychological trauma to her son (I don't want to go into too much detail for her privacy, but it was a heinous act), but that she was also doing it for practical reasons.

She's looking for some scripturally based opinions as she's not sure what she should do.
 
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Slepsog4

Guest
#2
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When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth he did forbid them to sue a fellow believer (ie, brother in Christ). This does not speak to other law suits. Nor should one simply try to see what they can get (greed).

There is also the principle of restitution.
 
grace

grace

Senior Member
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Sep 8, 2006
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I am taking a different approach with this.....suggest to your friends that she not focus on something that *may* happen. But to stand on the belief of healing for her son and forgivness in her own heart.
Her experencing a forgivng spirit will also speak volumes to her own son and how he grows from this situation.
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

Banned
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Jan 8, 2009
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slepsog is right, theres nothing really forbidding lawsuits in such general terms in the bible, and we can use the secular God-given court systems and authorities in place. Whether we shouldnt take other christians to court is a bit of a fuzzy one. (Actually with the way some of the church leaderships around these days I suggest we'd generally get a better and fairer deal within secular court systems in western democracies anyway).

Yet, that doesn't mean they might want to go through the ordeal of a lawsuit and what that means. And there is no guarantee of winning it either is that right? and cost more money that it would not to take it further.

If I was in that situation what I'd probably do, is wait until after 2010 and see whether any further counselling is required. And then pursue further compensation. That way they would probably have a much better case and financial and medical documents post-2010 supporting the claims. Rather than a hypothetical "what if" scenario.
 
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Thaddaeus

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Jan 31, 2009
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I going to step away from scriptures for this answer, I have been told that what ever we do, we don't won't to sue an individual, because we spend all that money on lawyers and legal stuff, and even if you win. all the person that you just sued, has to do is file bankruptcy and you'll never receive a penny of the claim, so regardless if it is right or wrong the results would never come up in your favor. now unless this was done on their property and you could go after their Homeowners Insurance co.
 
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Lauren

Guest
#6
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Thaddaeus said:
I going to step away from scriptures for this answer, I have been told that what ever we do, we don't won't to sue an individual, because we spend all that money on lawyers and legal stuff, and even if you win. all the person that you just sued, has to do is file bankruptcy and you'll never receive a penny of the claim, so regardless if it is right or wrong the results would never come up in your favor. now unless this was done on their property and you could go after their Homeowners Insurance co.
Click to expand...
In response to this, she would only be asking for $2k-$3k, so I don't think it would bankrupt them.

In response to the others, I will pass along the opinions given. Thanks everyone. One thing that she and I didn't talk about was trusting God for her son's healing.....I thought that was a really good point.

Any more responses will be passed along too -- thanks for those who did respond.
 
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e-Sword86

Guest
#7
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1Peter 2:13 Says "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme,.." so I'm sure this includes following the law for civil and criminal matters. But it seems as though your friend is looking to far ahead and that may not be wise in the end. Jesus said in Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

She may want to wait 'till just before the 2010 deadline to see how her son is doing to better determine what she should do. I imagine she's quite angry but If she moves to soon it may not work in her favor. I think seeking prayer for her son would be the best thing until then.
 
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