Q: Can I be sued by a vendor for reporting its payment history to SloPay.com?
A: There are no guarantees that a vendor will not file suit, and while anyone can sue for anything, the key issue is whether or not such a lawsuit would have any merit. The fact of the matter is that, irrespective of what the popular media may hype about “frivolous lawsuits,” there are very strong legal penalties for bringing a lawsuit that does not have a meritorious basis. These penalties can include the court ordering that the party bringing a frivolous suit, and their attorney, pay the attorney fees and costs of the party sued. Consequently, most attorneys will not accept a case that is not well-founded. In the context of reporting factual information about business-to-business transactions, it is highly unlikely that an action for defamation (libel or slander) or any similar action would be successful, as truth is a defense to such an action. In order for such an action to succeed, you would have to have made a false and defamatory statement to SloPay concerning the vendor, either negligently or maliciously, and the vendor would have to prove that it suffered damages as a direct result of the false and defamatory statement. If you are not subject to a confidentiality agreement with the vendor that you wish to report, and the information you report is factually correct, it is unlikely that the vendor would have a legitimate cause of action. However, please be aware that the foregoing should not be considered legal advice. Many situations or circumstances may appear similar, but in fact differ in ways that are legally significant. If you have any questions concerning reporting a particular vendor to SloPay, always consult with your attorney about your specific circumstances.
Q: Should I report a business who has already been reported?
A: Yes. Members should be made aware of any and all negative payment histories.
