Yahoo Autos Attorney Tries Silencing Disgruntled Customer Of Auto Repair Shop
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Plenty of enthusiasts have bad experiences with auto repair shops, but when one tried posting about it online, the shop’s attorney tried getting the court to block his First Amendment right. This is the kind of legal case that makes our skin crawl since we see far too many shops try to duck responsibility for not performing work well, then get angry when those disgruntled customers talk.
Porsche owner gets a big win in lawsuit against mechanic.
The case, which comes out of California, involves a classic Land Rover Defender which was supposed to be fully restored by the shop. Instead, International Policy Digest reports it was finally returned to the owner inoperable and with rust along with other issues.
Understandably, the Defender owner was upset and posted about it on social media, warning others about doing business with the shop. We’ve seen entire Facebook groups dedicated to these sorts of topics as the crowd of swindled customers from dealers or shops accumulates.
But an attorney representing the repair shop, which allegedly didn’t do the work as agreed, decided to ask the court for a protective order, preventing the customer from speaking out online about his experience.
What’s more, the attorney has been accused of using additional underhanded tactics to keep the alleged misdeeds of his client from coming to light in the public arena. That shop should worry, since it apparently took the “restored” Defender to SEMA for display (proof that all isn’t as it appears at some shows).
Thankfully, the judge in this case struck down the request for a protective order. The owner can continue to post photos of the rusty frame and what he calls “scrap parts” used in the half-ass restoration work. We would be beyond upset if we paid good money for restoration work done like that.
Legal cases like this could threaten enthusiasts’ ability to spread the word about shops and dealerships which defraud customers of their hard-earned cash. We’re glad that in this case the judge didn’t allow that to happen.
Image via William Toney/Facebook Marketplace
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