In preparing for the publication of this project, I was aware that some may have concerns about the legality of what we are sharing here. To address these concerns, below is a summary of what I have learned, as I understand it, after consulting credible sources of legal expertise. Since I’m a writer and Bible teacher, I hope it’s clear that I share this for your information, and not as legal advice.
The key issue at stake is likely to be the tension between the public interest in a free flow of information, covered under the First Amendment’s protections of free speech, and the interest any entity or party might naturally have in the protection of its own reputation. These types of concerns fall under the legal umbrella of Defamation Law.
In any claim of defamation of character (this also holds true for those not concerning a public figure), truth is considered a complete defense. This means that when a truthful statement is made, it cannot be considered defamation of character, libel, or slander regardless of its nature. Though I obviously couldn’t be present for every private conversation alluded to in these contributions, an expectation of absolute truth without exaggeration was made clear up front to contributors and confirmed in conversation between each contributor and myself before finalizing their contributions.
It is my belief that the things shared on these web pages are indeed true and accurate as they’re presented. I have also tried to ensure that clarifying statements are made to specify opinions and personal views as opposed to claims of verifiable fact. If you find a mistake in any of the things communicated as objective fact, please contact me with your supporting evidence and I will be glad to retract anything that can be shown to be untrue.
For more, please feel free to review the links below which include information on relevant court rulings, standard legal definitions, and current relevant statutes in the state of Kansas.
