A civil or criminal attorney could prepare such a letter. It depends on the facts and circumstances of the case and practices / procedures of the particular attorney you contact. There should be a good faith base and merit in sending out the cease and desist letter.
Also, an attorney can tell you if a cease and desist letter is the appropriate course of action, and can even write the letter for you. In almost all cases involving consumers, a letter from an attorney will be taken more seriously than a letter from an individual.
Sometimes cease and desist letters contain additional instructions, or demands, such as a demand for compensation—referred to as a settlement demand letter —or a formal request for proper attribution to correct the violation.
It is important to note that a cease and desist order, also known as an injunction or restraining order, is different from a letter. As opposed to being sent by an individual or his attorney, an order is an official legally-binding document that is issued by a government agency or a court.
You can serve it via mail, email, an attorney and, in some cases, in person. However you choose to serve the letter, keep a record of delivery and receipt by the offending party. If you are sending the cease-and-desist letter yourself, send it via certified mail so that you have a record of delivery. You can also require a signature confirmation.
Anyone can send a cease and desist letter. An attorney does not have to be involved. However, an attorney can advise complainants on whether their rights have been violated and if they have legal and meritorious rights to send a cease and desist letter.
While it is likely the person writing the cease and desist letter will say they will pursue legal action, and they may even genuinely have plans to do so, getting a cease and desist letter does not mean you will definitely be sued.
How to Serve a Cease-and-Desist Letter. No specified method of delivery is required for a cease-and-desist letter. Because it is not a legal document, you can write and send the letter yourself without the help of a legal professional, or you can hire an attorney to write and serve the letter for you.
A cease and desist order is an order by an administrative agency that requires certain practices specified to stop. It is used in Labor and Employment Law, Security Law, Education Law, and a lot of other areas of law. Typically, an administrative judge has the discretion to decide over the issuance of the order.
Hourly Rates for Cease-and-Desist Letters ContractsCounsel's marketplace data shows the average hourly rate for a cease-and-desist letter lawyer ranges from $200 - $350 per hour.
If someone is infringing your trademark or copyright, use a cease and desist letter to make a formal request for them to cease the infringing activities. This shows that you mean business and are prepared to pursue legal action if necessary.
A cease and desist letter has legal power but is not legally binding. It can be considered harassment if the wording is too aggressive or offensive. If you make unsubstantiated legal claims, state untruths, or attempt to intimidate the recipient, you might find yourself in legal hot water.
If you ignore it, the attorney who sent the letter will eventually file a lawsuit in federal court against you for trademark infringement and/or copyright infringement. This action may not happen right away.
Either way you dice it, these letters can be very scary to a non-lawyer and should be given the utmost respect, at lease until you know for sure whether the claims in the letter are legally valid. That being said, a cease and desist letter has no legal significance.
You may be wondering, is a cease and desist letter enforceable? The letter is not a court order and on its own is not legally enforceable. Therefore, there are no immediate repercussions to non-compliance.
You can file a lawsuit for libel or slander, or you can seek a restraining order from the court. But the cheapest step is to first send a cease and desist letter that tells the party to stop or face the consequences.
Every cease and desist letter requires the same basic contents, such as:Your name and address.The recipient's name and address.A demand that the recipient stop the unlawful behavior.Sending the letter via certified mail, return receipt requested.
The most common reason someone sends a cease and desist letter is simple efficiency: a letter is simpler and cheaper than a lawsuit.
There is no “one size fits all” answer to this question. If it turns out that the letter was sent by a trademark owner who was just trying to create a paper trail to avoid abandonment or genericide, it might be fine in some cases to ignore the letter.
Cease and desist letters are a written warning sent to the party causing harm that notifies that if they do not stop the mentioned actions, further action and potential legal ramifications will be taken. These letters are not a legally binding order against another party.
It is useful to send a cease and desist letter, in these circumstances, to request the opposing party to stop falsified written and oral statements. It is important to include why the statements are false and a correction to the statements in the letter.
By providing the debt collector with a cease and desist letter, the harassing phone calls and abrupt visits to your home can be halted. Once a debt collector receives your letter, they can, legally, only contact you once more. This final contact can only be to explain that they are ceasing communication.
Copyrights and trademarks give ownership of titles, names, logos, writings, books, music, etc. to the owner of the copyright or trademark. If a party is using your material without receiving your consent first, you may want to consider sending a cease and desist letter.
Legally, any person can send a cease and desist letter to another party. This is partly due to the letter not being a legal order to stop the actions. Although, if you are foreseeing a lawsuit in the future, it is good practice to meet with an attorney for guidance.
Personal attacks should not be taken lightly. In certain circumstances, sending the offender a cease and desist letter can provoke them further. However, in a majority of situations, when receiving a cease and desist letter, the offender will understand that you are serious and mean business.
In some instances, a cease and desist letter may not be an appropriate first measure of action.
Updated May 14, 2019. A cease and desist letter is a legal notice sent to someone you believe is infringing on copyrights you own the rights to. The letter is your way of stopping them.
Even if you get a verdict in your favor, the defendant may file an appeal and further extend the legal process.
In that case, you only pay the attorney if she wins a verdict or obtains a settlement for you. An attorney can also advise you if your rights have, in reality, been violated and if so, if you have enough grounds for legal action. Also, an attorney can tell you if a cease and desist letter is the appropriate course of action, ...
There are a few items every cease and desist letter should include. First, explain your rights. Second, detail how your rights are being violated. Finally, you must include a command to stop the actions you are being harmed by.
Issuing a cease and desist notice under the wrong circumstances can cause legal troubles for the sender. If there are threats involved in the letter, it can amount to extortion, blackmail or other crimes. In addition, if the violation turns out to be false, the party receiving the letter can sue for a judgement.
Use a cease and desist notice if you want to issue a formal warning to someone to stop doing what they're doing. This includes using your property, harassing you, or illegally using your trademarks. Usually, but not always, a cease and desist is the first formal step following an informal notification.
A cease and desist order is different from a cease and desist letter. The main difference is in terms of legality. Letters have almost no legal standing. Orders do. A cease and desist order is granted by a court. It serves as a temporary injunction.
Engaging in illegal or suspicious activity that involves someone's work. The first step that you can take to address these issues is to send a cease and desist letter.
However, it fulfills an important function in the legal process. It establishes that you have told the offender about their violation. They now cannot claim they didn't know they were in violation.
It also often stops the offending behavior without the need to take it any further.
Common reasons to use a desist and cease letter include: Intellectual property infringement: A cease and desist letter is often the first step in resolving a dispute over copyright, trademark, or patent infringement. Breach of contract: After you have entered ...
It is important to note that a cease and desist order, also known as an injunction or restraining order, is different from a letter. As opposed to being sent by an individual or his attorney, an order is an official legally-binding document that is issued by a government agency or a court.
To obtain a cease and desist order, you must file a lawsuit or other paperwork with the court. The papers filed and the terminology used will differ depending on the circumstances and your state law. After the paperwork is filed, the other side will have an opportunity to respond, and the court will decide on the matter based on all ...
After giving the party time to respond to or cease the activity, you should consider your next steps. The letter may only be the first step in resolving the conflict. If the party asserts he or she is not legally required to stop the activity, such as if there is a disagreement over whether or not a term of the contract has been breached, ...
In addition, sending a letter provides evidence that the party had notice of the illegal behavior but continued to engage in it. In some cases, such as trademark infringement, this may allow you to collect additional money damages if you decide to bring the case to court.
To preserve your rights, you may include a statement that you are not waiving present or future rights to sue based on prior misconduct. Send the letter via certified mail, as this will provide a record that it was sent to the correct party.
If you are writing the letter yourself, you should include the following information: Your name and contact information. Name and contact information of the person or business being asked to stop the behavior.
No specified method of delivery is required for a cease-and-desist letter. Because it is not a legal document, you can write and send the letter yourself without the help of a legal professional, or you can hire an attorney to write and serve the letter for you.
They are relatively simple to write up and you don't even need an attorney to serve them.
Anyone can write and send out a cease and desist letter. There are a few reasons, however, why you should strongly consider using an attorney instead:
Some people confuse cease and desist letters with cease and desist orders. The primary difference is that a cease and desist letter does not have legal weight backed by a court – it is a notice and demand letter sent by someone or their attorney. A cease and desist letter is a measure used before resorting to more serious action such as a lawsuit.
If someone is harassing you or infringing on your rights, having a legal professional send a cease and desist letter on your behalf can be a fast and cost-effective way to enforce your rights and put a stop to the offending activities. Demand Letters is your best option for finding a legal professional that will assist you for a low flat rate.
It is almost always best to seek some legal advice for Cease and Desist letters. Often Cease and Desist Letters are used to bully or scare you. Lawyers can help to decipher the legal jargon in the letter and assist you in determining the correct response. Finding a good lawyer can save you time and expenses by addressing the issue early on.
Depending on what they want you to do, sometimes the easiest way to deal with the letter is to give in. Even if you do not agree with what they are alleging, if the requested remedy does not disrupt you or your business, then compliance may be the best option.