Can You Sue Someone for Falsely Accusing You?
In most states, a person can sue someone else for falsely accusing them, according to The Law Firm of George H. Ramos Jr. In legal terms, falsely accusing someone of a crime is referred to as malicious prosecution.
Suing a person for false accusations takes place in civil courts. The case is possible if a person or police officer accuses someone of a crime that ends in an arrest. To sue the person, the defendant must not be convicted in the court of law. Suing someone on the grounds malicious prosecution can result in a monetary judgement that includes attorney fees, lost wages and court fees. Other monetary settlements may be awarded as well if the person claims they have been humiliated or their reputation has suffered.
Unfortunately, the accused person often has to face plenty of challenges, even if the accusations are false. This includes obtaining legal counsel, attending court dates and proving their innocence. If the charges end up being dismissed by the courts or the defendant is found not-guilty, their only recourse is taking the accuser back to court. This can result in added expenses and it is up to the judge whether or not the accuser is responsible for these added fees as well as the fees that occurred during the criminal case.
