People can be downright nasty about you or your business on social media, but unless their nastiness meets certain criteria, you probably will not be able to successfully sue them for defamation (libel or slander).

In Tennessee, residential leases are governed by statute, unless you have a contract (a lease agreement) that sets out the terms of your rental. I have seen some pretty short and shoddy lease agreements that do little but set out the term and rental price.

Most people who are about to sign a contract focus only on those terms usually considered “material,” like the start date or term, the price or salary, and the job description (if an employment agreement) or manner of performance.

Frequently, when advising clients who rely heavily on their web sites to generate business, I discover that they have merely plucked the “terms and conditions” or “terms of use” from other web sites, without giving much thought to the consequences of this. This can be a dangerous and costly mistake because these provisions may create contractual obligations. That “Terms of Use” link sitting in the footer of your web site is there for a reason. Do not take it for granted!