Hi, first time posting here.
Some time ago, an ex partner, who owed me money and didn't want to pay it back, made a false accusation against me to the police of assault, and being female, said she knew they'd give her preference and I'd be charged and convicted. Well, that's exactly what she did, and she was right. She got her way, no problem at all. She got her neighbour to back her up and went as far as to stand up in court and deliver this perjury on record, just as she boasted to me she would.
I was convicted of an assault I did not and never would commit, and did a community-based order with community service and attended appointments with the Justice Dept. of WA. It's one of the reasons the entire legal system has lost my respect and trust for life. I copped to it to cut my losses, being inexperienced, and having been out-played by someone who knew how to play the game better than I did. I did have representation, and I still don't understand why the untruth of events wasn't even challenged, but it was explained to me that she'd done it, she'd won and this was damage control.
Initially I had to sign some sort of agreement that I would commit to certain terms or whatever. Later, after a day at one of the community svc. projects, one of their staff presented me with a document from their management, with a post-it note on it "For Signing" and told me I was *required* to sign it. It was supposedly a new copy of the same agreement I had originally signed. I read it over first and made it clear I regarded it as up to me whether I signed it or not.
I could not see any difference between it, as far as I remembered, and the original document. Their staffer became very insistent that I was obliged to agree to its terms and to provide a signature to that effect. I asked if it was different to the original, and told it wasn't. I said I wanted to see the original to compare them (and catch them in yet another lie if so), and anyway, if they were the same, I'd already signed it and didn't need to do so again. But I was given some kind of threat of further action if I didn't, the details of which threat I now forget but things would get worse for me.
I would have thought there is no such thing as any legal "agreement" I am obliged to make with anyone, no matter who the hell they think they are, and if I decline that should be the end of it. As a legal contract, then if it requires my consent and an indication of it, then how can it be compulsory for me to agree to it? I thought there was legally no such thing as a forced *agreement*. This was not a signature to indicate I'd received the document, but that I agreed to its terms, I asked that at the time and that was also the gist of its wording.
I wanted to take it to Citizen's Advice Bureau and ask about whether I really was obliged, but was told it had to be done there and then. I regarded their position as coercion.
Was I in fact under some legal obligation to sign their document? If not, are they potentially guilty of some misdemeanour for attempting to force me against my wishes?
Some time ago, an ex partner, who owed me money and didn't want to pay it back, made a false accusation against me to the police of assault, and being female, said she knew they'd give her preference and I'd be charged and convicted. Well, that's exactly what she did, and she was right. She got her way, no problem at all. She got her neighbour to back her up and went as far as to stand up in court and deliver this perjury on record, just as she boasted to me she would.
I was convicted of an assault I did not and never would commit, and did a community-based order with community service and attended appointments with the Justice Dept. of WA. It's one of the reasons the entire legal system has lost my respect and trust for life. I copped to it to cut my losses, being inexperienced, and having been out-played by someone who knew how to play the game better than I did. I did have representation, and I still don't understand why the untruth of events wasn't even challenged, but it was explained to me that she'd done it, she'd won and this was damage control.
Initially I had to sign some sort of agreement that I would commit to certain terms or whatever. Later, after a day at one of the community svc. projects, one of their staff presented me with a document from their management, with a post-it note on it "For Signing" and told me I was *required* to sign it. It was supposedly a new copy of the same agreement I had originally signed. I read it over first and made it clear I regarded it as up to me whether I signed it or not.
I could not see any difference between it, as far as I remembered, and the original document. Their staffer became very insistent that I was obliged to agree to its terms and to provide a signature to that effect. I asked if it was different to the original, and told it wasn't. I said I wanted to see the original to compare them (and catch them in yet another lie if so), and anyway, if they were the same, I'd already signed it and didn't need to do so again. But I was given some kind of threat of further action if I didn't, the details of which threat I now forget but things would get worse for me.
I would have thought there is no such thing as any legal "agreement" I am obliged to make with anyone, no matter who the hell they think they are, and if I decline that should be the end of it. As a legal contract, then if it requires my consent and an indication of it, then how can it be compulsory for me to agree to it? I thought there was legally no such thing as a forced *agreement*. This was not a signature to indicate I'd received the document, but that I agreed to its terms, I asked that at the time and that was also the gist of its wording.
I wanted to take it to Citizen's Advice Bureau and ask about whether I really was obliged, but was told it had to be done there and then. I regarded their position as coercion.
Was I in fact under some legal obligation to sign their document? If not, are they potentially guilty of some misdemeanour for attempting to force me against my wishes?
