> 1. Do we have the "right" to ban individuals, even if they are > students and/or members of the professional organization mentioned above? > > 2. As the list owner, am I somehow liable/responsible for lawsuits? > > 3. How have others handled this situation? > > > I went through the same thing. The university's counsel wrote the guy a letter that said the university provided employees the capability to host lists, but we did it on our own. (I.e., if a suit was filed I was on my own.) He also said I had the right to ban someone who didn't play by the rules. I *believe* you have the right to bar someone who doesn't follow your rules. I don't know that your rules have to be kind and just - after all, no one is forced to join or stay. Just having the list there is not a guarantee of right to join it (e.g., you may have a closed list on the same server that's limited to chemical engineering students). The problem is having a lucid set of rules. It's one thing to say "no foul language" but exactly what is "foul"? Is your foul my foul? I have some people writing me telling me how mean I am. Why? They get the automated listserv message that tells them "unscibe" isn't a valid command. They just happen to be very tender (or very defensive). My problem was the list members wanted a "kind" list and the guy in question wasn't. We were girding our loins for a fight (and girding is really painful) and then he decided to call it a day. But, if he had sued me, it would have been on my nickel.