Hi Jim,

I guess what makes the subject, if not the line, blurry for me is the "permissible" aspect. If its permissible to file frivilous lawsuits, I'd think the more frivilous the suit, the more threats to sue could be viewed as extortion.

Extortion as defined by the Colorado Criminal Code:

(1) A person commits criminal extortion if:

(a) The person, without legal authority and with the intent to induce another person against that other person's will to perform an act or to refrain from performing a lawful act, makes a substantial threat to confine or restrain, cause economic hardship or bodily injury to, or damage the property or reputation of, the threatened person or another person; and

(b) The person threatens to cause the results described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1) by:

(I) Performing or causing an unlawful act to be performed; or

(II) Invoking action by a third party, including but not limited to, the state or any of its political subdivisions, whose interests are not substantially related to the interests pursued by the person making the threat.

Bob