Date: September 27, 2025
By Dennis Yu

Update (Oct. 7, 2025): Even after multiple cease requests, Benson Fischer and his attorney Richard Schimel continue to send harassing emails. I’ve published a new post documenting the latest email and the pattern of harassment. Read it here: Documenting Fischer’s Continued Harassment: Another Email After Repeated Cease Requests.(https://dennisyu.com/documenting-fischers-continued-harassment-another-email-after-repeated-cease-requests/)

Update (Oct. 3, 2025) – The peace order described below has been dismissed because the petitioner failed to appear. See the proof in the court docket below and read my latest post here: Peace Order Dismissed: Another Lawfare Loss for Benson Fisher & Richard Schimel.

Intro

If you’ve been following my posts on DennisYu.com, you know I’ve been documenting a strange saga involving a marketing firm owner and his attorney who seem determined to shut me up. It started with LinkedIn messages and a forensic audit of their marketing performance. Then the threats of litigation began, followed by two lawsuits and even a criminal complaint. Now they’ve filed a peace‑order petition in Maryland without even notifying me.

For those unfamiliar with Maryland law, a peace order is a protective remedy available when the parties aren’t family or in an intimate relationship. According to the Maryland People’s Law Library, a peace order allows a petitioner to ask the court to order another individual to stay away and refrain from any contact【734660994065541†L88-L93】. Acts covered by the law include harassment, stalking, trespass, misuse of electronic communication and other conduct【734660994065541†L121-L138】. Petitions must be filed within 30 days of the alleged act【734660994065541†L142-L146】, and the petitioner must sign an oath under penalty of perjury【734660994065541†L147-L150】.

A Pattern of Baseless Filings

Back in April I published a forensic audit of the marketing firm’s performance and followed up with a post calling out their attorney’s intimidation tactics. Those articles pointed out misleading marketing claims and threats of litigation if I didn’t remove criticism. Shortly afterward, their attorney filed a civil suit seeking millions of dollars and pressed prosecutors to charge me with “harassing course of conduct.” As I previously wrote, the criminal charges were dismissed when my lawyer demanded evidence—which never materialized. The civil suit continues, but we’ve filed a motion to dismiss on First Amendment grounds and will seek sanctions for what appears to be bad‑faith litigation.

The New Peace‑Order Maneuver

Despite those ongoing proceedings, they recently filed a peace‑order petition against me in Maryland. I learned about it only by checking the court docket; no one served me any notice. Under Maryland law, if a petition is filed during court hours, the clerk schedules an immediate hearing. When a judge determines that the relationship qualifies and abuse occurred, a temporary peace order can be issued that lasts about seven days【80133833606098†L230-L238】. Temporary orders at the beginning of a case can require the respondent to stop harassing the petitioner, have no contact, and stay away from their home, work or school【80133833606098†L245-L252】. A final hearing is then scheduled, where both parties may present evidence; a final peace order can remain in effect for up to six months【80133833606098†L240-L263】.

The docket indicates that a temporary order was granted on September 26, with a final hearing set for October 3. The temporary order forbids me from “abusing,” “contacting,” or “entering the residence” of the petitioner—despite the fact that we have never met or spoken offline. My interactions with them have been limited to LinkedIn messages and public blog posts. I will challenge service and contest the order in court, because there is no lawful basis for it. Notably, the People’s Law Library warns that knowingly providing false information in a peace‑order petition is a misdemeanor punishable by fines or jail time【734660994065541†L147-L151】.

Why This Is Lawfare

The term lawfare has gained traction in recent years. Collins Dictionary defined it as “the strategic use of legal proceedings to intimidate or hinder an opponent”【409032197409185†L194-L196】. Abusive litigation involves filing meritless suits, seeking strategic delays, and using excessive discovery purely to harass or financially exhaust the other party【791210282832809†L141-L170】. The National Crime Victim Law Institute notes that abusive litigation undermines the legal process and can take the form of frivolous lawsuits filed with no legitimate purpose other than to inflict harm【791210282832809†L141-L170】. In other words, courts become weapons rather than forums for justice.

That’s exactly what’s happening here. After my critical posts, I was hit with a multi‑million‑dollar civil suit, a criminal complaint, and now a peace‑order petition. These filings aren’t about protecting anyone; they’re about chilling speech. Even the temporary peace order prohibits “contact” and “harassment” on the basis of public writing—that is, constitutionally protected speech. Abusive litigation tactics like these are a form of lawfare: legal bullying intended to intimidate critics into silence.

I Will Not Be Silenced

Let me be blunt: truthful criticism is not harassment. The posts that sparked this cascade of lawsuits are factual analyses of public court filings and marketing performance. They serve a public interest by warning entrepreneurs and franchisees about questionable practices. Under the First Amendment, I have every right to publish these analyses. Until the lawsuits are dropped and apologies issued, I will continue documenting this ordeal and exploring my own legal remedies. That includes filing complaints about the misuse of peace‑order petitions and abusive litigation.

Next Steps

• Attend (or challenge) the peace‑order hearing on October 3, 2025. I will update readers on the outcome.
• Press the court to dismiss the civil suit and seek sanctions for bad‑faith litigation. Abusive litigation wastes judicial resources and harms free speech.
• Educate others on how to respond if they’re targeted by frivolous lawsuits or peace‑order petitions. Future posts will outline steps to protect yourself, including consulting a lawyer, preserving communications, and challenging improper service.

Learn More

If you haven’t read my earlier posts, check them out:

• “When Lawyers Cross the Line: Why I’m Calling Them Out” – a detailed account of the attorney’s intimidation tactics.
• “Benson Fisher’s ZivZo Marketing: A Forensic Digital Audit” – a forensic analysis of the firm’s marketing performance and misrepresentations.
• Benson-Fischer.com: Comprehensive site on Benson J. Fisher’s lawsuits and court records

These posts provide context for the current legal onslaught. Together, they show why I refuse to be bullied into silence. When legal processes are weaponized, speaking up is not just a right—it’s a responsibility.