San Diego newspaper files anti-SLAPP motion on health care district

The San Diego Union Tribune is filing a motion against the Tri-City Healthcare District claiming that the district’s lawsuit against them is an attempt to silence them, a violation of California law. The dispute began with Tri-City’s mistakenly sending the newspaper attorney-client information which the newspaper returned, but Tri-City is suing to block use of [...]

Videogame maker sued for appropriating likeless of college football player

A former college football player filed a lawsuit on the grounds that his likeness in a videogame was misappropriated, that the game-maker Electronic Arts used his image for commercial gain without his permission. In supporting Electronic Arts, the entertainment industry wants to limit celebrities’ intellectual property rights. A  lawyer for Electronic Arts said that films [...]

Author wins defamation suit brought by woman convicted of manslaughter for shooting husband

Courthouse News Service January 18, 2011 By  Tim Hull The federal appeals court in Portland, Oregon ruled that a woman convicted of manslaughter in killing her husband cannot sue true-crime author Ann Rule for defamation. -db

Punjab Times fights libel over statement about terrorists

Courthouse News Service January 14, 2011 By Jeff D. Gorman A Californai appeals court ruled that a member of a Bay Area Sikh temple can sue the Punjab Times for defamation after the newspaper quoted the man saying the temple was training terrorists. -db

California appeals court allows libel claim on Yelp posting

A California appeals court upheld the dismissal of  an anti-SLAPP motion against a dentist  who sued a man he claims libeled her in a Yelp review. The court dismissed the motion on the grounds that the dentist has a clear chance to prove libel. -db Metropolitan News-Enterprise November 10, 2010 By Kenneth Ofgang A dentist’s [...]

National anti-SLAPP law under consideration in Congress

Congress is considering a national law to protect citizens against baseless defamation suits filed by business or governments to prevent criticism. The stakes are higher in the Internet era when a critical comment about an individual or business posted online can garner widespread attention. -db The New York Times May 31, 2010 By Dan Frosch [...]

State high court narrows ‘commercial speech’ to uphold free speech rights on published notice for class action suit

A California Supreme Court decision, in a case over the posting of an appeal for clients in a class action lawsuit, is expected to reaffirm the state’s anti-SLAPP law in protecting free speech in commercial settings. -db Davis Wright Tremaine LLP May 18, 2010 By Thomas R. Burke and Rochelle L. Wilcox The California Supreme [...]

Anti-SLAPP challenge on Chevron pollution lawsuit only partially validated

A federal judge dismissed most of Chevron’s claim of malicious prosecution against an attorney representing Ecuadorians in an environmental pollution lawsuit, but found merit in Chevron’s position on one of the Ecudorians’ claims. -db Courthouse News Service May 17, 2010 SAN FRANCISO (CN) – A federal judge tossed the bulk of Chevron’s malicious prosecution claims [...]

Michael Jackson’s dermatologist fights anti-SLAPP to sustain defamation suit against plastic surgeon

Michael Jackson’s dermatologist is fighting an anti-SLAPP motion to keep his lawsuit going against a plastic surgeon he says defamed him for suggesting that he was instrumental in providing the medication that killed the singer. -db The Los Angeles Wave February 2, 2010 By Wire Services A dermatologist who alleges a plastic surgeon defamed him [...]