Civil Rights › Business Torts › Civil Procedure

It's Not Defamation if No One Knows It's You -- Sammy Hagar Defeats Defamation Claim

The first element of defamation is sometimes forgotten. The defamatory statement must be about the plaintiff. In most instances that will be self-evident, but sometimes the identity of the person being defamed will be known...more

How to Use the “Wall of Wrong” to Determine if a Proposed Defamation Case is a SLAPP -- Shaheen Sadeghi v. Delilah Snell

The tale starts with an article in OC Weekly. The article was about a guy named Shaheen Sadeghi. The article was extremely favorable to Sadeghi, referring to him as the “Curator of Cool” and discussing his amazing success in...more

Anti-SLAPP Law Does Not Protect Civil Extortion by Attorneys

Despite the prohibitions against doing so, some attorneys can’t resist throwing a threat of criminal action into their demand letters. They apparently think (if they give it any thought at all) that an express or veiled...more

Miguel Mendoza v. Reed K. Hamzeh

Court Rules that Attorney's Demand Letter is Not Protected under Anti-SLAPP Law

Following the prior decision of Flatley v. Mauro, the California Court of Appeal in Miguel Mendoza v. Reed K. Hamzeh finds that a demand letter from an attorney which threatens criminal prosecution is not protected under the...more

Naffe v. Frey, et al.

Ruling DISMISSING Complaint under FRCP 12(b)(1) and Section 1983 claim under FRCP 12(b)(6) with Prejudice, etc.

Per Kenneth White, blogger at Popehat.com: http://www.popehat.com/2013/04/19/victory-for-blogger-patterico-in-free-speech-case/ : "Patrick Frey, also known as Patterico, has been living under the cloud of a frivolous,...more

Employee's Report to Human Resources is Protected by SLAPP Statute

Always remember when reviewing a complaint to see if it is a potential SLAPP that the anti-SLAPP statute is not only about speech, it includes the "freedom of petition for the right of grievances", or simply the right of...more

Naffe v. Frey, et al.

Tentative Ruling on Motion to Dismiss per FRCP 12(b)(6)

Per Ken White at Popehat (http://www.popehat.com/2012/12/10/update-on-defense-of-patterico/): "In early October I announced that I would be joining Ron Coleman in a pro bono defense of Patrick Frey of Patterico's...more

Naffe v. Frey, et al.

Reply Brief in Support of Motion to Strike per California's Anti-SLAPP Law

Per Ken White at Popehat (http://www.popehat.com/2012/12/10/update-on-defense-of-patterico/): "In early October I announced that I would be joining Ron Coleman in a pro bono defense of Patrick Frey of Patterico's...more

Naffe v. Frey, et al.

Reply Brief in Support of Motion to Dismiss Defamation Complaint per FRCP 12(b)(6)

Per Ken White at Popehat (http://www.popehat.com/2012/12/10/update-on-defense-of-patterico/): "In early October I announced that I would be joining Ron Coleman in a pro bono defense of Patrick Frey of Patterico's...more

Naffe v. Frey, et al.

Motion to Strike Under Calilfornia's Anti-SLAPP Law

Per Ken White at Popehat (http://www.popehat.com/2012/12/10/update-on-defense-of-patterico/): "In early October I announced that I would be joining Ron Coleman in a pro bono defense of Patrick Frey of Patterico's...more

Naffe v. Frey, et al.

Motion to Dismiss Complaint for Defamation and Other Claims for Failure to State a Claim - FRCP 12(b)(6)

Per Ken White at Popehat (http://www.popehat.com/2012/12/10/update-on-defense-of-patterico/): "In early October I announced that I would be joining Ron Coleman in a pro bono defense of Patrick Frey of Patterico's...more

Guggenheim Capital v. Toumei

Reply Brief of Appellant David Birnbaum

This is the reply brief in an appeal concerning the question of whether it is proper for a court to enter, as a sanction for litigation non-compliance, a default judgment and a seven-figure statutory damages award against a...more

Boarding School Review, LLC v. Delta Career Education Corp.

Brief in Support of Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim Upon Which Relief Can be Granted (FRCP 12(b)(6))

Plaintiff operates a website called Community College Review. It received multiple cease and desist letters, which escalated in the severity of their threats, from counsel for certain institutions about which routine,...more

Weekly Law Resume - March 22, 2012: ADA Plaintiff Subject to Breach of Contract Claim For Suing a Business Owner a Second Time

Thomas Mundy v. Laura D. Lenc Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District (February 29, 2012) Plaintiff Thomas Mundy is confined to a wheelchair. In June 2009, he went to a bar owned by Laura Lenc and could not use the...more

Case Illustrates How Some Judges Just Don't "Get" Defamation

I run into this attitude from judges occasionally. Thankfully, I've always been able to turn them around, but when I read about it, it still raises my hackles a little. The attitude of which I speak was most recently...more

Internet Solutions Corporation v. Marshall

Brief of Amicus Curiae, Media Bloggers Association, Inc. in Support of Appellee, Tabatha Marshall

The 11th Circuit certified the following question to the Florida Supreme Court: "Does posting allegedly defamatory stories and comments about a company with its principal place of business in Florida on a non-commercial...more