Fighting SLAPPs, Protecting the First Amendment
Lawyers are frequently subject to malicious prosecution suits and other claims arising from their work on behalf of clients, some meritorious, some not. One of the benefits of the California anti-SLAPP law (and similar laws in other states) is that … Read the rest
As I have noted here before, before filing a lawsuit, a SLAPP filer will frequently first send you a threat letter. This letter will state that if you do not stop exercising your First Amendment free speech and/or petition … Read the rest
Recently, a class action lawsuit was filed against the producers and broadcasters of the popular reality television programs “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” claiming that the show discriminates against people of color in its casting decisions. (Entertainment Weekly’s report on … Read the rest
If you aren’t a lawyer, you may have figured out that the lawsuit filed against you is a SLAPP, but you probably don’t know how a SLAPP suit works and what the procedural stages of the lawsuit are. This post … Read the rest
Very interesting new (unpublished) opinion from the First Appellate District with significant implications for lawyer advertising and client solicitation, especially with regard to Internet and other mass media solicitation. Check out Kate Moser’s analysis on Law.com: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202540890419&slreturn=1. The opinion … Read the rest
Over the holidays, news broke that the City of Los Angeles is contemplating a lawsuit against the Occupy L.A. protesters in an attempt to recover the costs of policing (and dispersing) the protests, as well as purported property damage caused … Read the rest
Alex George of the Calaveras Enterprise recently covered an anti-SLAPP motion that was filed by Rancho Calveras resident Bill Crane in response to a request for a restraining order against him. Crane and Supervisor Darren Spellman engaged in an argument … Read the rest
The California Court of Appeal for the 2nd District issued a decision throwing out a defamation suit that appears to be a blatant SLAPP. In this case, a university accused a news broadcasting company of defaming them over a news … Read the rest