Anti-SLAPP Archives

Tweet Speech

June 7, 2018 BRIEF

Twitter ducked conservative independent journalist Charles Johnson’s free-speech lawsuit Wednesday, after a state court judge found the social media giant is a private company, not a 21^st century “public square,” and therefore had the right to cancel Johnson’s account.

Entertainment

Disneyland Fan Clubs Duke Out Couple’s Libel Claims

May 30, 2018May 30, 2018 NATHAN SOLIS

Anti-SLAPP, Disney, Kaiser, Libel, Medicine, privacy

Medical records obtained from a health care provider, social media posts and an alleged smear campaign are at the heart of a defamation case between two fan clubs who meet at Disneyland in Southern California.

Appeals Civil Rights Media

Ninth Circuit Advances Suit Over Anti-Abortion Foes’ Videos

May 16, 2018May 16, 2018 HELEN CHRISTOPHI

Abortion, Anti-SLAPP, Center for Medical Progress, Ninth Circuit, planned parenthood, privacy

Planned Parenthood’s federal lawsuit accusing anti-abortion activists of hampering abortion access with doctored videos creating the impression clinics sell aborted fetal tissue will proceed intact, the Ninth Circuit ruled Wednesday.

Entertainment Government Politics

Trump Urges Arbitration in Stormy Daniels Dispute

April 2, 2018April 3, 2018 NATHAN SOLIS

Anti-SLAPP, arbitration, Donald Trump, pornography, Settlement

Attorneys who facilitated a hush agreement following an alleged affair between adult film actress Stormy Daniels and then-presidential candidate Donald Trump have filed a motion to arbitrate a dispute over the agreement rather than hash it out in open federal court.

Appeals Entertainment

Simpsonized

February 14, 2018February 15, 2018 BRIEF

21st Century Fox, Anti-SLAPP, Brief, California, cartoons and animation, fair use, publicity rights

“Goodfellas” actor Frank Sivero’s bid to end the life of “The Simpsons” mob henchman Louie was shot down by a California appeals court Tuesday, which found Sivero had simply been “Simpsonized” – a transformative use protected by the First Amendment.

Civil Rights Courts Regional

LA Mariachis Take Eviction Fight to Court

December 28, 2017December 28, 2017 NATHAN SOLIS

Anti-SLAPP, Free Speech, housing, Los Angeles

After refusing to pay rent this summer to protest rent hikes by new landlords, tenants of an apartment in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights told a judge Wednesday the subsequent eviction notices amounted to retaliation.

Appeals Consumers

Debt Collection SLAPP

December 27, 2017January 2, 2018 BRIEF

Anti-SLAPP, Brief, California, debt collection, Ninth Circuit

The Ninth Circuit declined Wednesday to wade into a fight over sneaky debt-collection practices, finding California law doesn’t allow for the immediate appeal of motion-to-strike denials in cases deemed to be filed in the public’s interest.

Appeals Business Civil Rights Criminal Health Regional

Wastewater District Can’t Dodge Hazardous Waste Storage Claims

November 30, 2017December 21, 2017 MATTHEW RENDA

Anti-SLAPP, California, due process, utilities, water

A private wastewater-treatment company received a severe legal defeat from a California appeals court on Thursday, meaning it will remain on the hook for criminal violations connected to a hazardous-waste explosion at its Ventura County location in 2014.

Appeals

Abortion Foes Say Free Speech Trumps Planned Parenthood Suit

November 17, 2017November 20, 2017 HELEN CHRISTOPHI

Abortion, Anti-SLAPP, David Daleiden, Law6, planned parenthood, protests

The Ninth Circuit on Friday gave little indication whether it would advance the bulk of Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit accusing anti-abortion activists of interfering with access to abortion, or shrink the scope of claims the activists face over doctored videos purporting to show the reproductive health organization selling aborted fetal tissue.

Law Politics

Nevada High Court Deals Blow to Adelson’s Defamation Case

September 28, 2017September 29, 2017 MIKE HEUER

Anti-SLAPP, defamation, Nevada, privilege, Regional1b, Republicans, Second Circuit, Sheldon Adelson

The Nevada Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that state law protects a 2012 online petition started by the National Jewish Democratic Council accusing casino mogul Sheldon Adelson of allowing prostitution in Macau.

Entertainment Environment

Animal Lover Wants Four White Tigers Moved to a Better Home

September 27, 2017September 27, 2017 CAMERON LANGFORD

animals, Anti-SLAPP, Endangered Species Act, Houston, Regional1

A Texas wildlife lover took her fight to free four white tigers to federal court Tuesday, claiming their cramped quarters at a Houston aquarium and confinement indoors there for 13 years violates the Endangered Species Act.

Media

Dismissal of Suit Against Journalists Upheld

May 5, 2017 MATTHEW RENDA

Anti-SLAPP, Law2, Press Freedom

A California appeals court upheld the dismissal of an action against an investigative news outlet that had written numerous articles that raised ethical questions over an environmentalist lawyer’s lawsuits.

Environment Media

Libel Suit Over Deepwater Horizon Reporting Tossed

February 15, 2017October 12, 2017 ZACK HUFFMAN

Anti-SLAPP, BP, defamation, Gulf of Mexico, Journalism, oil, water

Two bloggers received a judicial valentine Tuesday as the highest court in Massachusetts blocked defamation claims related to their reporting on the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster.

Appeals

9th Circ. Advances Safari Club’s Suit Over Secret Video

February 13, 2017November 29, 2017 RYAN BORCHERS

Anti-SLAPP, Hunting, Law3, privacy

A hunting club’s lawsuit against its former president on invasion of privacy claims does not constitute an attack against his free speech rights, a Ninth Circuit panel ruled Friday.