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Defamation

May 2023

Connecticut Supreme Court Affirms Right of Immediate Appeal of Anti-SLAPP Decisions

Alexa Millinger

Connecticut joins 16 states in holding that anti-SLAPP motions to dismiss may be immediately appealed rather than waiting for the conclusion of the case.

May 2023

Virginia Federal Court Grants Gannett’s Motion to Dismiss Defamation Lawsuit Brought by Prominent Anti-Vaxxer and Covid Critic

Michael J. Grygiel

The threshold dismissal was particularly welcome — and appropriate — because the Complaint targeted the newspaper’s reporting on a newsworthy community event implicating vitally important public health issues.

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May 2023

Proposed Florida Defamation Legislation

Sarah Papadelias and Rachel Fugate

One proposal that was introduced during the session was an effort to overhaul defamation law in Florida by making it “easier” to sue media outlets in Florida.

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May 2023

Court Dismisses Trump’s Tortious Interference Claim Against The New York Times

Samantha C. Hamilton

Judge Reed’s decision is especially important for reporters who have sources with NDAs.

Apr 2023

Summary Judgment Awarded to Obstacle Course Racing Blogger

Madeleine Blair, Isabel White and Lindsey Floyd

In a 74-page decision, the court dismissed all defamation and defamation per se claims against Davis for insufficient evidence of actual malice.

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Apr 2023

D.C. Court of Appeal Affirms Anti-SLAPP Fee Award in “Steele Dossier” Case

Chuck Tobin

The court’s decision significantly strengthens arguments for defendants to recover fees under the District’s anti-SLAPP law, including the fees they expend in litigating entitlement to fees.

Apr 2023

Arizona Supreme Court Finds Radio Host’s Statements Protected as Opinion, Political Speech

Michael J. Lambert

The Arizona Supreme Court has issued a ringing endorsement for the safeguards provided to opinions and political speech in a defamation case involving a local radio talk show host.

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Apr 2023

Long-Run Effects of Dominion v. Fox

George Freeman

The judge’s decision to dismiss any argument based on the neutral reportage privilege was a lost opportunity. It could have corrected one of the few areas where good journalism and the law diverge.

Apr 2023

Stop the Steal Organizer’s Narrowed Defamation Claim Proceeds to Discovery

Matthew Cate

Ruling on a motion to dismiss, Judge Pitman held that an article’s characterizations of plaintiff as a “Jan. 6 Capitol riot organizer” and a person who “helped coordinate the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection” were capable of being proven true or false, and therefore actionable in defamation, and that Bostic adequately pleaded the defendants published them…

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Mar 2023

Satanic Temple Lawsuit Against Newsweek Magazine Largely Dismissed

Cameron Stracher and Sara Tesoriero

The Southern District of New York held that twenty-one of the twenty-two statements were not defamatory as a matter of law.