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Opinion

Jan 2024

It’s “OK” To Call a Police Officer Racist

John C. Greiner and Darren Ford

The court had little trouble concluding that the allegedly offending statements were opinion protected under Ohio law.

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Sep 2023

Nicholas Sandmann Blocked on Appeal

Meenakshi Krishnan and Nathan Siegel

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the District Court’s grant of summary judgment to several media defendants (The New York Times, CBS, ABC, Gannett, and Rolling Stone) in a series of long-running defamation cases brought by Nicholas Sandmann.

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Aug 2023

Article Tying Nursing Home Magnate to Human Trafficking, Medicaid Fraud & Elder Abuse Protected As Fair Report, True, and Opinion

Alia Smith

Judge Azrack held that the challenged statements – concerning the poor quality of some of Landa’s nursing homes and alleged financial and other improprieties – were fair reports under N.Y. Civil Rights Law § 74, were substantially true, or were non-actionable opinions.

May 2023

Virginia Court Dismisses Homeowners’ Case Over B-Roll Footage in Jan. 6 News Story

Hilary Oran

Though courts rarely find that a party has been fraudulently joined, the court did so in this instance.

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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

Court Dismissed Defamation Case Arising from Environmental Advocacy Group’s Campaign to Protect Canadian Forests

Chelsea Kelly and Laura Handman

After seven years of litigation, court ruled that defendants had not acted with actual malice and dismissed the case in full.

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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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.

Mar 2023

Texas Supreme Court Reaffirms Protection for Opinion

Samuel W. Calkins

The Court held unanimously that the statements were opinions in the context of the national abortion debate.

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Jan 2023

Defamation Suit Against Daily Beast Dismissed

Andrew M. Pauwels

This case should serve as a reminder to media defense attorneys of the many arguments available at the initial motion phase, even in states like Michigan where there is no anti-SLAPP law.

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