Rape Allegations in #TheyLied Defamation Lawsuit Aren't on a Matter of "Public Interest," Says N.Y. Judge

"M.V. ... [sued] J.T., alleging that this action arises out of a personal vendetta and jealous revenge plot by J.T. to destroy his life and reputation. M.V. asserts that, intent on causing him maximum damage after he finally ended their casual, on-and-off sexual relationship that spanned years including through their time together in college, J.T. knowingly published numerous false and defamatory statements to the social media application YikYak, falsely accusing M.V. of rape ...."

|The Volokh Conspiracy |

College Baseball Coach's Defamation Case, Alleging School Said He Was Fired Because He Acted in Racist Ways, Allowed to Go Forward

After the federal judge denied the university's motion for summary judgment, the case settled. Among other things, the judge concluded that allegations that a coach acted in a racist way were "defamation per se," so that plaintiff didn't have to show specific damages stemming from the allegations.

|The Volokh Conspiracy |

QAnon "Patriot Reporter" Claims Newspaper Libeled Him by Saying He Had Admitted to "Sexual Relationship" with 15-Year-Old

But he loses: "As a result of Godlewski's guilty plea to 'inappropriate text [m]essages' and 'contact' ..., as set forth in the Affidavit of Probable Cause quoting the offending text messages admitting and memorializing a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old minor, Godlewski is collaterally estopped from denying his participation in [the] sexual relationship ...."

|The Volokh Conspiracy |

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