Libel
Lawsuit Against Google for Accurately Reporting Negative Stories About Plaintiff Dismissed
Plaintiff claimed that the search results violated his "right of publicity," and also that the output was defamatory because it "uses a 'negative algorithm' that promotes negative stories about Garmon while suppressing positive stories about him—or, at least, pushing the positive stories down the list of search results."
Cancellation Litigation + Doxing Claim, over Allegedly Malicious Publicizing of Snapchat Video with Allegedly Racist Statements
"[B]oth parties exchanged these Snapchat videos while they were intoxicated and their judgment was impaired. Notwithstanding, the communications were private and intended to be jokes between close friends."
Defamation, Emotional Distress, Racism/Sexism Allegations, and Discovery
"[Defendant ex-employer's] request for all of [plaintiff's] communications containing language that is sexist or racist is overbroad."
Illinois Court Dismisses Defamation Suit Based on Allegations that Plaintiff Teacher Was "Anti-White" etc.
The court does, however, leave open the possibility that the plaintiff can file an amended complaint that can go forward.
Court Rejects Lawyer's and Client's Libel Claim Over Inside Higher Ed's Coverage of Title IX Suits
The court appears unmoved by the claim that an earlier ruling sent the "wrong message ... that people of color (all the plaintiffs are Latino) do not have a chance to get their day in this Honorable Court."
Defamation Suit Over Businessman's Wife Calling Prominent Businesswoman "Prostitute" Dismissed
"No one likes being called names. But not every alleged insult gives rise to a lawsuit in federal court. Especially where Ms. Mai has alleged that she is so important as to be a public figure, yet failed to allege Ms. Elsaden made her allegedly defamatory statement with actual malice."
Defamation Lawsuit Against Def Con Cybersecurity Conference Dismissed
"[I]t is irrelevant that Defendant Def Con did not know at the time the Transparency Reports were published whether Hadnagy had or had not engaged in sexual misconduct. Rather, if the sexual misconduct implications were in fact true at the time the Transparency Reports were published, Def Con is shielded by the truth defense."
No Temporary Restraining Order Against Accusations of Surrogacy Agency Error
"After receiving their surrogate baby, the couple purportedly performed an at-home DNA test 'which showed that [the would-be father] was in no way related to the baby.'"
Punitive Damages Award in Mann v. Steyn Reduced from $1M to $5K,
largely because the compensatory damages were just $1.
Can Publicizing a Person's "Address and Physical Appearance" in Connection with True Allegations of Misconduct Be Actionable?
A federal magistrate judge flags the issue, though doesn't purport to resolve it.
Mississippi Judge Orders Newspaper To Take Down Editorial Criticizing City Board for Secrecy
Free speech experts say the takedown order is a clear example of unconstitutional prior restraint under the First Amendment.
Trump's Personal Defamation Lawsuit Against Pulitzer Prize Board Members May Continue
So holds the Florida Court of Appeal, rejecting the members' claim that they aren't subject to personal jurisdiction in Florida. The majority doesn't discuss the substantive merits of the case.
Megan Thee Stallion's Defamation Lawsuit Against "Online Personality" "Milagro Gramz or Mobz World" Can Go Forward
Plus, does speech about a celebrity become "intentional infliction of emotional distress" when the celebrity is known to have been "trauma[tized]" by a violent crime?
Devin Nunes Loses Defamation Appeal Against Ryan Lizza and Esquire
Nunes and his family's farm can't sufficiently show damages, so the court doesn't have to reach any of the other elements of defamation.
Calling Someone "White Supremacist" in Online Debate Is Opinion …
and thus not actionable defamation, unless defendant "implies undisclosed facts by insinuating that the plaintiff" engaged in specific racist acts or made (undisclosed) racist statements.
Man Sues HBO, Claiming He Is the Pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, Inventor of Bitcoin
But "[n]othing in Plaintiff's conclusory assertions suggest that Plaintiff could plead facts plausibly linking his identity with that of the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto."
"Another Email Account Impersonating a Banker Working for [Plaintiff] Invited … Recipients … to Join a Fictitious Neo-Nazi Banking Club"
One of many allegedly defamatory statements allegedly sent by a former summer intern at a financial company; the court holds a proposed preliminary injunction against future speech by defendant about plaintiff would be an unconstitutional prior restraint, but issues a narrower injunction.
