Climate Scientist Michael Mann Wins Defamation Suit Against Mark Steyn and Rand Simberg
The jury found no real damages, but gave a sizeable punitive award that could be challenged on appeal.
Libel
High School Football Coach Isn't a "Public Official" or "Public Figure" For Libel Law Purposes,
even when he "adopted a controversial 'no punt' strategy."
Notre Dame Professor's Lawyers Argue: Student Newspaper's Mission to Defend Notre Dame's Catholic Character Means …
that it’s probably not “‘trying to advance the public exchange of ideas’ essential to a healthy democracy.”
Professor's Lawyers Argue: Private University Student Newspapers Are "Not Entitled to First Amendment Protection"
The lawyers also argue that the speech in the newspaper was “not made pursuant to its right of free speech, but to instead to advance the personal agendas of male faculty members at Notre Dame [and others].”
Court Rejects Fan's Libel Claims Against L.A. Clippers Player Russell Westbrook and the Utah Jazz
Westbrook and the Jazz characterized the fan's insults to Westbrook as racist; in context, the court concluded, these were constitutionally protected statements of opinion.
#TheyLied Libel Lawsuit Over Allegations of Sexual Harassment Can Proceed,
recommends a Magistrate Judge, in a case brought over defendant student organization chair's claims that plaintiff had engaged in "sever[e], consisten[t], and widespread" misbehavior.
Libel Suit Terminated Because of Plaintiff's Discovery Misconduct
The flip side of what happened with defendant-side discovery misconduct in the Rudy Giuliani and Alex Jones cases, though with much smaller stakes.
Publishers' Claims Over Alleged Harassment Campaign by eBay Can Go Forward
"A group of eBay employees devised and engaged in a campaign of harassment, stalking, and threats to stop the Steiners from reporting about eBay" in their ECommerceBytes trade publication.
Maintaining Online Copy of Court Opinion Isn't Libelous, Even When It's Reversed
A district court refuses to enter default judgment against caselaw publisher Leagle, concluding that the plaintiff's claims against Leagle were legally insufficient.
Getting Dartmouth to Revoke Plaintiff's Admission Wasn't Speech on Issue of Public Interest,
under California's "anti-SLAPP" statute (which allows for prompt dismissal of claims brought based on certain kinds of speech).
[UPDATE: Decision Reversed by Colorado Supreme Court] No Absolute Privilege for Accuser's Allegations in High School Sex Misconduct Investigation,
because the investigations doesn't offer the sort of due process available in a judicial trial.
Alleged "Psychic Intuition" Still Isn't Enough to Make a Federal Claim "Plausible" Enough to Withstand Dismissal
An allegedly psychic "Internet sleuth" alleged a professor was involved in the University of Idaho student murders; the professor sued; then the "sleuth" countersued.
Hall-of-Famer Brett Favre's Defamation Lawsuit Against Hall-of-Famer Shannon Sharpe Thrown Out
Passes are parabolas, "you've got to be a sorry mofo to steal from the lowest of the low" was hyperbole.
Court Upholds Denial of Pseudonymity to Plaintiff in #TheyLied Libel Suit Stemming from Title IX Complaint
"Appellant wants the option to hide behind a shield of anonymity in the event he is unsuccessful in proving his claim, but he would surely identify himself if he were to prove his claims."
"Large Libel Model" Lawsuit Against OpenAI Headed Back to Georgia Court
OpenAI tried to remove Mark Walters' lawsuit to federal court, but has now withdrawn that attempt.
#TheyLied Plaintiff Suing for Defamation Over Sexual Misconduct Accusations Can't Use Subpoena to Unmask Pro-Defendant GoFundMe Organizers
"The subpoena is ... a classic ‘fishing expedition’ in constitutionally protected waters.”
No, Court Won't Order Removal of Online Copies of the Decision in Your Online Case, Even if
you argue that you're losing job opportunities because employers see that decision.
Prosecutor Linda Fairstein's Libel Lawsuit Over Netflix "Central Park Five" Series ("When They See Us") Can Go Forward
"There is evidence that, by opting to portray Fairstein as the series villain who was intended to embody the perceived injustices of a broader system, defendants reverse-engineered plot points to attribute actions, responsibilities and viewpoints to Fairstein that were not hers and are unsupported in defendants' substantial body of research materials."
