Renowned attorney Mark Geragos has been ordered to pay the Los Angeles Times $218,000 in attorney fees and costs following the newspaper’s successful defense against his libel lawsuit in the state of California. Geragos had challenged the Times’ coverage of a settlement for victims of the Armenian genocide. However, the presiding judge dismissed Geragos’ claim that the defendants were deliberately pursuing excessive financial gain from the case.
Despite Geragos’ high-profile legal career and usually formidable litigation skills, this verdict marks a significant setback. The stark sum awarded to the LA Times demonstrates the serious financial risks involved in libel suits, a key consideration for both legal professionals and news outlets reporting on delicate issues.
More details regarding the nature of the libel suit, including the specifics of the disputed coverage and the reasons behind this legal finding, can be found in the original article from Law360.