St. Thomas University in Miami is currently facing a lawsuit alleging defamation and breach of contract following the dismissal of a tenured professor. The professor, who was terminated by the institution, is accused of ignoring a school shooting threat and engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student. He claims his firing was unwarranted and…
Smartmatic Can’t Seek Punitive Damages In Newsmax Suit A Delaware Superior Court judge ruled on Monday that Smartmatic USA Corp. cannot seek punitive damages in its defamation suit against Newsmax Media Inc. The case revolves around unsubstantiated claims made by Newsmax that Smartmatic’s voting systems were involved in rigging the 2020 election. According to the…
The U.S. Supreme Court’s significant rightward shift has produced dramatic changes in many areas of the law. A key precedent that might soon be re-examined is the long-standing “actual malice” standard that protects speech about public figures. This standard could be up for reconsideration given the current composition of the Court. Attorneys at Paul Hastings…
Two prominent plaintiffs law firms involved in the extensive litigation over Johnson & Johnson’s allegedly tainted talcum powder have turned against each other in a public legal battle. Smith Law Firm PLLC has filed a defamation lawsuit against Beasley Allen Law Firm. This legal move comes after Beasley Allen accused Smith Law Firm of prioritizing…
George Mason University has successfully persuaded a federal court to narrow the scope of former FTC commissioner Joshua Wright’s First Amendment and sex bias lawsuit against the institution. The US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia issued an opinion confirming this decision. Wright, who also served as a law professor at George Mason,…
Newsmax Media Inc. has lodged an appeal against a Florida judge’s decision to quash its attempt to subpoena various criminal defense attorneys. These attorneys are representing executives from Smartmatic USA Corp. in a criminal case involving a Philippines elections contract. This action is part of Smartmatic’s defamation suit against Newsmax, which revolves around the media…
A recent decision by a federal judge has allowed Michael Newman, a White former student of Howard University School of Law, to advance several claims alleging racial hostility. Newman contended that his comments made in an October 2020 chat room questioning why Black individuals “believe government solves problems” and discussing political voting patterns led to…
A significant portion of attorney fees accumulated by an anti-abortion pastor, Mark Lee Dickson, was dismissed by a judge in a recent legal battle in Texas. The case represents the latest development in the ongoing legal disputes surrounding the state’s restrictive abortion laws. In a particularly heated hearing in Austin, where accusations of lies and…
Rudy Giuliani has faced a significant legal setback in his defamation lawsuit against President Joe Biden. The former New York City mayor, who played a prominent role in former President Donald Trump’s legal battles post-2020 election, had filed the suit in response to Biden’s assertion that Giuliani was a “Russian pawn”. The lawsuit has now…
In Texas, a pivotal case could potentially broaden the scope of third-party liability in defamation suits. The crux of the challenge lies in the plaintiff’s inability to provide a record of specific defamatory quotes conveyed by the defendant. This case reflects burgeoning legal questions around the responsibilities and liabilities of third parties in defamation disputes….
On a recent day, the legal situation for the former president took several nuanced turns across multiple court systems, creating a complex narrative for legal professionals to dissect. With separate court proceedings unfolding simultaneously, the outcomes were as varied as the questions they raised about the future legal landscape for individuals with past felony convictions….
Earlier this year, an internal investigation by Harvard Business School concluded one of its prominent faculty members had engaged in research misconduct. Ordinarily, such reports remain confidential, but this one came to light because the researcher, Francesca Gino, a Harvard Business School professor, filed a defamation lawsuit against the data detectives at the heart of…
In a coordinated effort between Canadian and U.S. authorities, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced the arrest of a 20-year-old Pakistani man, Muhammed Shahzeb Khan, who was residing in Canada. Khan is alleged to have been plotting a mass shooting at a Jewish center in New York City, scheduled for October 7, 2024. This…
A Colorado federal judge has held a prominent 2020 election denier in contempt for refusing to answer key questions during a deposition in a defamation lawsuit initiated by a former executive of Dominion Voting Systems. The individual, who subsequently walked out of the deposition in defiance, faces a $1,000 per day fine until the requested…
CasteFiles, a Hindu-American advocacy and educational group, filed a civil rights complaint against New Jersey’s Rutgers University and Professor Audrey Truschke, the group announced Tuesday. CasteFiles asserted that the university has failed to protect students from discrimination as required under Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. Rutgers University had been advised…
In a recent legal battle, an attorney from Liner Freedman Taitelman & Cooley LLP urged a California state judge to reconsider a decision on attorney fees connected to the firm’s successful defense in a $125 million defamation suit. The lawsuit was initiated by the founder of MediaLink. The attorney argued that the sizable defamation suit…
Legal proceedings continue to mount for Rudy Giuliani as plaintiffs in a defamation case involving Georgia poll workers escalate their efforts to enforce a $148 million judgment against the former New York City Mayor. The plaintiffs are seeking a judicial order to compel Giuliani to relinquish property or appoint receivers to take possession and sell…
In a recent legal development, a Colorado federal judge on Thursday denied Mike Lindell’s summary judgment bid to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by a former Dominion Voting Systems executive. The suit alleges that Lindell, the CEO of My Pillow, defamed the executive by claiming he interfered with the 2020 election. For further details on…
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has mandated a retrial in Sarah Palin’s defamation lawsuit against The New York Times regarding a 2017 editorial. The court highlighted “several major issues” in the earlier trial that concluded unfavorably for Palin. The panel of judges, consisting of Reena Raggi, Richard Sullivan, and John M….
David Sillers, a partner at Clare Locke in Alexandria, Virginia, represents Scott Everett in a defamation lawsuit filed Thursday against Jakub Kostecki, who allegedly operates the social media account LPWhisperer on X. The litigation, filed in federal district court in Dallas, claims that Kostecki’s tweets are part of a campaign to “destroy the reputations and…
The Second Circuit has granted Sarah Palin a new trial in her defamation lawsuit against the New York Times. The appellate court’s decision came after it determined that U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff’s handling of the original case, particularly his issuance of a dismissal ruling during jury deliberations, undermined the reliability of the initial…
Cooley has announced the recruitment of Bryony Hurst as a partner in its London commercial litigation practice, an addition expected to reinforce its capabilities in high-stakes dispute resolution. Hurst, who previously practiced at Bird & Bird, brings substantial expertise in representing major online platforms and digital businesses embroiled in complex litigation. Her versatile civil litigation…
Prominent arbitrator Hamid Gharavi has threatened to file a defamation lawsuit in response to a viral article that questioned whether he had a conflict of interest while serving on the tribunal that stripped U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles of her Olympic bronze medal. Gharavi claims that the article has exposed him to “public hatred, threats and…
The Third Circuit has affirmed a lower court’s decision to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by a former classmate of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh against The Huffington Post. The appellate court ruled that the suit was time-barred regardless of which state’s law was applied to the case. The plaintiff’s bid to revive the…
In a legal twist worthy of courtroom drama, attorney Stefanie Lambert, who famously advocates for Patrick Byrne—the former CEO of Overstock—has continued her contentious battle against Dominion Voting Systems. Even after being disqualified by Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya, Lambert filed additional motions and pleadings, leading to judicial frustration and a reaffirmation of her disqualification. Lambert’s…