In an online flame war spanning across party lines, conservative bloggers say they have been targeted recently for blogging about Brett Kimberlin, a man who was convicted in the 1980s of bombings in Speedway, Ind. (Source). The bloggers started “Blog about Brett Kimberlin Day” movement to make the public more...
A jury in Fort Worth, Texas awarded a husband and wife $13.78 million in a libel lawsuit after anonymous commenters started an online campaign designed to ruin their reputations. (Source). The judgment is the largest ever awarded in an internet libel case. The plaintiffs—an attorney and a salon owner—had previously been the...
Former Las Vegas Chief Deputy District Attorney Mary Brown and her husband, defense attorney Phil Brown, filed a complaint against an anonymous reader who commented on an online newspaper article that Mary Brown "had sexual relations in order to get promoted." (Source). The Browns claim that the comment is false...
A New York Court has held that if an online publisher re-publishes a defamatory statement, that does not make the republisher liable for defamation -- with the caveat that the republisher relies on a reputable source. "A re-publisher of a work may rely on the research of the original...
Update: A more complete analysis is here. I received an inquiry asking if Rush Limbaugh calling Sandra Fluke a "slut" would be the proper basis for a defamation claim. I do not believe it would be. In order to have a valid defamation claim you must have: A false statement...
Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain recently hired celebrity “pit bull” libel lawyer Lin Wood to defend him against the multiple sexual accusations that have surfaced in recent weeks. Wood became earned his libel litigation chops after representing Richard Jewell, the American security guard who police considered to be a suspect in the...
[caption id="attachment_12228" align="alignright" width="175" caption="Thomas M. Cooley Law School Diplomas - Take One! "][/caption] By Marc J. Randazza I'm not much of a prestige whore, but I'm not blind to the reality that Thomas M. Cooley Law School is a standalone punchline within the legal profession. I'm familiar with its absurdly...
By Marc Randazza Sarah Palin always seems to be talking about families. Despite bashing that door open, she takes such umbrage when anyone mentions her own. So, When writer Joe McGinniss starts digging for facts and sources to complete his book "The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin," what does...
In a derivative soft-rock battle of epic proportions, Liam Gallagher has sued his brother, Noel Gallagher - both of the band Oasis - for libel. (Source.) Liam's basis for suing Noel relates to statements Noel made to the press in 2009, when Oasis was forced to cancel its appearance at...
