Political and sports figures have recently argued that their sex lives are not a matter of public interest. Consider, for example, Herman Cain: in response to allegations from Ginger White that she had a decade-plus affair with him, Mr. Cain's attorney, Lin Wood, said that those kinds of allegations have no place in public discourse and that Cain would not discuss them. David … [Read more...] about Is A Public Figure’s Sex Life A Matter of Public Interest Under the Anti-SLAPP Statute?
Celebrity Defamation
Kim Kardashian’s Defamation Claim: Smart Or Not?
Faced with a growing backlash from the public for her mini-marriage to NBA basketball player, Chris Humphries, Kim Kardashian has filed a claim for arbitration alleging breach of a confidentiality agreement and defamation. I won't recount the details about the wedding extravaganza, which was televised, because I think most people are probably familiar with it (for more … [Read more...] about Kim Kardashian’s Defamation Claim: Smart Or Not?
Lutfi v. Spears: Court of Appeal Rules In His Favor
Lutfi scores another important victory. The Second District Court of Appeals, in Los Angeles, affirmed the trial judge's decision denying Spears's (not Britney--her mother) anti-SLAPP motion. If you recall, Spears wrote a book and included some statements about Lufti, which he didn't like very much, to put it mildly. So he sued her claiming libel, defamation, and intentional … [Read more...] about Lutfi v. Spears: Court of Appeal Rules In His Favor
Perez Hilton Threatens To Sue Kirstie Alley For Twitter Defamation
WARNING: This post contains profanity. If you find profanity objectionable please do not continue reading. Someone must have hacked into Kirstie Alley's Twitter account. At least, I hope so for Alley's sake. Yesterday in response to a tweet from one of her followers, Alley wrote that "PH" (presumably Perez Hilton) was "like a closet pedophile drawing nasty … [Read more...] about Perez Hilton Threatens To Sue Kirstie Alley For Twitter Defamation
The Tale Of A Model, A Blogger, and Internet Anonymity
I couldn't resist any longer. By now you know the story of Rosemary Port, the blogger who had anonymously blogged about model Liskula Cohen, stating that Cohen was a "skank" and a "ho," among other choice character descriptions. You also know that a court forced Google to reveal Port's identity. Up until that time the story wasn't that interesting to me because the case … [Read more...] about The Tale Of A Model, A Blogger, and Internet Anonymity