Federal Judge Gives Trump Opportunity to Amend Complaint Against CNN
A federal judge in Atlanta is giving President Donald Trump’s lawyers the opportunity to submit an amended complaint in its libel lawsuit against CNN. Filed in March 2020, the President’s lawsuit alleged that CNN columnist Larry Noble had defamed him in a June 2019 opinion piece when he wrote that “The Trump campaign assessed the potential risks and benefits of again seeking Russia's help in 2020 and has decided to leave that option on the table.”
Judge Dismisses Defamation Lawsuit Against Jeff Bezos
A Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge tossed a defamation lawsuit against Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos after finding the plaintiff's claims were based on hearsay.
Federal Judge Denies Trump’s Request for DOJ to Intervene in Defamation Suit
The judge rejected the argument that the president was acting in his official capacity when he denied E. Jean Carroll's rape allegations. Had the Department of Justice taken over the President's defense, it would likely have spelled the end of the case.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner Threaten to Sue Lincoln Project Over Times Square Billboards
To satisfy the standard for defamation, Ms. Trump and Kushner would have to prove that the Lincoln Project made false and defamatory statements knowingly, a standard few commentators think the couple is going to meet. Instead, multiple experts see their actions as an attempt to weaponize the law to intimidate critics for protected expression.
Federal Judge Rules that Palin’s Defamation Suit Against New York Times Can Proceed to Trial
On August 28th, a federal judge ruled that a defamation suit brought by former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin against The New York Times can proceed to trial.
North Carolina Supreme Court Upholds Defamation Ruling Against Investigative Reporter
In reviewing the case, the North Carolina Supreme Court found that the reporter had omitted important information and mispresented quotes from sources. This, along with other evidence, led the court to conclude that article's false statements had not resulted from "mere negligence" but from a "purposeful avoidance of the truth."
Ninth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Stormy Daniels Defamation Claim Against Trump
Though Daniels claimed that Trump’s use of the term “con job” implied that she had committed criminal fraud, the appeals court reasoned that this was only one of a number of possible ways to read the President's tweet. Ultimately, the appeals court ruled the tweet an opinion and, thus, not actionable.
Washington Post and Kentucky Teen Reach Undisclosed Settlement
The Washington Post announced on July 24th that it had reached a settlement with the parents of a Kentucky teenager who sued the newspaper last year over its depiction of an encounter between their son and a Native American activist. A spokesperson for The Post did not disclose the terms of the agreement.