Defamation Laws
Court Reverses Anti-SLAPP Denial in Schneider Defamation Suit
A California appeals court reversed a trial order, ruling Quiet on Set does not imply Dan Schneider committed child sexual abuse, a published opinion holds.
8 min read
Defamation Laws News
The latest legal news and analysis on defamation laws.
35 articles
Defamation Laws
Kentucky Anti-SLAPP Ruling Ends Hog Farm Defamation Lawsuit
Kentucky's Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of a hog farm's defamation suit under the KUPEPA anti-SLAPP law on September 4, 2026, and a $46,998.60 fee award.
11 min read
Defamation Laws
Court Dismisses Baraka Defamation Claims Under Westfall Act
A New Jersey federal judge dismissed Ras Baraka's defamation claims against Alina Habba without prejudice after upholding a Westfall Act scope certification.
17 min read
Defamation Laws
Court Reverses Anti-SLAPP Denial in Coppola Libel Case
An unpublished California appeals court reversed the denial of Variety's anti-SLAPP motion in Francis Ford Coppola's libel suit. What it held, and its limits.
16 min read
Defamation Laws
Combs Defamation Ruling: One NewsNation Claim Proceeds, Three Dismissed
A federal judge let one claim proceed against NewsNation's parent, dismissed three, and denied attorney Ariel Mitchell's motion in full on September 4, 2026.
16 min read
Defamation Laws
Jury Finds NY Times Defamed Ex-Alabama Player, Awards $9.25M
A federal jury found The New York Times liable for defamation and false light against ex-Alabama player Kai Spears, awarding $9.25M. No final judgment yet.
11 min read
Defamation Laws
Missouri Anti-SLAPP Law (UPEPA) Takes Effect, Replaces 2004 Statute
Missouri's anti-SLAPP law changed August 28, 2026: RSMo 537.528 is repealed and RSMo 537.529, the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, takes its place.
10 min read
Defamation Laws
Judge Awards Blake Lively $407,451 in Fees and Costs Under California Civil Code Section 47.1
A federal judge ordered Wayfarer Studios to pay Blake Lively $407,451 in fees under Cal. Civ. Code 47.1, far below the $8M sought. Treble damages were denied.
13 min read
Defamation Laws
Texas Court Caps Alex Jones's Sandy Hook Exemplary Damages at $1.5M
Texas's Third Court of Appeals affirmed Alex Jones's Sandy Hook liability Aug. 21, 2026, but capped exemplary damages at $750,000 per plaintiff under state law.
8 min read
Defamation Laws
Texas Court Applies Ecclesiastical Abstention to Gateway Church Case
Texas's Fifth Court of Appeals held ecclesiastical abstention bars defamation claims against Gateway Church tied to a 2024 internal statement, Aug. 19, 2026.
9 min read
Defamation Laws
California Appeals Court Narrows, But Keeps Alive, Leah Remini's Scientology Defamation Suit
On July 31, 2026, a California Court of Appeal panel affirmed in part and reversed in part an anti-SLAPP ruling in Leah Remini's defamation suit against the Church of Scientology, sending surviving claims toward trial.
8 min read
Defamation Laws
Judge Dismisses Kash Patel's Suit Against Blogger Over Jurisdiction
A federal judge vacated Kash Patel's $250,000 win over blogger Jim Stewartson, ruling Nevada courts lacked personal jurisdiction over his online posts.
8 min read
Defamation Laws
The Atlantic Asks a Court to Dismiss Kash Patel's Defamation Suit: The Actual-Malice Standard, Explained
The Atlantic moved on July 27, 2026 to dismiss FBI Director Kash Patel's defamation suit, arguing he cannot meet the actual-malice standard. The motion is undecided.
7 min read
Defamation Laws
UnitedHealth's Defamation Suit Against The Guardian Dismissed
A Delaware judge dismissed all six defamation counts UnitedHealth Group brought against The Guardian, ruling the 2025 reporting on nursing-home payments was substantially true.
6 min read
Defamation Laws
New Jersey Court: Anti-SLAPP Law Shields a Law Firm's Blog Post
A published New Jersey ruling holds that a law firm's website post about a case it filed is protected under the state's UPEPA anti-SLAPP law, not commercial speech.
6 min read
Defamation Laws
Illinois Court: Jury Must Decide Actual Malice in Campaign Mailer Defamation Case
Illinois appeals court rules a jury, not a judge, must decide if a campaign acted with actual malice over $36,000 tax fraud mailers against Burr Ridge's mayor.
8 min read
Defamation Laws
Illinois Appellate Court Rejects $1 Nominal Damages Award in Facebook Defamation Per Se Case
An Illinois appeals court vacated a $1 defamation damages award to a doctor, holding nominal damages cannot substitute for proven harm in a per se case.
8 min read
Defamation Laws
Kevin O'Leary, Fox News Sued for Defamation Over Alleged CCP Smear Campaign Against Utah Advocacy Groups
Two Utah groups sued Kevin O'Leary and Fox News for defamation on July 15, 2026, over alleged false Chinese Communist Party claims. Nothing is decided.
8 min read
Defamation Laws
Madison Square Garden Sues Wired for Defamation Over Alleged Celebrity Risk List
MSG sued Wired for defamation on July 16, 2026 in New York court over a celebrity risk-list article. Nothing decided yet; here's what the lawsuit alleges.
8 min read
Defamation Laws
Singapore Court Orders Bloomberg to Pay Two Ministers S$230,000 Each in Defamation Ruling
Singapore's High Court ruled Bloomberg defamed ministers Shanmugam and Tan See Leng in [2026] SGHC 147, awarding S$230,000 each and rejecting a public-interest defense.
6 min read
Defamation Laws
Hunter Biden Wins $1.7M Defamation Default Judgment Against Byrne
A federal judge entered a $1.7 million default judgment for Hunter Biden against Patrick Byrne, who claimed Biden solicited an $800 million bribe from Iran.
6 min read
Defamation Laws
Has Barack Obama Been Sued for Defamation?
There's no official tally of Obama defamation lawsuits. Here's what is actually documented, including the one case naming him as a defendant. Verified 7/11/26.
12 min read
Defamation Laws
UK Court of Appeal Holds Richard Tice's Hamas Quote-Tweet Was Opinion, Dismissing Dale Vince's Libel Appeal
England's Court of Appeal dismissed Dale Vince's libel appeal on July 1, 2026, holding Richard Tice's Hamas quote-tweet was opinion, not fact, under the Defamation Act 2013.
6 min read
Defamation Laws
South Dakota's First Anti-SLAPP Law, SB 137, Takes Effect July 1, 2026
South Dakota's SB 137, adopting the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, took effect July 1, 2026, the state's first anti-SLAPP law.
8 min read