Defamation Laws News
The latest legal news and analysis on defamation laws.
52 articles
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Judge Dismisses Trump Media's $3.8 Billion Defamation Suit Against The Washington Post
Judge grants Washington Post summary judgment, tossing Trump Media's $3.8B defamation suit for lack of actual-malice evidence under NYT v. Sullivan.
Supreme Court Denies Trump Appeal of Carroll $5M Verdict
The Supreme Court denied certiorari on June 29, 2026, leaving intact the $5 million jury verdict against Trump for abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll.
Supreme Court Won't Revive Dershowitz's $300 Million CNN Defamation Suit; Thomas and Gorsuch Renew Attack on the Sullivan Standard
The Supreme Court denied cert on June 29, 2026 in Dershowitz v. CNN (No. 25-770), ending the $300M suit. Thomas and Gorsuch dissented, urging reconsideration of the Sullivan actual-malice standard.
Tyra Banks Sues Netflix for Defamation Over "America's Next Top Model" Docuseries
Tyra Banks sued Netflix (No. 2:26-cv-06467, C.D. Cal.) over the ANTM docuseries, alleging her interview was edited into a false, defamatory narrative.
Roy Moore Asks the Supreme Court to Revive His Defamation Award, Explained
Roy Moore filed emergency application 25A1396 asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stay an 11th Circuit ruling that erased his $8.2M defamation verdict. Pending.
Australia's 'Stage 2' Defamation Reforms Take Effect, Rewriting When Online Platforms Are Liable for Other People's Posts
NSW and the ACT switched on Australia's Stage 2 digital-intermediary defamation reforms on July 1, 2024, with Victoria following that September.
Court of Appeal Reopens Laurence Fox Libel Fight, Reshaping the 'Serious Harm' Test in English Defamation Law
In Blake v Fox [2025] EWCA Civ 1321, England's Court of Appeal revived Laurence Fox's libel counterclaim, finding the trial judge misapplied the serious harm test.