In December 2007, Massachusetts authorities charged documentary filmmaker and citizen journalist Emily Peyton with violating Massachusetts wiretapping law after she videoptaped police arresting an antiwar protester in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The ACLU represented Ms. Peyton, and the charges against her were dropped because her recording had not been secretive.

John Cafiero, a rock musician and manager of punk bands The Ramones and The Misfits, filed suit against Doug Custer (a/k/a Doug Evil) alleging in his complaint that Custer infringed his copyright by posting an animated video featuring The Misfits on YouTube.com and other websites.  Cafiero also brought a claim of misrepresentation under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, arguing that Custer lied on his DMCA counter-notification by claiming a copyright interest in the video.

Alongside the copyright allegations, Cafiero alleged defamation and false light arising from various Internet postings Custer allegedly made that criticized Cafiero.  Many of these arose from spoof site Osuka Papsmear, which Cafiero asserts is a Custer blog dedicated to defaming Cafiero and his band Osaka Popstar.

Early in the case, Cafiero received a default judgment against Custer after Custer did not appear or answer the complaint.  Appearing pro se, Custer successfully challenged the default judgment and filed his answer and counterclaims.  Custer's lengthy counterclaims, which discuss Cafiero's business dealings in depth, appear to bring claims of copyright infringement and defamation.  Custer's filings maintain that he himself authored most of the material appearing in the video and that Cafiero reneged on his promises regarding publication and use of the video.

On November 11, 2008, Cafiero filed a motion to dismiss Custer's counterclaims for failure to comply with rules of civil procedure, asking in the alternative for Custer to file a more definite statement.  Custer opposed the motion and filed a more definite statement.

On May 22, 2009, the parties agreed to submit the case to mediation proceedings, and the judge referred the case to mediation on June 1. The defendant consented to appointed counsel for the mediation process only.

On May 28, Cafiero moved to file an amended complaint that would add two more plaintiffs --  Jerry Caiafa (a/k/a Jerry Only), who composed music for the video; and Cyclopian Music, Inc., the owner of The Misfits trademarks. The motion also sought to add counts of copyright infringement arising from use of Caiafa's work; trademark infringement under  Section 32 of the Lanham Act; and false designation of origin and unfair competition under Section 43 of the Lanham Act. The defendant opposed the motion to amend the complaint, asserting that adding more plaintiffs would conflict with the purpose of mediation.

On May 30, 2008, John Grogan filed a lawsuit in California state against Ralph Hilliard, John Trimarco, Joseph Paolella, Jack Trimarco & Associates Polygraph/Investigations, Inc., Wordnet Solution, Inc., and several John Does alleging defamation, invasion of privacy (false light), and intentional infliction of emotional distress.  

In his complaint, Grogan alleged that Paolella wrote a letter to Trimarco which contained false, malicious, and libelous statements.  Grogan also alleged that Trimarco called into a radio show that Grogan was a guest on and made several false and defamatory statements.  Finally, Grogan alleged that Hilliard created two websites, PolygraphPlace.com and TheTruthAboutGrogan.org, and used them to repeat the statements Trimarco made during the radio show, to make additional false and defamatory statements, and to link to other defamatory content.

In June and August 2008 respectively, Paolella and Trimarco filed motions to strike the complaint under California's anti-SLAPP law (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 425.16).  Trimarco argued that Grogan qualified as a public figure and that the statements involved were statements of opinion.  In August, Hilliard and Wordnet Solutions filed an answer, asserting several affirmative defenses.

In October 2008, the court issued a tentative ruling on Trimarco's motion to strike, finding that Grogan had produced evidence sufficient to avoid dismissal under the anti-SLAPP law. 

The trial is currently scheduled for August 2009.

UPDATE: 

On or before 5/28/2009, the case settled, according to AntiPolygraph.org and TruthAboutGrogan.org

"The Parties to the Lawsuit filed by Mr. Grogan against Ralph Hilliard and others as entitled Grogan vs. Paollela et. al. Los Angeles Superior Court Case No.: BC391778 ("Lawsuit") has been settled by and between Mr. Grogan, Mr. Hilliard and Mr. Hilliard's Company, Wordnet Solutions, Inc. for an undisclosed amount and that no party in any way admits liability or wrongdoing of any sort and the parties have agreed to settle to avoid the cost and inconvenience of litigation and such settlement shall not constitute an admission of liability by any party".

Sheldon H. Pressler, a principal of the law firm Pressler & Pressler LLP, sued Scott Mills, publisher of the CAIPNJ blog, for defamation in New Jersey state court.  The complaint also named CAIPNJ.org and CAIPNJRadio as defendants.  Pressler alleges that Mills made false and defamatory statements on his blog and Internet radio show about Pressler and his business activities.  Pressler has moved the court for an order permanently enjoining the defendants from libeling him, requiring them to publish a retraction on the first page of the CAIPNJ.org website, and to publicly retract them during radio broadcasts.

Update:

2/5/2009 - The court set a hearing date of March 13, 2009 for a hearing on Pressler's request for a permanent injunction, but denied Pressler's request for a temporary restraint on Mills's publishing activities.

3/12/2009 - Mills filed an answer and counterclaims.

3/13/2009 -- The court denied Pressler's request for an injunction.

Warner Bros. Records sent a cease and desist letter (via Blogger) to Music2Nite, a music blog that had posted materials related to recording artist Madonna. The demand letter not only specified that the blog owner remove a specific post -- Music2Nite primarily posts YouTube videos and links to MP3s of current artists' work or live performances -- it also required Music2Nite to remove all "links, references, and/or artwork associated with Madonna."

The offending post seems to have been removed from the Music2Nite site, but other posts and links to materials related to Madonna remain on the site (see here and here).