Recent Threats Added to the DMLP Database

NOTE: The information and commentary contained in this database entry are based on court filings and other informational sources that may contain unproven allegations made by the parties. The truthfulness and accuracy of such information is likely to be in dispute. Information contained in this entry is current as of the last event mentioned in the "Description" section below; additional proceedings might have taken place in this matter since this event.

Taylor Building Corp. v. Benfield

Date: 08/05/2004
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (partial), Material Removed, Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Ohio
Publication: Website
On August 5, 2004, Taylor Building Corporation of America, a residential construction business, sued Eric Benfield in Ohio federal court alleging libel, tortious interference, and misappropriation of trade dress. The dispute revolved around Benfield's publication of a self-described "gripe site" that included...
- 11/09/2009 - 5:28pm - 0 comments

North Dakota v. Nodland

Date: 09/17/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Subpoena
Jurisdiction: North Dakota
Publication: Blog
During a lawsuit brought against North Dakota and the North Dakota's Workforce and Safety Insurance (WSI) by Dr. James Long , the State subpoenaed Chad Nodland, a blogger who maintains NorthDecoder.com. In the lawsuit, Long claimed that he had been unfairly dismissed...
- 11/09/2009 - 4:46pm - 0 comments

Beverly Stayart v. Yahoo!, Inc. et al

Date: 02/05/2009
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Wisconsin
Publication: Website
In February 2009, Beverly Stayart filed a lawsuit against Yahoo! and two other internet services, Altavista and AdultFriendFinder, for unauthorized use of her name on the Internet. She claimed false designation of origin and false endorsement under the Lanham Act,...
- 11/09/2009 - 4:39pm - 0 comments

Smith-Green Community School Corp. v. T.V. & M.K. (minors)

Date: 01/01/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: Lawsuit Filed
Type: Disciplinary Action
Jurisdiction: Indiana
Publication: Social Network
High School Principal Austin Couch suspended two female high school sophomores from participating in extracurricular athletics after Couch obtained sexually-suggestive photos that the students took of themselves and posted to MySpace.  The students, T.V. and M.K., subsequently filed a class action...
- 11/04/2009 - 6:13pm - 0 comments

Straub v. Hair Transplant Network

Date: 07/24/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Forum, Website
Dr. Paul Straub filed a defamation lawsuit against Media Visions Inc., the company behind HairTransplantNetwork.com, on the grounds that he was removed from the website's recommended doctors list and that critical comments were posted on the website's forum. HairTransplantNetwork.com operates two affiliate websites,...
- 11/04/2009 - 6:03pm - 0 comments

Jones v. Above The Law

Date: 10/27/2009
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Florida
Publication: Blog
In October 2009, Donald Marvin Jones, a law professor at the University of Miami School of Law, sued David Lat and David Minkin, editor and publisher of the popular law gossip blog Above the Law (ATL), as well as ATL's parent company,...
- 11/04/2009 - 5:30pm - 0 comments

New York v. Burgoyne

Date: 01/01/2009
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Convicted, Subpoena Enforced
Type: Criminal Charge
Jurisdiction: New York
Publication: Forum
Cindy Burgoyne pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after posting confidential information about grand jury proceedings on discussion forum on the Times Herald-Record's website, using the pseudonym "Nancy Drew." Burgoyne had served on the grand jury investigating the death of a suspect...
- 11/02/2009 - 1:52pm - 0 comments

Intellect Art Media Inc. v. Milewski

Date: 12/15/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (partial)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: New York
Publication: Website
On December 15, 2008, Intellect Art Media, Inc., a Massachusetts-based company that operates a college-level summer program called Swiss Finance Academy, sued Mathew Milewski, a student at Fordham University; Xcentric Ventures, LLC, operators of the website RipoffReport.com; and five anonymous...
- 10/30/2009 - 1:33pm - 0 comments

Butler University v. Zimmerman

Date: 01/08/2009
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Material Removed, Subpoena Enforced, Withdrawn
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Indiana
Publication: Blog
In January 2009, Butler University filed a "John Doe" defamation lawsuit against the pseudonymous author of the TrueBU blog, who signed his posts "Soodo Nym." The author later was identified as Butler University student Jess Zimmerman. The complaint...
- 10/30/2009 - 11:45am - 0 comments

Platinum Equity v. San Diego Reader

Date: 06/26/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Print, Website
Platinum Equity, LLC, the parent company of the Union-Tribune newspaper, sent a letter to the San Diego Reader, another local newspaper with a website edition, cautioning them against publishing a story on two lawsuits charging Platinum with workplace sexual harassment....
- 10/26/2009 - 7:12pm - 0 comments

Washington Redskins v. Steinberg

Date: 10/01/2009
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Material Removed
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: District of Columbia
Publication: Blog
According to Techdirt, a representative of the Washington Redskins football team requested that The Washington Post remove photos from Dan Steinberg's Post-hosted D.C. Sports Bog because of alleged violation of the Redskins' credentialing policy.  Steinberg published a post about...
- 10/26/2009 - 12:41pm - 0 comments

Planned Parenthood of Columbia/Willamette, Inc. v. American Coalition of Life Activists

Date: 10/26/1995
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Verdict (plaintiff)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Oregon
Publication: Print, Website
Planned Parenthood and the other plaintiffs sued the American Coalition of Life Activists (ACLA) and others for alleged violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Specifically, the plaintiffs objected...
- 10/26/2009 - 11:05am - 0 comments

Miami Herald v. Bill Cooke d.b.a. Random Pixels

Date: 08/20/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: Florida
Publication: Blog
On August 20, 2009, counsel for the Miami Herald sent a cease and desist letter to Bill Cooke, the blogger behind Random Pixels, accusing him of copyright infringement.  The Herald alleged that Random Pixels was reproducing entire articles and ...
- 10/23/2009 - 11:58am - 0 comments

Dolan v. Cityfile

Date: 07/27/2009
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Retraction Issued
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: New York
Publication: Blog
James Dolan, Cablevision Systems Corporation, and Madison Square Garden sued the blog Cityfile: New York, its publisher, and one of its bloggers over a July 2009 post entitled "Jim Dolan to Kill Christmas in July?"  The complaint (¶...
- 10/21/2009 - 7:05pm - 0 comments

Advanced Armament Corp. v. Garner

Date: 05/06/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Oregon
Publication: Forum
Advanced Armament Corp., a Georgia manufacturer of silencers for firearms, sued Ian Hale Garner in Oregon over statements he posted on Internet chat rooms for gun enthusiasts.  Advanced Armament brought suit in federal court in May 2008 seeking damages and injunctive relief...
- 10/21/2009 - 6:38pm - 0 comments

Lauth Group, Inc. v. Grasso

Date: 07/25/2007
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Indiana
Publication: Other
The plaintiffs, real estate developers the Lauth Group, Inc., Lauth Indiana Resort & Casino, LLC, Robert L. Lauth, Jr. and Greg Gurnik, filed a lawsuit in 2007 over statements made in a June 2007 press release about other litigation between the Lauth...
- 10/21/2009 - 5:47pm - 0 comments

Kerr v. Smith

Date: 09/20/2006
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Injunction Issued, Verdict (plaintiff)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
Publication: Print, Website
A group of developers sued Gregg B. Smith in Massachusetts state court over his operation of a website and distribution of a newsletter under the name "Save Cape Ann." Smith disputed the ownership of a parcel of land and the developers' right...
- 10/16/2009 - 11:58am - 0 comments

Bennoti, Inc. v. Complaintsboard.com

Date: 03/25/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: New York
Publication: Forum
In March 2008, Bennoti, Inc., an espresso machine marketer and merchandiser, sued consumer review site Complaints Board and its owner, Elizabeth Arden, for defamation of business reputation (trade libel) and unfair competition. In March 2009, the United States District Court for the Southern...
- 10/14/2009 - 5:38pm - 0 comments

Coweta County v. Newnan Times-Herald

Date: 07/20/2009
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Subpoena
Jurisdiction: Georgia
Publication: Print, Website
During a sex discrimination lawsuit brought against Coweta County, Georgia by former county official Leigh Schlumper, the county subpoenaed Sarah Faye-Campbell, a reporter for The Newnan Times-Herald.  According to an article in the Times-Herald, the subpoena asked Faye-Campell "to...
- 10/14/2009 - 4:18pm - 0 comments

Aquino v. Electriciti

Date: 02/18/1997
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Website
Michael A. Aquino and Lilith Aquino, leaders of the "Temple of Set," sued Electriciti, Inc., an internet service provider, over statements made by one of its subscribers.  According to their complaint, an Electriciti subscriber going by the pseudonym...
- 10/14/2009 - 1:56pm - 0 comments

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