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.

Blixseth v. Bresnan Communications

Date: 02/13/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: Material Removed, Subpoena Quashed
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
Publication: Website
On February 13, 2009, Tim Blixseth, a real estate developer and shareholder in the bankrupt Montana ski resort Yellowstone Club, filed a complaint in Massachusets federal court against Bresnan Communications, a New York-based ISP, and 100 unnamed defendants. ...
- 06/25/2009 - 3:19pm - 0 comments

Cafiero v. Custer

Date: 08/14/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
Publication: Blog, Forum, Social Network, Website
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...
- 06/25/2009 - 12:32am - 0 comments

Zisa v. Labrosse

Date: 02/24/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: New Jersey
Publication: Forum
New Jersey police Chief Charles "Ken" Zisahas filed suit against an elementary school teacher in New Jersey state court, asserting that she made defamatory comments about him on a NJ.com, a local news website and forum.  According to news ...
- 06/19/2009 - 3:46pm - 0 comments

HIMSS v. PedSource

Date: 02/25/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: Massachusetts, Vermont
Publication: Blog
Lawyers from the Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS), a health care industry trade group, sent letters to two bloggers demanding that they remove allegedly offensive and defamatory user comments, provide any information that may help in...
- 06/19/2009 - 12:33pm - 0 comments

Target Corp. v. Doe

Date: 09/05/2006
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Georgia
Publication: Forum, Website
Target Corporation, a chain retailer, filed a lawsuit against an initially unknown Internet user with the handle “Target Sucks” for copyright infringement and misappropriation of trade secrets for allegedly posting information on various retail-employee forums and blogs. Target identified the user as...
- 06/19/2009 - 11:45am - 0 comments

Blazi v. Wagoner

Date: 09/19/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Connecticut
Publication: Website
The owner of a Connecticut coffee shop sued two former employees in federal court, asserting that they violated federal and state law when they allegedly converted the coffee shop's website into a forum to launch verbal attacks on the store and its...
- 06/19/2009 - 11:16am - 0 comments

Suarez v. Mecca

Date: 08/09/2005
Status: Pending
Disposition: Dismissed (partial)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: New Jersey
Publication: Forum
In August 2005, Ridgefield New Jersey mayor Anthony R. Suarez sued Ridgefield resident Michael Mecca, who had allegedly posted defamatory content to the Ridgefield forum on NJ.com under the alias "Voter12345."  According to court filings, the...
- 06/19/2009 - 9:44am - 0 comments

Bihari v. Gross

Date: 03/03/2000
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Injunction Denied, Material Removed, Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: New York
Publication: Website
Marianne Bihari, an interior designer, and her company Bihari Interiors Inc. brought a lawsuit against Craig Gross, a former customer of Bihari, and Yolanda Truglio for federal unfair competition, cybersquatting, trademark dilution, common law unfair competition, libel, and tortious intereference with contract. Bihari sought...
- 06/12/2009 - 1:49am - 0 comments

Abourezk v. ProBush.com

Date: 05/27/2003
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: South Dakota
Publication: Website
On May 27, 2003, former South Dakota Senator James G. Abourezk filed a defamation suit against Michael Marino, one of the co-owners of ProBush.com, a website that "offered unconditional support of the 43rd US President, George W. Bush," based on Abourezk's...
- 06/12/2009 - 1:33am - 0 comments

Spelios and Associates v. Dewalle

Date: 04/15/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: North Carolina
Publication: Website
Spelios and Associates, a North Carolina dental practice, filed a lawsuit in North Carolina against a former patient, asserting that she made defamatory comments about the practice on the Charlotte News & Observer's website. In its complaint, Spelios...
- 06/11/2009 - 5:01pm - 0 comments

Alvi Armani Medical, Inc. v. Hennessey

Date: 05/19/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (partial), Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Florida
Publication: Forum, Website
Dr. Antonio Alvi Armani, a California hair-restoration surgeon, filed a lawsuit in Florida federal court against Media Visions, Inc., and its president, Patrick Hennessey, the operators of The Hair Tranplant Network, a hair-loss forum.  The complaint, also filed...
- 06/10/2009 - 3:33pm - 0 comments

Boston College Campus Police v. Calixte

Date: 04/10/2009
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Subpoena Quashed
Type: Criminal Investigation
Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
Publication: Email, Social Network
On March 30, 2009, Detective Kevin Christopher of the Boston College Police Department applied for a search warrant to seize computers, computer equipment, and digital storage devices belonging to Riccardo Calixte, a Boston College (BC) computer science major...
- 06/05/2009 - 10:06am - 0 comments

Comins v. VanVoorhis

Date: 05/13/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Florida
Publication: Blog
Christopher  Comins, an Orange County businessman, filed a defamation lawsuit against Matthew Frederick VanVoorhis, who publishes a wordpress blog called Public Intellectual.  Comins objects to two of VanVoorhis' blog posts from June and August...
- 06/04/2009 - 11:19am - 0 comments

Remove Your Content v. Does

Date: 03/02/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Texas
Publication: Blog, Email, Forum
Remove Your Content LLC, which bills itself as a "targeted adult content removal service," filed suit in federal district court in Texas against 20 unnamed defendants for defamation, business disparagement, tortious interference, assault, and trademark infringement. Remove Your Content's claims...
- 06/03/2009 - 5:35pm - 0 comments

Mason v. Grey

Date: 01/10/2006
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Social Network
Tedd W. Mason, a high school football player, filed a lawsuit against his teammate and MySpace.com user, Matthew Grey, for battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, public disclosure of private facts, invasion of privacy, false light, and defamation.  Grey allegedly...
- 06/03/2009 - 4:28pm - 0 comments

Ascentive v. 1ShoppingCart.com

Date: 02/13/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Oregon
Publication: Forum
On February 13, 2009, Ascentive LLC, a company that develops software such as FinallyFast to improve computer performance, sued PCPitstop and its CEO, Rob Cheng, along with 1ShoppingCart.com, a conveyer of eCommerce software and...
- 06/02/2009 - 7:51pm - 0 comments

Young v. New Haven Advocate

Date: 05/12/2000
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Virginia
Publication: Website
The warden of a Virginia prison sued two Connecticut newspapers for libel in a Virginia court, asserting that they published defamatory articles about him on their websites. In his complaint, Young asserted the newspapers implied he was racist and that...
- 06/02/2009 - 5:17pm - 0 comments

Wilson v. McCollum

Date: 04/28/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Alabama
Publication: Website
Anika Wilson, a psychiatrist in Alabama, filed a lawsuit against Tara McCollum and two pseudonymous posters on AL.com, the website for the Birmingham News, Huntsville Times, and several other newspapers in Alabama. According to Wilson's complaint, McCollum sent an...
- 05/29/2009 - 12:35pm - 0 comments

La Russa v. Twitter, Inc.

Date: 05/05/2009
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Material Removed, Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Micro-blog
Anthony La Russa, manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, sued Twitter after an unknown Twitter user created an account at twitter.com/TonyLaRussa and pretended to post updates as La Russa. The fake Twitter page included La Russa's photo and a handful...
- 05/29/2009 - 11:50am - 0 comments

Henry v. Google

Date: 05/20/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Mississippi
Publication: Other
Johnny I. Henry, an inventor of the vibrating toilet seat, filed a lawsuit against Google, Inc. and AOL, claiming that search results delivered by Google and hosted by AOL are defamatory.  Henry, who is African-American, asserts that Google's search results include links...
- 05/28/2009 - 5:33pm - 0 comments

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