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.

State of Colorado v. Weichel

Date: 10/21/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Convicted
Type: Criminal Charge
Jurisdiction: Colorado
Publication: Forum
J.P. Weichel has been charged with two counts of criminal libel after allegedly posting comments about a former girlfriend and her lawyer on Craigslist.com's "Rants and Raves" section.  According to the Loveland Connection: The case in Loveland began when...
- 12/02/2008 - 1:28pm - 0 comments

Manchanda Law Offices v. Xcentric Ventures

Date: 07/25/2007
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Withdrawn
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: New York
Publication: Forum
In July 2007, Manchanda Law Offices, PLLC and attorney Rahul Manchanda (collectively "Manchanda") sued Xcentric Ventures over negative "rip-off reports" about the firm published on the Ripoff Report website, which provides a forum in which consumers may accuse companies and...
- 11/26/2008 - 5:03pm - 0 comments

Matrixx Initiatives v. Mulligan

Date: 08/26/2004
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Subpoena Enforced, Withdrawn
Type: Subpoena
Jurisdiction: Maryland
Publication: Website
Matrixx Initiatives filed a lawsuit in Arizona state court against anonymous posters who allegedly defamed the company on the Yahoo! Finance and Silicon Investor message boards. During that case and with the permission of the Arizona court, Matrixx obtained a subpoena in Maryland...
- 11/26/2008 - 3:30pm - 0 comments

Parkmerced Investors Properties LLC v. ApartmentRatings.com

Date: 09/23/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Subpoena
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Forum
Two real estate companies, Parkmerced Investors Properties LLC and Stellar Larkspur Partners LLC, sued eighteen unknown defendants for violation of the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1125(a)), libel, and tortious interference with contract.  The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, revolves...
- 11/26/2008 - 11:54am - 0 comments

Parkmerced Investors Properties LLC v. Does

Date: 09/23/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Forum
Two real estate companies, Parkmerced Investors Properties LLC and Stellar Larkspur Partners LLC, sued eighteen unknown defendants for violation of the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1125(a)), libel, and tortious interference with contract.  The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, revolves...
- 11/24/2008 - 5:20pm - 0 comments

Baylor v. Does

Date: 06/30/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Indiana
Publication: Forum
Darrell Baylor, an Indiana insurance agent, sued two anonymous defendants who allegedly defamed him in on the Hey Martha forum, a cross-platform forum hosted by local newspaper The Herald Bulletin and other websites. Baylor alleged that forum users...
- 11/21/2008 - 6:35pm - 0 comments

Baylor v. The Herald Bulletin

Date: 06/30/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Subpoena
Jurisdiction: Indiana
Publication: Forum
Darrell Baylor, an Indiana insurance agent, sued two anonymous defendants who allegedly defamed him in on the Hey Martha forum, a cross-platform forum hosted by local newspaper The Herald Bulletin and other websites. Baylor alleged that forum users...
- 11/21/2008 - 6:31pm - 0 comments

D'Elia v. Renna

Date: 11/01/2006
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: New Jersey
Publication: Blog
Sebastian D'Elia, director of the Office of Public Information of Union County, New Jersey, filed a lawsuit against two members of The Union County Watchdog Association after they allegedly defamed him in blog posts. Defendants Tina Renna and Patricia Quattrocchi were regular...
- 11/21/2008 - 5:36pm - 1 comments

George S. May International v. Xcentric Ventures

Date: 09/15/2004
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Injunction Issued, Material Removed, Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Illinois
Publication: Forum
In September 2004, management consulting firm George S. May International Company (GSMIC) filed a  lawsuit against Ripoff Report, a consumer review website.  GSMIC's complaint included claims for defamation, "false descriptions and representations" in violation of the Lanham Act, trade libel,...
- 11/21/2008 - 11:10am - 0 comments

Hy Cite Corporation v. Badbusinessbureau.com

Date: 12/10/2004
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Arizona
Publication: Forum
Hy Cite Corporation, a company that sells dinnerware and cookware under the trademarked name "Royal Prestige," sued Xcentric Ventures, LLC and Edward Magedson in Arizona federal...
- 11/17/2008 - 7:28pm - 0 comments

Doe v. MySpace II

Date: 12/06/2007
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Texas
Publication: Social Network
The family of a 15-year-old girl who comitted suicide is suing MySpace, alleging that the site was negligent in its safety practices. The girl apparently had committed suicide after a sexual relationship with a 27-year-old man she had met on...
- 11/17/2008 - 3:50pm - 0 comments

Violet Blue v. Burch

Date: 07/01/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Injunction Denied
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Blog, Email, Wiki
In July 2008, sex columnist Violet Blue requested a restraining order in San Francisco Superior Court against David "Ben" Burch and Nina Alter.  Blue claimed that Burch sent her a threatening email, that Alter published disparaging statements about her on...
- 11/17/2008 - 2:53pm - 0 comments

Duchovny v. Daily Mail

Date: 10/22/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: Material Removed, Retraction Issued
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Website
X-Files star David Duchovny filed a lawsuit against British publication the Daily Mail over an article published on the newspaper's website that accused him of cheating on his wife Tea Leoni with his tennis instructor.  The Daily Mail took down...
- 11/17/2008 - 1:23pm - 0 comments

GW Equity v. Xcentric Ventures

Date: 06/01/2007
Status: Pending
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Texas
Publication: Forum
GW Equity, LLC, a mergers and acquisition firm that acts as a consultant to middle-market business owners who seek to sell or merge their businesses, sued Xcentric Ventures, LLC and Edward Magedson in Texas federal court for defamation and other torts over...
- 11/14/2008 - 6:17pm - 0 comments

State of Ohio v. Ellison

Date: 10/10/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Criminal Charge
Jurisdiction: Ohio
Publication: Social Network
The state of Ohio brought criminal charges of telecommunications harassment against Ripley Ellison, a high school student, who stated on her MySpace page that her classmate and former friend had molested her (Ripley's) younger brother. The Hamilton County Municipal Court convicted Ellison under...
- 11/14/2008 - 3:56pm - 0 comments

Barnes v. Xcentric Ventures

Date: 11/03/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Forum
A.H. Barnes, a California attorney who operates several businesses that help attorneys and other individuals find employment, sued Xcentric Ventures, LLC and Edward Magedson in California state court for defamation over reports published on the Ripoff Report website, which provides...
- 11/14/2008 - 10:57am - 0 comments

Certain Approval Programs v. Xcentric Ventures

Date: 08/29/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: Dismissed (partial), Settled (partial)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Arizona
Publication: Forum
Certain Approval Programs, LLC and its CEO Jack Sternberg sued Xcentric Ventures, LLC and Edward Magedson in Arizona federal court for defamation and other torts over a user report published on the Ripoff Report website. Ripoff Report is a website...
- 11/13/2008 - 3:22pm - 0 comments

Susan Scheff v. Psyborgue

Date: 07/31/2008
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Switzerland
Publication: Blog
Susan Scheff, a self-described “parent advocate” who “assists parents of troubled teens research and identify programs and schools that can assist their troubled teens in getting back on track to a healthy, productive lifestyle” and the publisher of www.suescheff.com, filed an administrative complaint with...
- 11/13/2008 - 6:16am - 0 comments

Cambridge Who's Who Publishing v. Xcentric Ventures

Date: 12/12/2006
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: New York
Publication: Forum
Cambridge Who's Who Publishing, Inc. ("Cambridge") sued Xcentric Ventures, LLC and Edward Magedson in federal court in New York over user reports published on the Ripoff Report website, which provides a forum in which consumers may accuse companies and individuals...
- 11/12/2008 - 6:35pm - 0 comments

Saadi v. Maroun

Date: 10/31/2007
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Dismissed (partial), Injunction Issued, Material Removed, Verdict (plaintiff)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Florida
Publication: Blog, Forum, Website
Lawyer Edward T. Saadi brought a defamation lawsuit against Pierre Maroun -- Saadi's cousin -- and Hala Fakhre Maroun over statements they allegedly posted to blog biggestloosers.blogspot.com (defunct).  According to Saadi's complaint, the Marouns' blog postings accused him of engaging...
- 11/12/2008 - 4:33pm - 0 comments

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