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.

Town of Southborough v. MySouthborough.com

Date: 09/22/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: Massachusetts
Publication: Blog
In September and October 2009, Aldo Cipriani, Town Counsel for Southborough, MA, exchanged letters with Susan Fitzgerald, publisher of MySouthborough.com, a blog dedicated to local politics. Cipriani's letters requested that Fitzgerald turn over the identity of a commenter going by...
- 04/21/2010 - 6:14pm - 0 comments

Collins v. Federated Publications, Inc.

Date: 02/09/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: Dismissed (partial)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Indiana
Publication: Social Network, Website
Timothy Collins, a former student of Purdue University, sued Federated Publications, publisher of the Journal & Courier newspaper, Purdue University, university officials, and others over allegedly defamatory statements in an article published on the newspaper's website, in anonymous comments to...
- 04/21/2010 - 2:07pm - 0 comments

Roebuck v. Trib Total Media, Inc.

Date: 01/12/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
Publication: Forum
Karen Roebuck, a former employee of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, commenced legal action against Tribune-Review publisher Trib Total Media, two of its editors, and a John Doe defendant over comments posted to the unaffiliated VoyForums site,  self-described as "a forum to...
- 04/20/2010 - 2:30pm - 0 comments

Scott P. v. Craigslist, Inc.

Date: 02/05/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: Material Removed
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Forum
In February 2010, Scott P., an unnamed plaintiff proceeding anonymously, filed a lawsuit against Craigslist and other defendants in California state court after his co-workers allegedly posted a series of Craiglist ads impersonating him. The complaint alleges that, in March...
- 03/30/2010 - 6:02pm - 0 comments

Levitt v. Yelp! Inc.

Date: 03/12/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Forum
Boris Levitt, owner of Renaissance Furniture Restoration in San Francisco, brought a class action lawsuit against Yelp! Inc. in California state court, alleging violations of California unfair competition law and negligent and intentional misrepresentation. The lawsuit came weeks after other small business...
- 03/30/2010 - 4:32pm - 0 comments

LaPausky v. Yelp! Inc.

Date: 03/03/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Forum
Christine LaPausky, owner of the D'ames Day Spa in San Diego, brought a class action lawsuit against Yelp! Inc. in California federal court, alleging violations of California unfair competition law. The lawsuit came days after another small business owner filed...
- 03/30/2010 - 1:56pm - 0 comments

Palm Coast Travel v. Elliott

Date: 12/29/2009
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Settled (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Florida
Publication: Blog
Palm Coast Travel sued travel journalist Chris Elliott after he reported Elliott.org that Florida regulators had warned three travel insurance agencies, including Palm Coast, that offering policies from bankrupt Prime TravelProtection Services might violate state law. The complaint includes claims for...
- 03/30/2010 - 12:35pm - 0 comments

Xcentric Ventures LLC v. Bird

Date: 01/21/2009
Status: Pending
Disposition: Dismissed (total)
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Arizona
Publication: Website
On January 21, 2009, plaintiffs Xcentric Ventures, LLC and Edward Magedson, operators of the website RipOffReport.com, filed a complaint in Arizona state court against defendants Sarah L. Bird and John Doe Bird, as well as their company, SEOMONZ, Inc. d/b/a SEOMonz.org.  The Complaint asserted a claim...
- 03/25/2010 - 5:02pm - 0 comments

Righthaven LLC v. MoneyReign, Inc.

Date: 03/13/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: Material Removed
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Nevada
Publication: Website
Righthaven LLC, a Las Vegas company associated with Las Vegas Review-Journal owner Stephens Media LLC, filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against MoneyReign,...
- 03/24/2010 - 1:32pm - 0 comments

Righthaven LLC v. NORML

Date: 03/15/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Nevada
Publication: Website
Righthaven LLC, a Las Vegas company associated with Las Vegas Review-Journal owner Stephens Media LLC, filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) on March 15, 2010.  The complaint,...
- 03/24/2010 - 11:49am - 0 comments

Kehoe v. Craigslist

Date: 03/01/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: Material Removed
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: New York
Publication: Forum
Leo Kehoe, a Queens accountant, sued Craigslist, Inc. in New York state court after an anonymous individual posted ads on Craigslist calling him a "crook" and a "fraudulent scumbag." Kehoe also sued the anonymous poster. According to Gothamist,...
- 03/23/2010 - 6:44pm - 0 comments

Thompson v. Shawty The Comedian

Date: 03/19/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Georgia
Publication: Micro-blog
Tina Thompson, an exotic dancer who performs under the stage name "Nairobi," filed a lawsuit in Georgia state court against a comedian going by the names "Shawty The Comedian," "Shawty Shawty," and "Shawty Champagne." Thompson claims that Shawty posted a message to...
- 03/23/2010 - 5:41pm - 0 comments

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. v. Knock Off Wood

Date: 03/04/2010
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Material Removed
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: Alaska
Publication: Blog
On March 4, 2010, a lawyer representing Williams-Sonoma, Inc. sent a demand letter to Ana White, a rural Alaskan housewife and publisher of Knock Off Wood, a blog that teaches readers how to build designer-looking furniture at home. ...
- 03/15/2010 - 6:19pm - 0 comments

Lee v. Young, Black, and Fabulous

Date: 03/05/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Georgia
Publication: Blog
In March 2010, Latosha Lee sued celebrity gossip blog Young, Black, and Fabulous and its author in Georgia state court.  The complaint alleges that blogger Natasha Eubanks defamed Lee by calling her "Shaq's stripper mistress," when in fact...
- 03/15/2010 - 5:02pm - 0 comments

Global Wildlife Center v. Hammond Action News

Date: 03/01/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: Injunction Denied, Injunction Issued
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Publication: Blog
Global Wildlife Center, a wildlife preserve in Folsom, Louisiana, sued Nicholas Brilleaux, publisher of the Hammond Action News blog, after he published a satirical article about a fake giraffe attack at the preserve. Hammond Action News publishes Onion-style...
- 03/15/2010 - 3:58pm - 0 comments

Citizens United v. Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

Date: 03/10/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Correspondence
Jurisdiction: Wisconsin
Publication: Social Network, Website
On March 10, 2010, a lawyer representing the conservative non-profit organization Citizens United sent a demand letter to Mike McCabe, director of the Madison-based Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.  The letter claimed that Wisconsin Democracy Campaign's "Citizens United Against Citizens...
- 03/15/2010 - 3:06pm - 0 comments

France v. Weiler

Date: 09/28/2008
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Criminal Charge
Jurisdiction: France
Publication: Website
In September 2008, New York University law professor Joseph Weiler was summoned to appear before a French Examining Judge in connection with a complaint of alleged criminal libel made by Dr. Karin Calvo-Goller, a senior lecturer at the Academic Centre of Law...
- 03/10/2010 - 3:31pm - 0 comments

O'Malley v. Liner

Date: 02/22/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Denial of Access
Jurisdiction: Maryland
Publication: Blog
Blogger Jay Liner of the Baltimore Organ sought a press pass to cover the Maryland state legislature, but was denied. He then filed a lawsuit, claiming that the denial violated his First Amendment rights. Liner, a former Baltimore County Attorney who...
- 03/10/2010 - 1:39pm - 0 comments

George Logan v. Fred Ross

Date: 01/07/2010
Status: Pending
Disposition: n/a
Type: Lawsuit
Jurisdiction: California
Publication: Print, Website
In January 2010, George Logan, City Attorney for Patterson, California, filed a lawsuit against John Doe defendants individually and collectively referring to themselves as "Fred Ross" over statements appearing on the Patterson IrriTator website and in comments posted...
- 03/08/2010 - 1:51pm - 0 comments

McVicker v. Trib Total Media, Inc.

Date: 01/22/2010
Status: Concluded
Disposition: Subpoena Quashed
Type: Subpoena
Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
Publication: Forum
William McVicker subpoenaed Trib Total Media, publisher of the South Hills Record and YourSouthHills.com, for "information that would disclose the true identities" of the users of seven identified screen names. McVicker, the plaintiff in an employment discrimination case, sought the identities of the...
- 03/08/2010 - 1:24pm - 0 comments

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