Photo credit: internet connect hyperlink // ShutterStockThe plaintiffs run Life Designs Ranch, a substance abuse aftercare program that the defendant’s son participated in. Unhappy about billing issues, the defendant Sommers threatened Life Designs that “I am willing to get legal with this. Are you? I would hope that the most important thing to you is your reputation. We all know how easily reputations can be destroyed, without the legal system even getting involved.” Keeping his promise, the defendant built a “spoof” gripe site purportedly in Life Design’s first-person voice at lifedesignsranchinc.com (which now rolls over to the official Life Designs site). The plaintiffs sued for defamation plus the typical ancillary torts. In this ruling, the appeals court affirms summary judgment dismissal for the defendant. I’ve recently mentioned how difficult it is to win a case against a gripe site in the modern era, and the court illustrates…
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