In Ghanam v. John Does et al. the Michigan Court of Appeals reversed a trial court's decision to allow the deposition of a fact witness in a defamation suit filed against ostensibly anonymous commentators on an internet-based public forum. Last week, I filed an application for leave to appeal in the Michigan Supreme Court in this case [...]
Tag: free speech
Court of Appeals Rules Michigan Court Rules Adequately Protect Anonymous Defendant’s First Amendment Rights to Free Speech in a Defamation Suit in which Defendant Seeks to Remain Anonymous and Refuses to Judicially Adopt Anti-SLAPP Legislation in Michigan
The Court of Appeals issued an opinion in Thomas M. Cooley Law School v. John Doe 1 today. In this published opinion addressing an issue of first impression in Michigan, the Court of Appeals in a split opinion (2-1) (Whitbeck, J. and Meter, J. in the majority and Beckering, J. in a partial dissent) held the [...]