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Several companies have sued consumers who post negative reviews online. In December 2012, the Virginia Supreme Court reversed a controversial lower court decision that forced a customer, Jane Perez, to remove a negative review of a contractor on Yelp. The contractor, Christopher Dietz, had sued Ms. Perez for $750,000…

The California Anti-SLAPP Project created this factsheet to explain the types of legal claims (such as defamation, invasion of privacy, and conspiracy) that are often used to disguise a SLAPP. The definitions on this sheet apply specifically to California law, but provide a general overview that can…

Legal bullies never admit that they are filing a “strategic lawsuit against public participation” (SLAPP); SLAPPs come disguised as legitimate legal claims. Here are some of the most common types of legal theories used in SLAPPs. Note: these legal theories all appear in legitimate lawsuits, as well; in each case,…

In November 2016, ExxonMobil subpoenaed over ten environmental organizations and individuals, as part of an effort to intimidate and chill the First Amendments rights of climate change activists. EarthRights International represents one of these activists, Carroll Muffett, the president of the Center for International Environmental Law.

In this article for Bloomberg Law, Peter Hayes describes a SLAPP filed against residents of Uniontown, Alabama who opposed the dumping of toxic material in a landfill in their community. While it’s difficult to estimate the number of SLAPPs, it’s clear…

In a recent New York Times article, Florida environmental activist Maggy Hurchalla discussed the ongoing SLAPP suit that was brought against her by Florida mining Company, Lake Point Restoration. Read More

During the past five years, climate change activists, scientists, and investigators have uncovered evidence that oil giant ExxonMobil first learned about the dangers of climate change decades ago, yet chose to conceal this information from its customers and the public. This information now forms the basis of several multi-million…

The ACLU discusses how pipeline company Energy Transfer is abusing the judicial system in order to suppress the rights of activists. The article is available on the ACLU’s website and is re-posted here with permission. In a win for free speech, a federal court in North Dakota recently… Read More

WASHINGTON, DC, October 18, 2018 — A new Greenpeace USA report “Still Too Far: Energy Transfer Continues to Display Concerning Corporate Behavior” compiles recent evidence that the pipeline company is still aggressively trying to silence opposition to its pipelines across the United States, despite calls from communities, financial institutions,… Read More

A Manhattan judge has denied an effort by agribusiness giant Monsanto to subpoena communications and privacy data from the campaigning group Avaaz. In issuing his decision, Judge Slomo Hagler said, “The subpoena itself would send a tremendous chilling effect through not… Read More

In the Huffington Post, Katie Redford of EarthRights International discusses the growing trend in which American corporations use the court system to silence their critics. Common tactics in the “corporate playbook” include retaliatory litigation; attacks on funding sources, partners, and clients; corporate espionage and surveillance; and using Congress… Read More