Weekly Briefs: Accused ‘my guns are bigger’ judge resigns; Texas district attorney resigns, takes the Fifth

Judge who displayed gun on bench resigns Judge David W. Hummel Jr. of West Virginia has resigned from the bench after a video confirmed that he placed a gun on the bench during a hearing. Hummel had been accused of taking out the gun after refusing to let a lawyer’s…

Dec 2, 2022 3:02 PM CST

1st Circuit upholds law making it a crime to ridicule people with false statements

A federal appeals court has upheld a New Hampshire law that makes it a misdemeanor to make knowingly false statements that subject another person to “public hatred, contempt or ridicule.”

Nov 11, 2022 10:06 AM CST

Alan Dershowitz accuser says she may have been wrong; defamation suits dropped

A woman who was victimized by sex trafficker and financier Jeffrey Epstein has retracted her allegation that Epstein lawyer Alan Dershowitz had sex with her when she was a minor.

Nov 9, 2022 12:01 PM CST

Can Infowars host Alex Jones pay nearly $965M verdict for Sandy Hook lies? He spent $80K to get to trial, bankruptcy filings show

Infowars host and founder Alex Jones called the $965 million verdict against him a “joke” during his broadcast Wednesday and suggested that defamation plaintiffs who sued him for lying about the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting massacre in Connecticut won’t be able to collect.

Oct 13, 2022 10:30 AM CDT

Trump’s ‘big lie’ defamation suit against CNN says he shouldn’t have to show actual malice by network

Former President Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against CNN alleging that the network has undertaken a “smear campaign” that maligns him “with a barrage of negative associations and innuendos.”

Oct 4, 2022 1:18 PM CDT

2nd Circuit gives Trump chance to avoid rape defamation suit with ruling on employee status

Updated: A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that former President Donald Trump was a government employee when he denied rape claims by writer E. Jean Carroll, a decision that could shield Trump from personal liability in the woman’s defamation lawsuit.

Sep 29, 2022 12:33 PM CDT

Oberlin College will pay over $36M to bakery that alleged school aided false claim of racism

Oberlin College will pay $36.59 million to an Ohio bakery claiming that it was defamed when school officials supported students who accused the business of racial profiling.

Sep 13, 2022 3:44 PM CDT

‘Probably the worst day of my legal career,’ says lawyer for Infowars founder in testimony on mistaken revelations

A lawyer for Infowars founder Alex Jones testified in a show-cause hearing last week that the release of confidential medical records to opposing counsel in a defamation trial was due to a wrong link provided by his administrative assistant.

Aug 29, 2022 11:20 AM CDT

Federal appeals court bars libel prosecution based on state attorney general’s campaign ad

The campaign organization for North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein has obtained an injunction that bars a local district attorney from prosecuting people involved in producing a negative advertisement about Stein’s opponent in the 2020 election.

Aug 24, 2022 12:49 PM CDT

Ex-deputy attorney general in Virginia sues former colleagues for defamation

Aug 19, 2022 1:39 PM CDT

State supreme court rules against attorney who alleged defamation and forced resignation from firm

A Delaware attorney has lost his appeal in a case involving claims that he was defamed and forced to resign from his law firm.

Aug 17, 2022 10:58 AM CDT

How could mistaken release of cellphone data affect Texas lawyer for Infowars founder Alex Jones?

Because of a mistaken cellphone revelation, the Houston lawyer representing Infowars host Alex Jones in a Texas defamation lawsuit could have exposed himself to malpractice claims by his client, legal disciplinary action by the state and sanctions in a separate case in Connecticut.

Aug 8, 2022 2:06 PM CDT

In ‘Perry Mason moment,’ lawyer impeaches Infowars host Alex Jones with texts mistakenly sent by opposing counsel

Updated: A lawyer for the parents of a child killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, confronted Infowars host Alex Jones on Wednesday with information from texts said to be mistakenly sent by Jones’ lawyers.

Aug 4, 2022 9:24 AM CDT

Lawyer flips the bird at opposing counsel after judge leaves the bench in Infowars host Alex Jones’ defamation case

A lawyer for Infowars host Alex Jones called an opposing lawyer a liar and raised his middle finger after a courtroom discussion last week in a defamation damages trial over false claims by Jones about the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.

Aug 1, 2022 11:53 AM CDT

Waiver agreement bars ex-Chief Justice Roy Moore’s defamation suit against comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, 2nd Circuit says

A federal appeals court has refused to revive a lawsuit filed by former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore and his wife against a comedian who claimed to be an Israeli anti-terrorism expert with a device able to detect pedophiles.

Jul 8, 2022 2:59 PM CDT