Victor Mignogna v. Funimation Productions, LLC, et al. (2019) - Vic's lawsuit against Funimation, VAs, and others, for over a million dollars.

I dunno. In the diver guy vs. Elon Musk defamation suit, the courts held that Musk calling the diver a pedo wasn't defamaiton, per se or otherwise. Likewise, the Fort Worth court of appeals made the conclusion that calling someone a "sexual predator" isn't defamation, per se or otherwise. The reasoning, as far as I can tell, is that calling someone "pedo" or "sexual predator" are opinions that can't be disproven and/or are too open to interpretation
There are many cases that have dealt with the term "pedophile" and they say its defamatory per se. And the fact that were other cases and opinions that dealt with the term "sexual predator was the standard for this case as well.
 
There are many cases that have dealt with the term "pedophile" and they say its defamatory per se. And the fact that were other cases and opinions that dealt with the term "sexual predator was the standard for this case as well.
Which goes to show how inconsistent the justice system can be with the judge of the week.
 
I dunno. In the diver guy vs. Elon Musk defamation suit, the courts held that Musk calling the diver a pedo wasn't defamaiton, per se or otherwise.
There was actually a trial, before a jury, and the jury apparently made the finding that he didn't intend it as an actual factual statement.

Mr. Unsworth claims that Mr. Musk harmed him by making one or more of the following statements:
  1. "Never saw this British expat guy who lives in Thailand (sus) at any point when we were in the caves."
  2. "Sorry pedo guy, you really did ask for it."
  3. "Bet ya a signed dollar it's true."

To establish liability for this claim, Mr. Unsworth must prove all of the following:
  1. That Mr. Musk made one or more of the statements to persons other than Mr. Unsworth;
  2. That these people reasonably understood that the statements were about Mr. Unsworth;
  3. That these people reasonably understood the statements to mean that Mr. Unsworth was a pedophile, that is, that Mr. Unsworth had engaged in a sexual act with a child;
  4. That the statements were false; and
  5. That Mr. Musk failed to use reasonable care to determine the truth or falsity of the statements.


Since we know, and the court had found, that Musk actually did make these Tweets and presumably other people saw them, and the plaintiff submitted an affidavit, which was uncontroverted, that the statements were false, and there is no evidence he did any research whatsoever as to the truth or falsity of them, it looks like the jury's determination was based on 3.

I.e. did the people who actually read these Tweets believe, as a result, that Unsworth was actually a pedophile. Statements like this are defamatory per se but that does not mean you automatically win your case. It does generally mean you can defeat a motion to dismiss or for summary judgment unless the context is so clear that they weren't meant as factual statements that there is nothing to determine for a jury. It also doesn't mean the defendant can't win for some other reason, even with clearly defamatory statements. It just means the plaintiff is not required to show actual damages to defeat a dispositive pretrial motion, such as a SLAPP filing or a motion to dismiss or a motion for summary judgment.

So, in this case, Unsworth did get his trial. He just lost, presumably because they didn't feel he'd proven the audience actually even believed these statements to be factual in nature.

In this case, Unsworth presented his evidence, by affidavit, that the statements he was objecting to were in fact false and were clearly defamatory per se. And he got to go to trial.

Here's the court's ruling denying Musk's motion to dismiss:

It doesn't even discuss whether the statements are defamatory per se as the defense was that they were not intended as statements of fact but of opinion or heated rhetoric. I don't think the court discussed the issue because it so obvious that accusations of pedophilia, and particularly, of literally having a child bride, are defamatory per se if taken to be factual.

Which goes to show how inconsistent the justice system can be with the judge of the week.
The judge didn't do anything wrong. He denied the motion to dismiss, as the complaint clearly set out a colorable claim. The defendant won in a jury trial. I note lead counsel for plaintiff was Lin Wood. That guy seems to have his fingers in a lot of pies and little good seems to happen with him around. I'm getting Avenatti vibes tbh.
 
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There was actually a trial, before a jury, and the jury apparently made the finding that he didn't intend it as an actual factual statement.




Since we know, and the court had found, that Musk actually did make these Tweets and presumably other people saw them, and the plaintiff submitted an affidavit, which was uncontroverted, that the statements were false, and there is no evidence he did any research whatsoever as to the truth or falsity of them, it looks like the jury's determination was based on 3.

I.e. did the people who actually read these Tweets believe, as a result, that Unsworth was actually a pedophile. Statements like this are defamatory per se but that does not mean you automatically win your case. It does generally mean you can defeat a motion to dismiss or for summary judgment unless the context is so clear that they weren't meant as factual statements that there is nothing to determine for a jury.

So, in this case, Unsworth did get his trial. He just lost, presumably because they didn't feel he'd proven the audience actually even believed these statements to be factual in nature.

In this case, Unsworth presented his evidence, by affidavit, that the statements he was objecting to were in fact false and were clearly defamatory per se. And he got to go to trial.

Here's the court's ruling denying Musk's motion to dismiss:
The suit defeating the MTD completely escaped me. For purposes of deliberation by a jury, it appeared to Musk was just shitposting, not trying to convince anyone that the diver was a child-toucher. It's a lot different in Vic's case where the defendants (mostly Ron) are quick to remind people that Vic TOTALLY abused and hurt women.

I also remember Two-Ton smugly using Untsworth v. Musk as proof that "pedo" isn't defamatory. I guess that means it should've passed TCPA.

That said, I know this took place in federal court, and used 12.b.6, not California anti-SLAPP. You think it still would've passed under anti-SLAPP?
 
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I also remember Two-Ton smugly using Untsworth v. Musk as proof that "pedo" isn't defamatory. I guess that means it should've passed TCPA.
She's as ignorant as she is fat. That wasn't even in the ruling. And the jury instructions make it clearly that the issue was whether listeners would reasonably have viewed the accusations as true statements of fact. They were so obviously defamatory if viewed as factual that it wasn't even discussed seriously.
That said, I know this took place in federal court, and used 12.b.6, not California anti-SLAPP. You think it still would've passed under anti-SLAPP?
Yes because they're, while not entirely identical, very similar standards. It safely passed muster under both.
 
She's as ignorant as she is fat. That wasn't even in the ruling. And the jury instructions make it clearly that the issue was whether listeners would reasonably have viewed the accusations as true statements of fact. They were so obviously defamatory if viewed as factual that it wasn't even discussed seriously.
Musk dodged a bullet big time there. He absolutely should have been found guilty for that. He's a cocksucker of the highest calibre endlessly selling bullshit to gullible millennials.
 
Well he worked on the Sandmann case.

more importantly, on the jewell case

i think he's actually a really, really good settlement negotiator, and just fails fucking miserably when it comes to actual trial. note that the sandmann case was lost- in a bullshit way, sure, but lost- until the judge had a change of heart and was like "you know what, fuck CNN." then in comes Lin, and bam, settlement.

this bodes ill for the spedsidential election thread, though, so i'm gunna put my fingers in my ears and yell lalalalalala until those dirty dems are beaten in minecraft
 
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Musk dodged a bullet big time there. He absolutely should have been found guilty for that. He's a cocksucker of the highest calibre endlessly selling bullshit to gullible millennials.
I think he was a genuine fuckwad for doing that shit and any residual respect I had for him completely disappeared for that repugnant behavior. Making completely vile, false claims of that absolutely horrible nature against a guy who is basically a hero, just because the guy told him to get bent, is disgusting behavior, unworthy of a civilized human being.

This attention whoring piece of shit tried to insert himself into a rescue effort by offering a completely useless little boat that wouldn't have even fit into the spaces in question, and because the rescuers were more concerned with saving the kids who were otherwise going to die within hours than massaging the ego of this piece of shit, he calls one of them a fucking pedophile? Honestly this guy should go to hell. And he should have had a judgment against him with punitive damages of enough to make even a billionaire's head spin.

But here we are in the real world. I assume he had better lawyers.
 
I think he was a genuine fuckwad for doing that shit and any residual respect I had for him completely disappeared for that repugnant behavior. Making completely vile, false claims of that absolutely horrible nature against a guy who is basically a hero, just because the guy told him to get bent, is disgusting behavior, unworthy of a civilized human being.

This attention whoring piece of shit tried to insert himself into a rescue effort by offering a completely useless little boat that wouldn't have even fit into the spaces in question, and because the rescuers were more concerned with saving the kids who were otherwise going to die within hours than massaging the ego of this piece of shit, he calls one of them a fucking pedophile? Honestly this guy should go to hell. And he should have had a judgment against him with punitive damages of enough to make even a billionaire's head spin.

But here we are in the real world. I assume he had better lawyers.
He was channeling his inner gamer
 
Do appeals courts issue opinions on a schedule like the Supreme Court?
Usually on Thursdays, if I remember correctly, but it's more like a habit than a hard and fast schedule. And there's literally no telling how long a case will sit on their desks waiting for an opinion.
 
Usually on Thursdays, if I remember correctly, but it's more like a habit than a hard and fast schedule. And there's literally no telling how long a case will sit on their desks waiting for an opinion.
While it's not immensely complicated factually, there are still 17 causes of action and all of them are contested. They're going to have to address all of them unless they conclude that some appeal points are meritless enough not to require a written opinion. Then, beyond the 17 causes of action, there's a fairly interesting argument about fees that will probably require analysis unless it is mooted by a complete reversal of the dismissal of the Toye/Rial claims. It's probably a trial court discretion thing but will still require discussion.
 
While it's not immensely complicated factually, there are still 17 causes of action and all of them are contested. They're going to have to address all of them unless they conclude that some appeal points are meritless enough not to require a written opinion. Then, beyond the 17 causes of action, there's a fairly interesting argument about fees that will probably require analysis unless it is mooted by a complete reversal of the dismissal of the Toye/Rial claims. It's probably a trial court discretion thing but will still require discussion.
There's also the public figure thing (which I guess would be part of the greater defamation arguments) and the arguments about the timeliness about the second amended petition

And the fact that Sudderth, Wallach, and Womack are probably not autists who obsessively fact check everything and would thus know everything already, like we do.
 
Usually on Thursdays, if I remember correctly, but it's more like a habit than a hard and fast schedule. And there's literally no telling how long a case will sit on their desks waiting for an opinion.
no i mean like the Supreme Court usually releases its decisions in June.

@Nontransferable How long did it take for the recent opinions to be decided?
 
And the fact that Sudderth, Wallach, and Womack are probably not autists who obsessively fact check everything and would thus know everything already, like we do.
If they're appeals court judges, they should be. That's their job. They should be aware of any fact that's in the record. They also all have law clerks who were specifically chosen for being the most autistic law nerds in their class.
 
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