THE LEGAL PROCESS - DEFENDING A SLAPP
There are several stages to SLAPP litigation. The following is a list of the key events you can expect in defending a SLAPP.
Filing a Response
You have a very limited amount of time (typically, 30 days) to file and deliver "an initial responsive pleading." Often, your "first responsive pleading" will be the Answer to the Complaint. This is a formal document detailing your response to each of the allegations in the Complaint. Or, it may be a document which attacks the Complaint on legal or factual grounds, such as a Special Motion to Strike (described below). Remember that your initial response, whether an Answer, a Special Motion to Strike, or other document, must be filed with the Court and delivered to the other side within the deadline specified on the Summons.
Opposing a Temporary Restraining Order.
A SLAPP filer can ask for a temporary restraining order ("TRO") when the Complaint is filed. A TRO is a court order that temporarily orders or prohibits a specific act or series of acts until the court rules on the matter. A TRO is of limited duration, usually lasting no more than 20 days. You may get very little notice (24 hours) that a TRO is being sought. As a TRO may impact your ability to speak out on an issue or remain active in important public affairs, it must be vigorously opposed.
Opposing a Motion for Declaratory and Injuctive Relief.
he Complaint may seek declaratory relief, which means that the filer has asked the court to make a ruling on the respective rights and duties of the parties under the circumstances. The Complaint may also seek preliminary or permanent injunctive relief; like a TRO, a preliminary injunction is a temporary order which orders or prohibits a specific act or series of acts until trial. A permanent injunction orders or prohibits an act or acts indefinitely.
A motion for declaratory or a preliminary or permanent injunction requires that all interested parties be given notice of the motion (usually 15 days) and an opportunity to be heard. The crucial issues in a SLAPP are frequently decided on such motions. If the SLAPP filer is seeking such a motion, it must be vigorously opposed.
Bringing a Special Motion to Strike.
California's new anti-SLAPP statute, Code of Civil Procedure § 425.16, gives victims an opportunity to have the court rule at the outset whether a SLAPP filer can show a probability of winning the suit. If the judge finds that the filer cannot prove that the case has a probability of winning, the court will "strike" the Complaint, and dismiss the suit. The court will also order the filer to pay to the SLAPP victim his or her attorneys' fees and costs.
This special motion generally must be brought 60 days from the date the Complaint is received, and is the best way to put an end to a SLAPP early in the proceedings. The special motion to strike can be brought later than 60 days after the Complaint is received, but only if a court, in its discretion, allows it to be filed at a later time.
Make sure that there is a good basis for bringing the special motion to strike. If the court finds that it is frivolous, or brought only for purposes of harassment or delay, the court will sanction you, and order you to pay the amount of attorneys' fees and costs incurred by the other side in opposing your motion.
Dealing with Discovery.
Discovery is the term for the process in which parties to litigation gather information from each other. This is accomplished by depositions, in which individuals are orally questioned by lawyers, under oath, as if on the witness stand, or by interrogatories, which are written questions by one party to the other and which require a written answer, also under oath. Parties may also ask that any important documents be turned over; this is known as a request for production of documents. The process of discovery can take months to complete.
Under the special motion to strike procedure of Code of Civil Procedure § 425.16, described above, all discovery is suspended or stayed until a judge rules on the special motion to strike. This means that all discovery must be halted until the judge rules. This is important because even the process of having to answer discovery requests can impact one's willingness to oppose a project or speak out on public issues. However, if you believe the other side has information necessary to your defense, you will be unable to get it once the special motion to strike is filed. Carefully consider whether there is information you may need before filing the special motion to strike. Alternatively, the court, upon a formal request and for good cause shown, may order that a specified course of discovery be conducted.
Arbitration.
In many counties, once discovery is over, cases are ordered to arbitration. Arbitration is a mini-trial or hearing in which the case is presented to a neutral party -- usually another attorney or a private or retired judge -- who makes a determination and an award. The arbitration ruling can be appealed by either party.
Filing a Motion for Summary Judgment
Upon completion of discovery and following arbitration (where the arbitration procedure is used), any party can bring a motion for summary judgment. This is used to inform the court whether there are any material issues of fact in dispute. If there are no factual issues in dispute, and only issues of law remain, the judge decides the case by interpreting the relevant law. If however, factual disputes remain to be decided -- for example, whether one party or the other is telling the truth -- the case must go to a jury, unless the parties agree that a judge may decide the issue.
Preparing for Trial
If the case cannot be resolved by any of the above procedures, it will be considered in a trial. A jury or judge will hear the evidence, which may include live testimony from each side, and present a final ruling or "judgment."
Judgment and Appeal
After trial, a judgment is entered according to the ruling of the jury or trial judge. If the judgment orders the payment of money from one party to another, there are various mechanisms to enforce the judgment to ensure that payments are made. A final judgment may be appealed to a higher court, by either party, but only upon a showing of some legal error. Generally, the filing of an appeal does not render the judgment automatically unenforceable. To pursue an appeal, the losing party must instead post a bond, often in an amount twice that of the judgment, to secure the judgment during the appeal process.
Pursuing Settlement
An agreement among the parties to resolve the case can be reached before the Complaint is filed, at any time during the litigation, or even after trial.
Mapping Out a General Strategy With Co-Defendants
It is very likely that you will not be the only person being sued by a SLAPP filer. A common strategy is for the filer to sue all vocal opposition. In addition, the SLAPP filer can sue numerous (anywhere between ten and several hundred) as yet unnamed "DOE" defendants. This means that the SLAPP filer can, at any time during the case, replace a "DOE" defendant with a named individual. As a result, others who are sympathetic to your position or cause may be fearful of helping you or continuing to speak out on the issue, because of a concern that at any time they, too, may be sued.
If you are one of a number of people being sued, consider a cooperative defense strategy. Cooperation with other defendants can have a number of benefits. Often, it helps to develop a good and successful defense. In addition, cooperation with others can reduce the stress and financial burden of defending a lawsuit by yourself.
The first step is to come to an agreement with co-defendants about what issues to focus on. Does the litigation seek to impede your work or that of your organization? How important are these goals to your work? Would you be willing to give up your work to settle the case? What if others have used alternative or unlawful means to pursue these common goals -- are you willing to stand with these persons, though you differ as to how specified goals should be accomplished? Consider the significance of the suit -- if the SLAPP filer is successful in silencing you and your friends, will others be silenced too?
Decide how litigation expenses and attorney fees are going to be paid and by whom. If money and resources must be raised, agree upon fundraising efforts, who is responsible for these efforts, and how money will be disbursed from such activities.
Decide at the outset who will be the spokesperson(s) for your case. Spokespeople should be selected with extreme care. Public perception is important in generating interest, support, money, and sympathy. You do not want to take the chance of alienating either the judge, who will be ruling on your case, or potential supporters of your work.
If problems or disagreements arise which cannot be resolved in discussion, it is probably a good idea to split from the group and obtain your own lawyer. There is little advantage to being united with others if your own case is going to suffer.
Dealing with the Press
Whether or not your attorney is experienced in dealing with the press, become familiar with The Press Handbook. This handbook, available through the Media Alliance in San Francisco, California, will show you how to generate positive media coverage and support for your case.
What if You File a Lawsuit First?
Often, civic minded citizens who file public interest lawsuits can be hit with a SLAPP "counter- claim." In such a circumstance, the SLAPP filer uses your lawsuit to sue you for claimed damages arising out of the circumstances which lead to you to file your public interest lawsuit.
Before you or your community group chooses to initiate a public interest lawsuit, make sure that you have a good case. Find out what all the possible ramifications are before filing suit. When preparing to initiate litigation, be sure to document everything of significance. Know your facts. You may wish to keep a litigation notebook to include the following:
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important dates and deadlines
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referrals and attorneys contacted
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significant source materials
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a listing of information you have with the words "confidential" and "attorney-client or attorney work-product privileged" written across each page
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a confidential listing of key witnesses
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notes of discussions with the opposite side of the case
The creation of such a notebook will not only help protect you in the event of a SLAPP, it will make you a better advocate in your own case.
Also, consider whether your case will be benefitted by having other groups or organizations join your lawsuit. Often, the mere existence of several groups opposing a single project or opponent can add a note of importance to your lawsuit. Joining with like-minded individuals and groups is also a good way to spread the cost of litigation. Similarly, if the opponent turns around and SLAPPs you and your co-plaintiffs, you will not be alone in defending the SLAPP.
SLAPPing Back
If you are successful in defending a SLAPP, and you can show that the SLAPP was brought for a purpose other than to resolve the issue by legal means -- e.g., the case was filed for the purposes of harassment, needlessly piling up defense costs, silencing opposition, etc. -- seek legal advise about SLAPPing back. A SLAPPback is a way to seek monetary damages, including pain and suffering, from the SLAPP filer on the theory that the original SLAPP constituted an abuse of the legal process.
In the past, juries in some SLAPPback suits have ordered SLAPP filers to pay large sums of monetary and punitive damages to the original SLAPP target. However, the decision to initiate SLAPPback litigation should not be entered into lightly. A SLAPPback, like the original lawsuit, can take years to reach a final resolution.
Moreover, a SLAPPback is itself likely to be subject to the special motion to strike procedure set forth in Code of Civil Procedure § 425.16. This does not mean that SLAPPbacks can never be won. It does mean that you should have enough evidence to prove a probability of winning the suit, before filing the SLAPPback.
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