Status: $11.3 million default award for plaintiff
The owner of a company that consults parents of troubled teenagers won $11.3 million against the mother of such a child for her postings on various web sites disparaging the consultancy. The woman posted the comments after the company had helped her remove her sons from a school operated by the World Association of Specialty Programs and Schools, but had refused to put the woman in touch with other students who alleged sexual abuse at schools operated by the association. Although the defendant initially appeared in the suit, she later defaulted. After a trial on damages, the jury awarded $6.3 million in compensatory and $5 million in punitive damages. The defendant subsequently challenged the default award, but it was upheld on July 25, 2007.
Links and Court Documents:
http://www.citmedialaw.org/scheff-v-bock
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-10-10-internet-defamation-case_x.htm
http://newsbusters.org/node/8240
http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=21761 (an opinionated reaction to the case)
http://www.morelaw.com/verdicts/case.asp?n=Unknown&s=FL%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&d=32035
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