Ruddell v. Viscia
Plaintiff sued defendant for defamation, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, and intentional infliction of emotional distress after a letter appellant allegedly wrote was disseminated to community leaders, respondent's competitors, and his clients that alleged respondent had engaged in questionable business dealings with at least two school districts. Appellant filed a special motion to strike the lawsuit under Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16.The trial court denied the motion, concluding that appellant failed to make a prima facie showing that the letter was connected to a public issue. Court disagree and reverse and remand the matter to the trial court for its determination of whether respondent is able to demonstrate a probability of prevailing on his claims.
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