Padilla v. Limitless Trading Co., LLC CA2/7
Chad Padilla, representing himself, sued Limitless Trading Co., LLC (Limitless), Aleem Wadhwania, Shabir Samiar, William DeClercq and DeClercq Law Group (DLG) for defamation, alleging they had falsely accused him of the unauthorized practice of law and extortion beginning in November 2019, including in a lawsuit filed December 9, 2019. Limitless, Wadhwania, DeClercq and DLG (collectively Limitless parties), but not Samiar, filed a special motion to strike the complaint pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16. The trial court granted the motion, ruling Padilla’s complaint arose from protected activity (the allegedly defamatory lawsuit); Padilla failed to present evidence making a prima facie showing sufficient to sustain a favorable judgment; and, in any event, Padilla’s defamation claim was barred by the absolute litigation privilege (Civ. Code, § 47, subd. (b)).
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