A snappy, aspirationally weekly newsletter from the lawyers at Horwitz Law, PLLC summarizing the week’s decisions from the Tennessee Court of Appeals.
September 28–October 11, 2024 Child suffers serious injuries, requires multiple surgeries after being cut on a “broken metal pole with [] jagged edges which was allowed to remain embedded in [a] lakebed.” The pole was maintained by the State on state-owned property, so the
By Daniel A. Horwitz: Strategic lawsuits against public participation—better known as “SLAPP-suits”—use the legal system to punish constitutionally protected speech.[1] The Tennessee Supreme Court has explained that “[t]he primary aim of a SLAPP is not to prevail on the merits, but rather to chill
September 14–September 27, 2024 Crappy and famously abusive teledentistry company that is now in bankruptcy sues NBC for reporting on its ineffective products, seeks a gagillion dollars in damages. NBC petitions to dismiss SmileDirectClub’s SLAPP-suit under the Tennessee Public Participation Act, and the trial
“[A]ll enforcement of the recruitment provision” of Tennessee’s so-called “Abortion Trafficking” statute is now preliminarily enjoined, U.S. District Court Judge Aleta A. Trauger has ordered. The decision comes as a result of a lawsuit filed by Horwitz Law, PLLC clients Rachel Welty and Tennessee State
August 24–September 13, 2024 Little Richard dies. His will lays out a plan for nine beneficiaries to work together to exploit his rights of publicity upon his death. After a majority of the beneficiaries agree on a plan to do so, a dissenting beneficiary—who
August 17–August 23, 2024 Plaintiff involved in minor car accident who later told a bunch of different stories about his alleged injuries sues Defendant, claiming he suffered neck and shoulder injuries due to Defendant’s negligence. Jury: No liability; judgment for Defendant. Tennessee Court of Appeals:
August 10–August 16, 2024 Two of Tennessee’s crappiest lawyers—one of whom filed the first SLAPP-suit ever to be dismissed under the Tennessee Public Participation Act, and the other of whom once unsuccessfully tried to file his own pro se SLAPP-suit pseudonymously—team up to try their hand at anti-SLAPP
July 13–August 9, 2024 Three Fayetteville Aldermen file heinous SLAPP-suit against two Constituents for petitioning them, see their claims dismissed under the Tennessee Public Participation Act. The Aldermen appeal the dismissal, but right before they have to file their brief, they voluntarily dismiss their appeal. Constituents:
June 22–July 12, 2024 Pro Se Appellant, in public records appeal arising out of Shelby County: One Shelby County judge was “dishonest, arrogant, and ignorant,” showed “a broad contempt for the law,” and was “unfit[] to have ever sat on the bench.” Another Shelby
Beginning in January 2024, the City of Lakeland, Tennessee began fining Horwitz Law, PLLC client Julie Pereira for her political yard sign reading: "Fuck 'Em Both 2024." In response, Ms. Pereira filed suit, asserting that the City of Lakeland's enforcement action violated her First
