Tax Lawyer's Blog

Yesterday we blogged about University of Miami Law School Professor D. Marvin Jones’ $20,000,000 defamation lawsuit against Above the Law (ATL) blog.

Well, today Mr. Jones did the wise thing and withdrew his complaint.

Here’s what David Lat, a named defendant in the lawsuit, wrote today at ATL:

Pursuant to Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(i)(B), the dismissal is without prejudice. If Professor Jones wants to refile, he should note the statute of limitations (which had already run as to most of our posts about him by the time his complaint was filed).

There was NO SETTLEMENT in this case. Above the Law has made no changes to our prior posts, and we have paid no money to Professor Jones. The case was dismissed by the plaintiff without anything from our side, except a letter from our lawyer. 

Law and More has more.

I suppose this will be seen as a victory for bloggers and the first amendment, but I would reiterate what I said in yesterday’s post. We all should be very careful before we publish mere arrests as if they were already criminal convictions.

We have the right to be assholes and the limited right to defame others. But before we choose to exercise either of these odious rights, it would be wise to remember that God is under no compunction to reward us for it.

The fact that you have the right to say a thing doesn’t mean it’s right to say it.

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