A San Diego open government group lost a lawsuit it filed against San Diego State University claiming problems with its lease with a nonprofit news group, inewsource.org. The Superior Court judge ruled that the lawsuit was an attempt to thwart negative reporting by inewsource about an attorney who represented the group, San Diegans for Open Government. (The San Diego Union-Tribune, September 9, 2015, by Ricky Young)
The judge found the reporting protected under California’s anti-SLAPP law. The finding demonstrated the value of the law to news outlets who benefit from an early dismissal of a lawsuit before crippling legal bills stack up. (Columbia Journalism Review, September 10, 2015, by Corey Hutchins)