Minnesota Defamation Law

Craig Stevenson, et al. v. Sean Stevenson, et al.

Fergus Falls, Minnesota, personal injury lawyer represented the Plaintiff on defamation per se, intentional infliction of emotional distress (IIED), and civil conspiracy theories. In 2020, appellants Craig and Marie Stevenson brought claims of defamation per se, intentional infliction of emotional distress (IIED), and civil conspiracy against respondents Sean Stevenson, Renee Stevenson, L... More...

$0 (02-03-2025 - MN)

Paul Hansmeier v. Tobies Enterprises

<h2> Pine City, Minnesota civil rights lawyer represented the Plaintiff. </h2> In March 2022, Hansmeier initiated a civil action alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. Â§Â§ 12101-12213 (2018 &Supp. IV 2022), and the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minn. Stat. Â§Â§ 363A.01-.50 (2022 &Supp. 2023) against Tobies and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Ga... More...

$0 (09-16-2024 - MN)

Erika Lopez Prater v. Trustees of Hamline University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota civil rights lawyer represented the Plaintiff who sued the Defendant claiming to have been wrongfully not hired. The dispute arises out of the non-renewal of Ms. Lopez Prater's employment contract to teach at Hamline during the Spring of 2023. Hamline hired Ms. Lopez Prater as an Undergraduate Adjunct Instructor to teach a World Art class for the Fall 2022 semester.... More...

$0 (09-15-2023 - MN)

Dering Pierson Group, L.L.P. v. Daniel Thomas Kantos

In the bankruptcy case of Daniel Thomas Kantos (“Debtor”), Dering Pierson Group, LLC (“DPG”) filed suit seeking a determination that its claim against Debtor is nondischargeable. The Bankruptcy Court1 held that DPG had not sustained its burden of proving that Debtor had willfully or maliciously caused an injury to DPG under § 523(a)(6). It also concluded that collateral estoppel did not a... More...

$0 (01-18-2018 - MN)

Ryan Larson v. City of Sauk Rapids Tom Roy

Foley, MN - Jury Returns Defendants' Verdict in Defamation Case Ryan Larson sued City of Sauk Rapids Tom Roy on defamation and respondeat superior theories claiming that he was defamed as a result of having been arrested for the fatal shooting of Cold Spring Officer Tom Decker, which he did not commit. Plaintiff was held for four days before being released Court Docket E... More...

$0 (07-13-2017 - MN)

State Of Minnesota v. Washington-Davis

In August 2013, appellant Antonio Dion Washington-Davis was charged by amended complaint with seven prostitution-related offenses, which allegedly occurred between September 2010 and July 2012. The state also charged four of appellant's relatives with similar prostitution-related offenses: appellant's brother, Otis Washington; his uncles, Calvin Washington and Robert Washington; and the mother of ... More...

$0 (12-26-2015 - MN)

State Of Minnesota v. Washington-Davis

In August 2013, appellant Antonio Dion Washington-Davis was charged by amended complaint with seven prostitution-related offenses, which allegedly occurred between September 2010 and July 2012. The state also charged four of appellant's relatives with similar prostitution-related offenses: appellant's brother, Otis Washington; his uncles, Calvin Washington and Robert Washington; and the mother of ... More...

$0 (12-18-2015 - MN)

Rochester City Lines, Co. vs. City of Rochester et al.

This case involves two questions arising out of the City of Rochester’s selection of a contractor to run its municipal bus service. The first question requires us to determine the appropriate standard of review for an award of a government contract through a “best value” bidding process, a method by which a government contractor is selected by weighing various quantitati... More...

$0 (08-19-2015 - MN)

Jesse Ventura v. Chris Kyle

Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura sued former Navy Seal Chris Kyle on libel claiming that he was defamed by Kyle in the book that he wrote entitled "American Sniper" in which he claimed that have punched out a "celebrity" called "Scruff Face" at a bar. Kyle later identified "Scruff Face" as Venture and claimed that Venture disparaged the United States in remarks made in the bar. K... More...

$1845477 (08-01-2014 - MN)

John Gieseke v. IDCA, Inc.

The primary question before us is whether Minnesota should formally recognize a cause of action for tortious interference with prospective economic advantage. John Gieseke, on behalf of Diversified Water Diversion, Inc. (Diversified), brought an action against appellants IDCA, Inc., et al. (IDCA), asserting, among other claims, tortious interference with Diversified's prospective economic advantag... More...

$0 (03-26-2014 - MN)

David McKee, M.D. v. Dennis K. Laurion

This case presents the narrow question of whether the court of appeals erred in concluding that six allegedly defamatory statements made by appellant Dennis Laurion regarding an encounter with respondent David McKee, M.D., survive summary judgment. We hold that none of the six statements is actionable either (1) because there is no genuine issue of material fact as to the falsity of the statements... More...

$0 (01-30-2013 - MN)

Richard Gacek v. Owens & Minor Distribution

Richard Gacek appeals the decision of the district court1 granting summary judgment to defendants Owens & Minor Distribution, Inc. ("Owens & Minorâ€) and Marc Johnson on Gacek's 42 U.S.C. Â§ 1981 retaliation claim and to defendant 1The Honorable Paul A. Magnuson, United States District Judge for the District of Minnesota. Gregory Mattson on Gacek's state-law defamation claim. For the... More...

$0 (01-27-2012 - MN)

Paul C. Stepnes v. Peter Ritschel

Minneapolis Police Sergeant Peter Ritschel arrested Paul Stepnes without a warrant for running a contest which allegedly violated Minnesota gambling laws. Ritschel later obtained a search warrant and seized several items from the house where Stepnes was running the contest. Reporter Esme Murphy broadcast a news story about the contest and Stepnes's arrest on WCCO TV, a local CBS television statio... More...

$0 (12-09-2011 - MN)

Karim El-Ghazzawy v. Kay Berthiaume

Karim El-Ghazzawy brought suit against Officer Kay Berthiaume under 42 U.S.C. Â§ 1983 for violating his constitutional rights after Berthiaume arrested El-Ghazzawy due to his alleged sale of counterfeit watches to a pawn shop. The district court1 denied Berthiaume's motion for summary judgment, concluding she was not entitled to qualified immunity. Berthiaume contends the court erred because it ... More...

$0 (03-15-2011 - MN)

Jerry Moore v. John Hoff d/b/a Johnny Northside

Jerry Moore sued John Hoff on a defamation theory claiming that the Defendant blogger for posting a a blog post he wrote in June 2009 after he learned that Moore was hired by the University of Minnesota's Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center. On his blog, Hoff accused Moore of being involved in a high-profile mortgage fraud case, even though Moore was never charged. Plaintiff also claimed... More...

$0 (03-11-2011 - MN)

Peter Dahl v. Rice County, Minnesota

Peter L. Dahl and his wife brought this suit against Rice County, Minnesota, the Rice County Sheriff, and two other sheriff's department employees, seeking damages for Dahl's physical injuries pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Â§ 1983. They alleged violations of Dahl's First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, along with various state law claims. The district court1 entered summary judgment for the defe... More...

$0 (09-18-2010 - MN)

Loren J. Zutz v. John Nelson

Loren Zutz and Elden Elseth, members of the Middle-Snake-Tamarac Rivers Watershed District Board (Board), filed this action alleging state law defamation and violations of 42 U.S.C. Â§ 1983 against the six appellees whom we divide into three different groups: (1) co-Board members John Nelson and Arlyn Stroble; (2) an administrator and an employee of the Board Nick Drees and Danny Omdahl and (3) ... More...

$0 (04-15-2010 - MN)

Loren J. Zutz v. John Nelson

Loren Zutz and Elden Elseth, members of the Middle-Snake-Tamarac Rivers Watershed District Board (Board), filed this action alleging state law defamation and violations of 42 U.S.C. Â§ 1983 against the six appellees whom we divide into three different groups: (1) co-Board members John Nelson and Arlyn Stroble; (2) an administrator and an employee of the Board Nick Drees and Danny Omdahl and (3) ... More...

$0 (04-15-2010 - MN)

Alfred Flowers v. City of Minneapolis

Alfred Flowers appeals the district court's1 adverse grant of summary judgment in favor of Kevin Stoll and the City of Minneapolis on his several civil rights claims against both defendants, as well as his state-law defamation claim against Stoll. We affirm. I. We restate the relevant facts as described in a previous qualified-immunity appeal, Flowers v. City of Minneapolis, 478 F.3d... More...

$0 (03-18-2009 - MN)

MSK Eyes LTD v. Wells Fargo Bank

MSK EyEs, LTD (MSK) and its founder, Muhannah S. Kakish (Kakish), appeal from an order of the district court granting summary judgment to Wells Fargo Bank (Wells Fargo). MSK and Kakish (Appellants) brought an action against Wells Fargo on a myriad of claims arising from their banking relationship, including: breach of contract, credit defamation, business disparagement, defamation, interference wi... More...

$0 (11-04-2008 - MN)

<a href="http://www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/archive/supct/0309/op012021-0911.htm" target="_new">Richard Weinberger v. Independent School District No. 622, et. al. v. Maplewood Review, et. al.</a>

This appeal arises from appellant Richard Weinberger's motion to compel the Maplewood Review and two of its reporters, Jason Tarasek and Wally Wakefield,[1] to disclose the identity of certain sources quoted in an article published by the Maplewood Review in January of 1997. Weinberger sought the identity of the sources in connection with a lawsuit he brought against Independent School Distric... More...

$0 (09-22-2003 - MN)

<a href="http://www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/archive/supct/0306/OP020276-0626.htm" target="_new">Sandra Bodah, et al. v. Lakeville Motor Express, Inc.</a>

In this case, the court of appeals reversed the district court's order dismissing, on the pleadings, the complaint of respondents Sandra Bodah, Wayne Senne, John Tonsager, and Mark Urick (respondents). On review, we consider an issue of first impression: whether allegations in the complaint - that appellant Lakeville Motor Express, Inc.'s (LME) dissemination by facsimile of 204 employee names ... More...

$0 (07-10-2003 - MN)

<a href="http://www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/archive/ctappub/0109/c4002242.htm" target="_new">Katherine Navarre v. South Washington County Schools, et al.</a>

Katharine Navarre, a former teacher in the South Washington County School District, sued the school district, her supervisors, and Northwest Publications d/b/a Pioneer Press for defamation and for intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Navarre also asserted a claim against the school district for violating the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) by releasing... More...

$200000 (03-06-2003 - MN)

<a href="http://www.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/03/01/013919P.pdf" target="_new">TRI, Inc. v. Boise Cascade Office Products, Inc. and Honeywell, Inc.</a>

Boise Cascade Office Products, Inc. ("Boise") is a nationwide distributor of thousands of office products manufactured by hundreds of vendors. In February 1998, Boise and Honeywell, Inc. entered into a Master Agreement establishing terms and procedures whereby Honeywell offices located throughout the United States and Canada could purchase office products from Boise. The terms of the Agreement... More...

$0 (01-08-2003 - MN)

<a href="http://www.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/02/09/021675U.pdf" target="_new">Diana Lynn Carpenter v. Northwest Airlines</a>

Diana Lynn Carpenter appeals the grant of summary judgment in favor of Northwest Airlines, Inc. on her claims of race discrimination, religious discrimination, violation of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and defamation. In addition, Carpenter claims the complaint included claims of hostile working environment and breach of confidentiality. Carpenter has been a reservation sales agent for... More...

$0 (09-23-2002 - MN)

<a href="http://www.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/00/08/993482P.pdf" target="_new">McClure v. American Family Mutural Insurance Company</a>

This case grows out of the termination of Mary McClure and Gary Kemp as agents for American Family Mutual Insurance Company after they lobbied for insurance legislation which the company opposed. McClure and Kemp sued American Family, related companies, and company officers for breach of contract, defamation, and other torts. The district court1 granted summary judgment to the defendants on all... More...

$0 (08-21-2000 - MN)

<a href="http://www.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/01/07/992648U.pdf" target="_new">John Etukakpan v. St. Jude Medical</a>

Etukakpan, who is black and Nigerian, was employed by St. Jude from March 23, 1992 until July 12, 1995. His work history with St. Jude was marked by confrontations and difficulty in getting along with co-workers. In October 1993, he was involved in an altercation with John Horwath and suspended for two days. Horwath, who is white, was fired. Etukakpan filed a charge of race and national or... More...

$0 (07-09-2001 - MN)

<a href="http://www.ca8.uscourts.gov/opndir/01/05/001216U.pdf" target="_new">Sahu v. Mayo Foundation</a>

Civil Rights - District court did not err in finding plaintiff's Title VII, ADA and ADEA claims were time-barred; while Rehabilitation Act claim was timely, plaintiff failed to show he was handicapped and failed to establish the non-discriminatory ground for his termination was pretextual. Girish Chandra Sahu appeals the District Court’s 1 adverse grant of summary judgment in his emplo... More...

$0 (05-16-2001 - MN)