Posts tagged Ohio
Ohio Anti-SLAPP Bill Re-Introduced!

After momentum fizzled the first time around, state Sen. Matt Huffman, R-Lima, re-introduced an Ohio bill meant to curtail frivolous lawsuits that target individuals for practicing protected speech.

Known as the Ohio Citizen Participation Act, the bill would create an expedited legal framework for courts to follow if a SLAPP, or strategic lawsuit against public participation, ends up in civil court.

Huffman, who re-introduced the bill during a Tuesday morning press conference, said the bill’s purpose is to encourage public discussion and discourage the use of lawsuits that effectively stymie conversation by saddling individuals with unfair court procedure. Similar bills have been adopted by 36 other states by both conservative and liberal legislatures.

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How a Proposed First Amendment Law Would Protect Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in Ohio

PPP Policy Director Evan Mascagni published an Op-Ed in Ohio that ran in several newspapers across the state advocating for anti-SLAPP legislation in Ohio. The Op-Ed is published in full below.

Immediately following a report by the New York Times that he allegedly sexually assaulted numerous women throughout his career, Harvey Weinstein threatened to sue the Times for defamation. For First Amendment legal scholars, this comes as no surprise. There’s a long history of powerful bullies attempting to use the legal system to silence their critics. 

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Ohio should stop lawsuits that target free speech

Benjamin J. Marrison of the Columbus Dispatch recently wrote a column advocating for anti-SLAPP legislation in Ohio:

“One of the things readers tell us they value most about The Dispatch is our commitment to watchdog, investigative reporting.

We have intelligent, savvy readers. Based on feedback over the years, it’s clear you appreciate the difficulty of watchdog journalism because you understand the time commitment it requires to dig deep into a subject and the blowback we get from those who are the subjects of our investigative efforts.

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