In 2017, Connecticut joined more than half the nation which had already passed Anti-SLAPP laws. Anti-SLAPP laws provide a quick method of getting rid of frivolous lawsuits designed to stop people from exercising their freedoms.
A SLAPP lawsuit is never designated that way by the person filing it. Instead, they are usually disguised as “defamation”, “libel”, “slander”, “invasion of privacy”, “conspiracy” or some other similar term. The lawsuit will be based on the defendant’s right to free speech, or exercising their right to engage in the political process. For instance, you might be sued for the following:
- Internet reviews
- Circulating a petition
- Speaking at a town meeting
- Calling or writing to a public official
- Reporting police misconduct
- Erecting a sign or displaying a banner on their property
- Filing a public interest lawsuit
- Testifying before the state legislature, or a city council.
The Connecticut Anti-SLAPP law provides a short-cut to ending these false claims, as well as a means of shifting the legal fees to the person who filed the suit. The bottom line is that if you have been sued, you should seek the advice of an experienced Anti-SLAPP attorney since these are pretty technical motions. But, to end the case early would be well worth it.