SLAPP: $200,000 Fees/Costs Awarded To Swedish Filmmakers And Against Dole Arising From Dismissed Defamation Counterclaim Involving “Bananas!”

$50,000 Of Requested Fees/Costs Not Awarded.

      Recently, Los Angeles County Superior Court Ralph Dau granted some Swedish filmmaker’s anti-SLAPP motion against Dole arising from Dole’s dismissal of a defamation counterclaim relating to the filmmaker’s documentary “Bananas!” Then, the Swedish filmmakers requested fees/costs of about $250,000 under the mandatory anti-SLAPP fee shifting statute that works in favor of winning defendants (or cross-defendants). Judge Dau awarded filmmakers $200,000 in fees/costs. For those of you wanting more information on the anti-SLAPP fee shifting provision, see Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16(c) and decisions surveyed in our category “SLAPP” on the left hand side of our home page.