Earlier, She Was Ordered To Pay $2,625 In Fees To A Third Prevailing Defendant.
Carlsbad Councilwoman Cori Schumacher, a former surfing champion, brought a civil harassment claim against Anthony Bona, Noel Breen, and Larry Posner for their outspoken criticism of her on social media. Unfortunately, her petition was dismissed as to Mr. Posner in October 2020 and was resolved adversely by a grant of a SLAPP motion in favor of the other two gentlemen. Mr. Posner, based on the dismissal, was declared to be the prevailing party on March 12, 2021, such that he obtained a $2,625 fees award against Ms. Schumacher (although it is unclear whether it was against her as an individual or as a councilwoman).
On April 9, 2021, more bad news came Ms. Schumacher’s way. San Diego County Superior Court Judge Cynthia A. Freeland (who sits in the North County Visa courthouse and issued the prior fee award), based on the SLAPP grants, awarded attorney’s fees of $32,153 to Mr. Bona (the full request) and $14,453 to Mr. Breen (a reduced award). Judge Freeland primarily determined that the outspoken criticisms and posts were “social commentary, not personal threats,” according to an April 9, 2021 article by Phil Diehl in the one-line version of The San Diego Union-Tribune.