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I’Ll Huff And I’Ll Puff — But Then You’Ll Blow My Case Away: Dealing With Dismissed And Bad-Faith Defendants Under California’S Anti-Slapp Statute, Jeremiah A. Ho

All Faculty Scholarship

Although the original enactment of California’s anti-SLAPP law was commendable, the law itself (section 425.16 of the California Civil Code) has its share of flaws. One particular wrinkle that the California appellate courts still have not ironed out in interpreting section 425.16 involves the situation where the filer of a SLAPP suit voluntarily dismisses his SLAPP suit against the victim. Because the goal of California’s anti-SLAPP statute is to deter the “chilling” effect of SLAPP suits upon the public’s ability to “petition for the redress of grievances” — which includes the cost put forth to defend such suits — the …