In two recent cases, Gardner & Rosenberg won motions to dismiss under the so-called Anti-SLAPP statute. The law is designed to prevent lawsuits brought to stifle participation in petitioning activities to the government. The statute is a powerful shield against suits brought to deter a party from exercising its legal rights. The court must award attorney fees to a party that brings a successful motion.

In the first case, Gardner & Rosenberg represented a commercial tenant who complained to a town Board of Health about the conditions in its offices, and then brought suit to be relieved from its lease. The landlord counterclaimed against the tenant claiming the tenant exaggerated the scope of the issues to the town board. The court agreed with Gardner & Rosenberg that its client’s acts of speaking to the Board of Health and bringing suit were protected petitioning activity, and dismissed the landlord’s claim. See a copy of the court’s decision.

In the second case, a tenant brought suit against its landlord concerning conditions at its property. The landlord then brought a separate lawsuit against the tenant’s attorneys, claiming that the attorneys “conspired” with the tenant to bring the first case. Gardner & Rosenberg represented the tenant’s attorneys in the suit against them. The court fully agreed with Gardner & Rosenberg that the attorneys’ acts in representing their client in the case against the landlord were protected petitioning activity, and dismissed the claims against the attorneys. See a copy of the court’s decision.