February 7, 2025: In recent months, there have been several significant developments in defamation litigation:
- CNN Defamation Verdict: A Florida jury found CNN liable for defaming U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young in a 2021 report about Afghanistan evacuations. The jury awarded Young $5 million in compensatory damages. CNN settled the case to avoid further punitive damages, with the terms remaining undisclosed. apnews.com
- Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News: In a landmark case, Fox News agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems $787.5 million to settle a defamation lawsuit. The case centered on false claims aired by Fox News alleging that Dominion’s voting machines were rigged during the 2020 presidential election. en.wikipedia.org
- Alex Jones Ordered to Pay Over $1.4 Billion in Sandy Hook Defamation Cases: In late 2022, Alex Jones was ordered to pay a total of over $1.4 billion in damages to families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. Jones had falsely claimed that the 2012 shooting was a hoax, leading to harassment and threats against the victims’ families. The judgments included both compensatory and punitive damages.
These cases underscore the serious legal and financial consequences of defamation. If you believe you have been defamed or have suffered reputational harm due to false statements, it’s crucial to understand your legal rights and options.
Note: The attorneys at Sauder Schelkopf were not involved in the above cases.
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At Sauder Schelkopf, we are committed to protecting the reputations of individuals and organizations. If you have been impacted by defamatory statements, our legal team is here to help.
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Sauder Schelkopf has a nationally recognized litigation practice. The firm currently serves as court-appointed lead counsel in courts across the country. The attorneys at Sauder Schelkopf have recovered over $1 billion on behalf of their clients and class members. Our firm was recognized by the Legal Intelligencer’s 2022 Professional Excellence Awards. The Legal Intelligencer’s Professional Excellence Awards honor Pennsylvania law firms and attorneys who have made a significant, positive impact on the legal profession. Our firm was named in the Litigation Departments of the Year (Specialty Area category; runner-up), an award that honors the best litigation practice in a small or mid-sized firm in Pennsylvania. This recognition was based on the firm’s 2021 litigation work and its important ongoing cases. LawDragon has recognized our attorneys in its list of the “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2022. This list notes: “From the opioid epidemic to toxic substances and defective products, truck accidents to wildfires and sexual abuse, these are the lawyers who stand on the front line in individual lawsuits and class actions seeking justice.” Mr. Schelkopf was named to Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers® 2022 for Class Actions/Mass Tort Litigation. The American Lawyer named Mr. Sauder to its 2021 Northeast Trailblazers. The honor recognizes 60 lawyers who are “truly agents of change.” It “recognizes professionals in the Northeast who have moved the needle in the legal industry.” The Legal Intelligencer named Mr. Sauder and Mr. Schelkopf in its 2020 Pennsylvania Trailblazers list recognizing 31 lawyers who “have taken extra measures to contribute to positive outcomes . . . and who are truly agents of change.” The Legal highlighted the firm’s innovative work on advocacy as class counsel in large institutional sex abuse cover-ups, women’s, and children’s rights. Our attorneys have also consistently been recognized by their peers being named to Pennsylvania SuperLawyer, a distinction held by the top 5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania. The National Trial Lawyers Association has also selected our attorneys as the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania.
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If you believe you have been defamed or have suffered reputational harm due to false statements, it’s crucial to understand your legal rights and options.