From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Fri Nov 7 2014 (Updated 05/18/16)
Indybay and Layer42 Win $87,000 From Attorney Dionne Choyce
US District Judge Rules Choyce Copyright Claim Against Indybay Was "Objectively Baseless"
UPDATE: Dionne Choyce is currently appealing the decision on fees. Written arguments have been filed with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Parties are awaiting a response.
On November 3, United States District Judge Jon S. Tigar awarded legal fees of over $87,000 to the open-publishing news website Indybay and internet service provider Layer42 after dismissing an "objectively baseless" lawsuit filed by Bay Area attorney Dionne Choyce. Indybay is represented pro bono by Roger R. Myers, Leila C. Knox and Jessica Mar of Bryan Cave LLP, who will be redistributing any and all fee payment made by Dionne Choyce to 501(c)(3) organizations. Layer42 is represented by Daniel L. Casas and Anthony F. Basile of Casas Riley & Simonian LLP. Dionne Choyce is represented by Spencer F. Smith and Dow W. Patten of Smith Patten. The case is Choyce v. San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center et al., case number 3:13-cv-01842, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Courthouse News writes: Dionne Choyce sued San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center and its Internet service provider Layer42.net in 2012. Choyce claimed the Media Center posted defamatory comments about him on its aggregate news site, Indybay.org. He also claimed the organization broke copyright laws by publishing one of his images without permission. Specifically, Choyce said Indybay posted a page titled "Attorney Dionne Choyce, who embezzled from homeless, may serve prison time," and another one: "The Choyce Law Firm evicted from building." Choyce claimed that Layer42.net shared responsibility with the Media Center for publishing false information. U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar dismissed Choyce's claims with prejudice, citing the Media Center's right to free speech and calling Choyce's copyright claim "objectively baseless."
Read More |
Washington Post: $85,000 fees award against lawyer-plaintiff for frivolous copyright suit |
Court Documents
On November 3, United States District Judge Jon S. Tigar awarded legal fees of over $87,000 to the open-publishing news website Indybay and internet service provider Layer42 after dismissing an "objectively baseless" lawsuit filed by Bay Area attorney Dionne Choyce. Indybay is represented pro bono by Roger R. Myers, Leila C. Knox and Jessica Mar of Bryan Cave LLP, who will be redistributing any and all fee payment made by Dionne Choyce to 501(c)(3) organizations. Layer42 is represented by Daniel L. Casas and Anthony F. Basile of Casas Riley & Simonian LLP. Dionne Choyce is represented by Spencer F. Smith and Dow W. Patten of Smith Patten. The case is Choyce v. San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center et al., case number 3:13-cv-01842, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Courthouse News writes: Dionne Choyce sued San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center and its Internet service provider Layer42.net in 2012. Choyce claimed the Media Center posted defamatory comments about him on its aggregate news site, Indybay.org. He also claimed the organization broke copyright laws by publishing one of his images without permission. Specifically, Choyce said Indybay posted a page titled "Attorney Dionne Choyce, who embezzled from homeless, may serve prison time," and another one: "The Choyce Law Firm evicted from building." Choyce claimed that Layer42.net shared responsibility with the Media Center for publishing false information. U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar dismissed Choyce's claims with prejudice, citing the Media Center's right to free speech and calling Choyce's copyright claim "objectively baseless."
![photo](/im/imc_photo.gif)
2024-06-11
If Passed, Measure J Will Ban "Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations"
Front Page
| North Bay / Marin
| Government & Elections
| Animal Liberation2024-06-11
Activists Stand in Solidarity with Horses Who Lost Their Lives at Race Track
Front Page
| East Bay
| Animal Liberation2024-06-11
Two Years After Shireen Abu Akleh Was Killed, There Still Is No Justice
Front Page
| Anti-War
| Media Activism & Independent Media
| San Francisco
| International
| Palestine2024-06-11
Crisis Team Provides Students with Non-Police Response to Mental Health Crises
Front Page
| Police State & Prisons
| Health, Housing & Public Services
| Education & Student Activism
| California
| Santa Cruz Indymedia2024-06-11
Only a Couple of Thousand Adult Leatherback Turtles Remain in the Pacific Ocean
Front Page
| Environment & Forest Defense
| San Francisco
| Peninsula
| North Bay / Marin
| North Coast
| California
| Animal Liberation
| Santa Cruz Indymedia2024-05-25
Demonstrators Denounce Tech Giant's Contracts with Israeli Military
Front Page
| Anti-War
| Peninsula
| U.S.
| International
| Palestine2024-05-13
Actions Call on Biden to Declare a Climate Emergency and End Fossil Fuels
Front Page
| Environment & Forest Defense
| Global Justice & Anti-Capitalism
| Education & Student Activism
| San Francisco
| Peninsula
| California
| U.S.
| Palestine2024-05-08
Resistance to Deceptive Forest Service Measure Is Growing
Front Page
| Environment & Forest Defense
| Central Valley
| California
| U.S.2024-05-08
Regulators Fail to Protect Schoolchildren from Repeated Exposure to Dangerous Pesticides
Front Page
| Environment & Forest Defense
| Racial Justice
| Health, Housing & Public Services
| Labor & Workers
| Education & Student Activism
| Santa Cruz Indymedia2024-04-24
Across the Globe, Students Set Up Encampments in Solidarity with Palestinians
Front Page
| Police State & Prisons
| Anti-War
| Education & Student Activism
| Central Valley
| San Francisco
| South Bay
| East Bay
| Peninsula
| North Bay / Marin
| North Coast
| California
| U.S.
| International
| Palestine
| Santa Cruz Indymedia2024-04-09
Deal Described as One of the Most Significant Urban Land Back Victories in US History
Front Page
| Environment & Forest Defense
| Racial Justice
| East Bay
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network