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Update: Wright Development Group, LLC v. Walsh

BY Julie Bauer
November 28, 2010

On Oct. 21, 2010, the Illinois Supreme Court issued its opinion in Wright Development Group, LLC v. Walsh, No. 109463, addressing for the first time the scope of Illinois' Citizen Participation Act (CPA), 735 ILCS 110/1 et seq. The CPA is Illinois' Anti-SLAPP statute, designed to protect individuals, corporations, associations and members of the media who are sued for statements they make while petitioning or otherwise participating in government. In its decision, the court broadly interpreted the protections afforded by the CPA, providing some comfort to those who testify before government bodies, report official misconduct, speak with the media or otherwise attempt to influence government action that they can fight back if they are sued as a result.

The Case

The plaintiff in the case, Wright Development Group, had filed a defamation suit against John Walsh, a local newspaper and its publisher. Wright Development Group alleged that it was defamed by statements made by Walsh while he attended a public forum convened by his alderman to discuss the need for government action to confront problems with local developers and contractors. Walsh spoke with a reporter after the formal question-and-answer session ended, and some of his comments were published in the newspaper, prompting the defamation suit.

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