My Lawyers on the Benchmark win

[psy]

http://www.dskbwg.com/index2.php?id=4&cat=19&newsid=175

Press Release:

November 13, 2008
Significant First Amendment Internet Case Win Against School for Troubled Youth
Partners Scheibe, Broadbelt Win Anti-SLAPP Motion in Libel Lawsuit Brought by Controversial "Tough Love" School To Silence a Former Student
Attorney: Benjamin D. Scheibe
Attorney: Eric M. George
Attorney: Robert B. Broadbelt

November 13, 2008, Century City, CA - Dreier Stein Kahan Browne Woods George LLP announced today that two of its partners, Benjamin Scheibe and Robert Broadbelt, won an anti-SLAPP motion and obtained a dismissal of a libel suit filed by Benchmark Young Adult School, a self-described “tough love” school for troubled youth.  The dismissal is a complete victory for Michael Crawford, a former "student" of the school.

After attending Benchmark in 2001 and 2002, Crawford created a "Benchmark Exposed" website detailing what he believed to be abuses directed at him and other students, and joined a broader public debate over unlicensed residential programs for supposedly troubled youths.  The school responded with a lawsuit seeking millions of dollars in damages and a broad injunction preventing Crawford from maintaining the website or making other allegedly defamatory statements on the Internet.

Scheibe and Broadbelt filed an Anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) motion to challenge Benchmark’s suit at the outset.  In its October ruling granting the motion, the court stated that “even a cursory review of the claim [for injunctive relief] shows it to be seeking an impermissible prior restraint on speech.”

“Benchmark’s suit was an obvious attempt to silence Michael’s comments about his experience at the school and his opinions about these types of programs,” said Ben Scheibe.  Added Robert Broadbelt, “The Anti-SLAPP statute was enacted to protect people like Michael against suits brought to intimidate them from exercising their First Amendment right to speak out on issues of public interest.”

“I am forever indebted to Robert and Ben for their work in protecting my free speech rights,” said Michael Crawford.  “If there is any moral to this story, it's this:  If you are threatened with a lawsuit for expressing your first amendment rights, stand up for yourself.  If you back down, it sets a precedent of silence, a chilling effect on all free speech.  Truth wins out eventually, although sometimes one must fight for it.”

“Ben and Robert did extraordinary legal work on Michael’s behalf demonstrating their significant litigation skills in procuring relief that was necessary and appropriate,” said Eric George, name partner at Dreier Stein Kahan Browne Woods George LLP.

Crawford’s "Benchmark Exposed" website therefore remains available as a resource on the Internet for parents considering residential treatment programs or other persons interested in the so-called "troubled youth" industry.

[Anonymous]

http://www.dskbwg.com/index2.php?id=4&cat=19&newsid=175

Press Release:

November 13, 2008
Significant First Amendment Internet Case Win Against School for Troubled Youth
Partners Scheibe, Broadbelt Win Anti-SLAPP Motion in Libel Lawsuit Brought by Controversial "Tough Love" School To Silence a Former Student
Attorney: Benjamin D. Scheibe
Attorney: Eric M. George
Attorney: Robert B. Broadbelt

November 13, 2008, Century City, CA - Dreier Stein Kahan Browne Woods George LLP announced today that two of its partners, Benjamin Scheibe and Robert Broadbelt, won an anti-SLAPP motion and obtained a dismissal of a libel suit filed by Benchmark Young Adult School, a self-described “tough love” school for troubled youth.  The dismissal is a complete victory for Michael Crawford, a former "student" of the school.

After attending Benchmark in 2001 and 2002, Crawford created a "Benchmark Exposed" website detailing what he believed to be abuses directed at him and other students, and joined a broader public debate over unlicensed residential programs for supposedly troubled youths.  The school responded with a lawsuit seeking millions of dollars in damages and a broad injunction preventing Crawford from maintaining the website or making other allegedly defamatory statements on the Internet.

Scheibe and Broadbelt filed an Anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) motion to challenge Benchmark’s suit at the outset.  In its October ruling granting the motion, the court stated that “even a cursory review of the claim [for injunctive relief] shows it to be seeking an impermissible prior restraint on speech.”

“Benchmark’s suit was an obvious attempt to silence Michael’s comments about his experience at the school and his opinions about these types of programs,” said Ben Scheibe.  Added Robert Broadbelt, “The Anti-SLAPP statute was enacted to protect people like Michael against suits brought to intimidate them from exercising their First Amendment right to speak out on issues of public interest.”

“I am forever indebted to Robert and Ben for their work in protecting my free speech rights,” said Michael Crawford.  “If there is any moral to this story, it's this:  If you are threatened with a lawsuit for expressing your first amendment rights, stand up for yourself.  If you back down, it sets a precedent of silence, a chilling effect on all free speech.  Truth wins out eventually, although sometimes one must fight for it.”

“Ben and Robert did extraordinary legal work on Michael’s behalf demonstrating their significant litigation skills in procuring relief that was necessary and appropriate,” said Eric George, name partner at Dreier Stein Kahan Browne Woods George LLP.

Crawford’s "Benchmark Exposed" website therefore remains available as a resource on the Internet for parents considering residential treatment programs or other persons interested in the so-called "troubled youth" industry.

HORAY r u!!!(us)

[wdtony]

This is great,

I especially like the part where you draw attention to the "precedent". Freedom of Speech lives on!

[firstresponder]

kick ass! and i thought the Constitution was dead.

[psy]

This is great,

I especially like the part where you draw attention to the "precedent". Freedom of Speech lives on!

To be honest, I thought it was really cheesy when I wrote it.

[Anonymous]

You're Famous!!

 :seg:  :cheers:  :seg2:  :deal:  :nods:  :karma:  :on phone:  :notworthy:  :tup:  :rocker:  :trophy:  :rasta:

[dishdutyfugitive]

Congratulations! Looking forward to updates when available.

[Ursus]

This is great,

I especially like the part where you draw attention to the "precedent". Freedom of Speech lives on!

To be honest, I thought it was really cheesy when I wrote it.

Nah, it's great. Very nice wordage:

"If you back down, it sets a precedent of silence, a chilling effect on all free speech."

It did my heart good to read the whole thing a couple of times.

 :notworthy:

[iamartsy]

Silence is not golden. Ever. Look at the holocaust. I learned not to ever go silently in Hebrew school.

[dishdutyfugitive]

Ursus

Fornits is free - but reading a post more than 1 1/2 times is not only a taxable event it's a punishable event.

Please surrender all and any picnic baskets to FatCamp USA.

[psy]

COOL!!!!!!!!! You Won!   :hug:

Thanks!

[Carey]

Psy...that is awesome!!!  No doubt had I been represented in court the same would have been the result.  

Keep up the good work...you are making a difference.  If you can make the public eventually see that most of these program operators and referral experts are uneducated "Joes" exploiting teens and their families, then maybe we will see change.

[Anonymous]

congratulations!  Your dedication to this cause is appreciated.  

Mahalo Nui Loa posting.php?mode=reply&f=9&t=26387#