DiAdamo v. Duggan [1]

Thomas Duggan, who who hosts the "Paying Attention! [2]" radio program on WCAP 980AM in Lowell Massachusetts, was sued by William DiAdamo, a local attorney, over statements Duggan made on his radio program and republished on his blog, Paying Attention! With Tom Duggan [2], and the website for The Valley Patriot [3], a monthly newspaper in North Andover Massachusetts.

According to plaintiff's complaint [4], on August 23, 2008, Duggan broadcast a segment about DiAdamo in which he falsely stated that DiAdamo was, among other things,  "being accused of throwing [a legal] case and has been fired by the City of Lawrence because he is being accused of throwing the case."

On November 24, 2008, Duggan served a special motion to dismiss [5] under the Massachusetts anti-SLAPP law [6].  Plaintiff served his opposition [7] to the motion on December 5.

Update:

1/12/09 -  Hearing on all motions, including anti-SLAPP, SLAPP-back, Motion to Dismiss Counterclaim, and Motion to Authorize Release of Attorney-Client Privilege, are all scheduled for Monday, January 12, 2009, at 2:00 PM at Lawrence Superior Court.

2/23/09 - Court denied Duggan's special motion to dismiss the lawsuit under the Massachusetts anti-SLAPP law and granted DiAdamo's motion to dismiss Duggan's counterclaim.