Ballard v. Wagner [1] SummaryThreat Type: LawsuitDate: 01/01/2000Status: ConcludedDisposition: Verdict (plaintiff)Location: Maine Verdict or Settlement Amount: $95,000.00Legal Claims: Defamation Navy officer Alan J. Ballard sued Christopher Wagner and the National Association of Government Employees, Local R01-077, after Wagner, then-president of Local R01-077, published a website subtitled "When telling the truth hurts[:] Dedicated to Exposing Lies at Naval Air Station, Brunswick." According... read full description PartiesParty Receiving Legal Threat: Christopher Wagner; National Association of Government Employees, Local R01-077Type of Party: IndividualType of Party: IndividualGovernmentLocation of Party: MaineLocation of Party: MaineLegal Counsel: Michael A. Feldman, Justin W. Andrus - Law Offices of Michael A. FeldmanLegal Counsel: Thomas J. Freda, Joseph W. Monahan III - Monahan & Padellaro Description Navy officer Alan J. Ballard sued Christopher Wagner and the National Association of Government Employees, Local R01-077, after Wagner, then-president of Local R01-077, published a website subtitled "When telling the truth hurts[:] Dedicated to Exposing Lies at Naval Air Station, Brunswick." According to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press [2]: "The site published statements by Ballard that he did not see a proposed contract with union employees, and that an oil leak at an on-base child care center had been repaired. The word 'Lie' was handwritten in the margins next to both statements." Ballard filed suit in Superior Court in Sagadahoc County, Maine. After a bench trial, the court ruled in favor of Ballard, awarding him $75,000 in compensatory damages and $20,000 in punitive damages. Wagner and the union appealed, and the Maine Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the lower court's ruling in 2005. The high court concluded that Wagner had made statements of fact, not opinion, when he characterized Ballard's statements about problems at the base as "lies." Related Links: Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: Online report calling officer's statements "lies" defamatory [2] DetailsContent Type: TextPublication Medium: WebsiteSubject Area: Defamation Court Information & DocumentsJurisdiction: MaineSource of Law: MaineCourt Name: Maine Superior Court, Sagadahoc County; Maine Supreme Judicial CourtCourt Type: StateCase Number: Sag-04-386Relevant Documents: 2005-06-30-Ballard v. Wagner Maine Supreme Court Opinion.pdf [3] CMLP Information (Private)Priority: 1-HighCMLP Notes: Source: Reporters Committee