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Home > Alkateeb v. Does

Alkateeb v. Does [1]

Submitted by DMLP Staff on Thu, 02/28/2008 - 14:59

Summary

Threat Type: 

Lawsuit

Date: 

05/13/2005

Status: 

Concluded

Disposition: 

Dismissed (partial)
Withdrawn

Location: 

New York

Verdict or Settlement Amount: 

N/A

Legal Claims: 

Defamation
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress
Publication of Private Facts
Naji A. Alkateeb and Deanna R. Wilson-Alkateeb filed a "John Doe" lawsuit in federal district court in New York in May 2005. According to court documents, several anonymous Internet users(using Google and Hushmail email addresses) allegedly postedinsulting comments, threats, and... read full description
Parties

Party Receiving Legal Threat: 

The Knot, Inc.; Does 1-10

Type of Party: 

Individual

Type of Party: 

Individual
Organization

Location of Party: 

  • Arizona

Location of Party: 

  • Florida
  • Oregon
  • Delaware

Legal Counsel: 

Peter W. Williamson PC; Connie J. Mableson

Legal Counsel: 

Peter M. Agulnick, P.C.; David M. Zensky (for The Knot)
Description

Naji A. Alkateeb and Deanna R. Wilson-Alkateeb filed a "John Doe" lawsuit in federal district court in New York in May 2005. According to court documents, several anonymous Internet users(using Google and Hushmail email addresses) allegedly postedinsulting comments, threats, and personal information related to theAlkateebs on the forum sections of two websites: TheKnot.com [2] and Photobucket.com [3]. Certain unknown defendants also allegedly sent defamatory emails to third parties, including the plaintiffs' extended family. The Alkateebs sued for defamation, invasion of privacy (through publication of private facts), and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

After filing suit, the Alkateebs subpoeanaed The Knot, Photobucket, Google, and Hushmail for information that would reveal the identities of the anonymous posters. Three anonymous defendants received notice of the subpoena and moved to quash, and Public Citizen filed an amicus brief [4], in which it argued that the First Amendment protected the defendants' right to speak anonymously. Public Citizen also argued that the plaintiffs had not shown that jurisdiction was proper either in federal court or in New York. Apparently the court allowed some of the subpoenas to issue.

The Alkateebs filed an amended complaint in September 2005, in which they named the Knot, Inc. and four individuals as defendants. On Jan 31, 2006, the Alkateebs filed a motion to voluntarily dismiss the complaint without prejudice. The court granted the motion as to all defendants except the defendants who had already moved to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction. When the plaintiffs did not respond within thirty days to the motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, the court dismissed the lawsuit against the final three defendants with prejudice.

Related Links: 

  • Public Citizen Litigation Group: Alkateeb v. Does 1-15 [5]
Details

Web Site(s) Involved: 

  • The Knot.com forums  [6]
  • Photobucket.com forums [7]

Content Type: 

  • Text

Publication Medium: 

Email
Forum

Subject Area: 

  • Defamation
  • Anonymity
  • Publication of Private Facts
Court Information & Documents

Jurisdiction: 

  • New York

Source of Law: 

  • United States
  • New York

Court Name: 

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

Court Type: 

Federal

Case Number: 

05-CV-4683

Relevant Documents: 

PDF icon 2005-08-10-Memorandum_of_Public_Citizen_as_Amicus_Curiae.pdf [8]
PDF icon 2006-02-06-Order_on_Motion_to_Dismiss_Without_Prejudice.pdf [9]
PDF icon 2005-05-22-Plaintiffs Memorandum of Law in Support of Ex Parte Application for Immediate Discovery.pdf [10]
PDF icon 2006-03-03-Endorsed Letter.pdf [11]
CMLP Information (Private)

CMLP Notes: 

Aaron editing.

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Source URL (modified on 08/20/2014 - 11:04pm): https://www.dmlp.org/threats/alkateeb-v-does

Links
[1] https://www.dmlp.org/threats/alkateeb-v-does
[2] http://theknot.com/?MsdVisit=1
[3] http://photobucket.com/
[4] https://www.dmlp.org/sites/citmedialaw.org/files/2005-08-10-Memorandum_of_Public_Citizen_as_Amicus_Curiae.pdf
[5] http://www.citizen.org/litigation/briefs/IntFreeSpch/cases/articles.cfm?ID=14267#alkateeb
[6] http://weddings.theknot.com/talk/talk.aspx
[7] http://forums.photobucket.com/
[8] https://www.dmlp.org/sites/dmlp.org/files/sites/citmedialaw.org/files/2005-08-10-Memorandum_of_Public_Citizen_as_Amicus_Curiae.pdf
[9] https://www.dmlp.org/sites/dmlp.org/files/sites/citmedialaw.org/files/2006-02-06-Order_on_Motion_to_Dismiss_Without_Prejudice.pdf
[10] https://www.dmlp.org/sites/dmlp.org/files/sites/citmedialaw.org/files/2005-05-22-Plaintiffs%20Memorandum%20of%20Law%20in%20Support%20of%20Ex%20Parte%20Application%20for%20Immediate%20Discovery.pdf
[11] https://www.dmlp.org/sites/dmlp.org/files/sites/citmedialaw.org/files/2006-03-03-Endorsed%20Letter.pdf