Citadel Security Software v John Does 1-5
Citadel Security Software’s management dumped nearly 800,000 shares of company stock before the price collapsed. When anonymous posters on Yahoo! Message boards complained about these events, the company sued five posters for defamation and business disparagement and subpoenaed Yahoo! To identify them. We have moved to quash the subpoena because the First Amendment protects the right to engage in lawful, anonymous speech, and there is no allegation or evidence that defendants’ speech was unlawful. We also argue that our client, a Minnesotan, was improperly sued in Texas. Plaintiff then withdrew its lawsuit.