$275,000 in Sanctions for Suing First, Asking Questions Later

1010 News anchor Lane Bajardi and his wife Kimberly Cardinal Bajardi sued several bloggers for defamation when they accused them of being bad parents, political operatives, and the target of a federal investigation. In February the Bajardis lost, and in July, New Jersey Judge Patrick J. Arre imposed $275,000 in sanctions for their frivolous lawsuit.

[T]his court finds that Plaintiffs were limited public figures who manipulated their attorney to perpetrate and perpetuate a SLAPP-suit disguised as a defamation case involving weighty issues of constitutionally protected First Amendment political free speech.

In a chilling warning to lawyers, Judge Arre stated:

It is difficult to imagine how [plaintiff's counsel] maintained a good faith and reasonable belief in the merits of the case when he admitted to having no evidence of actual malice after the discovery period had expired.

The full opinion can be found at http://www.hobokenhorse.com/2015/07/breaking-court-orders-beth-mason.html.