Dead Beat Dad Remark Protected.

In the midst of a contentious paternity and child support dispute, defendant wrote on a Web site that the public should be careful in dealing with plaintiff because he is a criminal and a deadbeat dad, is into illegal activities, and that she wouldn’t let him into her house. Plaintiff brought an action for defamation, and the trial court granted defendant’s anti-SLAPP motion under CCP§ 425.16. Agreeing the claims arise from defendant’s exercise of her free speech rights, the Court of Appeal affirmed. Chaker v. Mateo (Cal. App. Fourth Dist., Div. 1;  October 4, 2012) (Case No. D058753) 209 Cal.App.4th 1138.