California Court of Appeal

In action against joint ventures, seeking to void management contracts with all three entities, and to require that they disgorge all sums that plaintiff paid them under the contracts, pursuant to Government Code section 1090, the trial court's denial of defendants' special motion to strike, or anti-SLAPP motion, under Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16, is affirmed where the court did not err in: 1) finding that the conduct underlying the complaint was illegal as a matter of law, and therefore, was not protected by the constitutional guarantees of free speech and petition; and 2) considering the evidence proffered by plaintiff, including signed plea forms and transcripts from grand jury testimony in criminal cases against many of the individuals involved in the alleged 'pay to play' contracting scheme.

Appellate Information

• Published 2016/02/24

Judges

• AARON

Court

• California Court of Appeal

Counsel