Supreme Court of California

In a dispute involving actions related to a local ballot measure, appeals court ruling in favor of defendant is affirmed where: 1) the lower courts properly found that defendants satisfied their burden of demonstrating that the causes of action arise from activity protected under the anti-SLAPP statute; and 2) although the Court of Appeals applied an incorrect statutory standard in evaluating the validity of the City's conduct, it correctly upheld the ruling as the challenged actions of the City at issue here did not constitute improper campaign materials or activities under the standard set forth in Stanson.

Appellate Information

• Decided 04/20/2009
• Published 04/20/2009

Judges

• GEORGE, C.J.

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Steven J. André, Carmel, for Plaintiffs and Appellants., Joseph T. Francke, Carmichael, for California Aware as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Appellants., Nick Bulaich, as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Appellants., Trevor A. Grimm, Los Angeles, Jonathan M. Coupal and Timothy A. Bittle, Sacramento, for Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association as Amicus Curiae., Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor, Steven A. Merksamer, James R. Parrinello and Christopher E. Skinnell, Sacramento, for California Chamber of Commerce, California Taxpayers' Association, California Business Roundtable and California Business Properties Association as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Appellants., Anthony T. Caso and Deborah J. La Fetra, Sacramento, for Pacific Legal Foundation as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Plaintiffs and Appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• Vanessa W. Vallarta, City Attorney, M. Christine Davi and Jessica K. Steinberg, Deputy City Attorneys;  Law Offices of Joel Franklin and Joel Franklin, Monterey, for Defendants and Respondents., Nossaman, Guthner, Knox & Elliott, Stephen N. Roberts, Stanley S. Taylor and Ciarán O'Sullivan, San Francisco, for Self-Help Counties Coalition as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents., Stephen P. Traylor, for League of California Cities as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents., Remcho, Johansen & Purcell, Robin B. Johansen, Karen Getman, San Leandro, and Margaret R. Prinzing, for League of California Cities, California State Association of Counties and League of Women Voters of Salinas Valley as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents.