Dana Desjardins v. Michael Reynolds

[¶ 22] I respectfully dissent for two reasons. First, the Court’s decision overstates the protection afforded to petitioning activity. The decision prevents what would otherwise be a meritorious case of defamation from proceeding in our courts. The Court states that Maine’s anti-SLAPP statute, 14 M.R.S. § 556 (2016), “create[s] a procedure for the prompt dismissal of lawsuits that challenge any actions that fall within that broad definition of petitioning activity.” Court’s Opinion ¶ 18 (emphasis added). This is not accurate; the statute was intended to protect petitioning activity from…