Klein v. Rathheim

Defendants in this action for slander move to dismiss the complaint on the ground that it fails to state a cause of action. The allegedly slanderous utterance is claimed to have been made by the defendant Alfred Rathheim, an attorney, while acting as a partner, associate or employee of the defendant law firm representing the defendant Federation Bank and Trust Company (hereinafter referred to as the bank).

The complaint alleges that the plaintiff is a duly ordained rabbi of the Orthodox Jewish faith; that an action for malicious prosecution had previously been instituted by the bank against…