PONTIGON v. Lord

This is an appeal from the registration of a Canadian defamation judgment. We reverse.

Because only questions of law are at issue, we review de novo. State ex rel. Nixon v. Griffin, 291 S.W.3d 817, 819 (Mo.App. W.D.2009).

The appellant, Ms. Lord, is an American citizen, resident of St. Charles County, Missouri, who was born in the Philippines. The respondent, Leodegaria Sanchez, is Ms. Lord’s cousin, and a resident of Ontario, Canada, who was likewise born in the Philippines. The basis of the complaint before the Canadian Court was Ms. Lord’s self-published life story told in From Fieldhand to…