Cline v. Reetz-Laiolo

William H. Orrick, United States District Judge

INTRODUCTION

This litigation is grist for its own novel. From 2009 through 2012, Emma Cline, author of the 2016 best-selling novel The Girls , was romantically involved with writer Chaz Reetz-Laiolo, who is 13 years her senior. She accuses him of domestic abuse and other terrible conduct during and after their relationship. And he accuses her of awful conduct, including stealing his work for her book and intruding into his email and bank accounts, and the email accounts of Kari Bernard, their mutual friend and former roommate, and Kristin Kiesel,…