SLAPP LAWSUITS

SLAPP is an acronym for "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation" and refers to lawsuits that are filed for the primary purpose of intimidation. Such lawsuits generally lack merit and are designed to silence opposition. It originally described lawsuits used by developers to squelch local opposition to development projects.

To deter this type of litigation, California passed an "anti-SLAPP" statute in 1992 (Code Civ. Proc. §425.16) to protect citizens' exercise of free speech and petition.

Updated by ADAMS KESSLER 12/29/2007