SLAPP
SLAPP ( English s trategic l awsuit a gainst p ublic p articipation = strategic action against public participation; English slap = slap in the face) is an acronym for an abusive form of lawsuit that aims to intimidate and their critics stop public criticism. In most cases it is initiated by companies, less often by private individuals or authorities, against NGOs or individuals who publicly criticize the business practices of the company, the activities of the individual or the authority.
The term was coined in the 1990s by Professors Penelope Canan and George W. Pring from the University of Denver . Typically, it is not a question of whether the lawsuit has realistic prospects of success, but rather to persuade the defendant to "voluntarily" cease his activity due to the feared legal costs and the high level of effort involved in legal proceedings. A SLAPP can also act as a deterrent to others from participating in the debate.
In many US states there are now protective laws against SLAPPs, which provide for a speedy dismissal of the suit and reimbursement of costs to the defendant.
According to the German understanding of procedural law, a SLAPP lacks the need for legal protection .
For example, SLAPP lawsuits have been filed against environmental groups that opposed the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline .
Web links
- About SLAPP's Public Participation Project, Fighting for Free Speech
Individual evidence
- ↑ George W. Pring, Penelope Canan: SLAPPs: Getting Sued for Speaking Out 1996
- ↑ Example: What is a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP)? California Anti-SLAPP Project
- ↑ Greenpeace : What You Need to Know About Energy Transfer Partners' lawsuit , June 3, 2018.
