Inc. v. CompuServe Cubby Inc.

Plaintiff

Cubby, Inc., and Richard G. Blanchard

Defendant

CompuServe Inc.

Plaintiff's Claim

That CompuServe was liable for defamatory statements published in the newsletter, Rumorville, against rival newsletter, Skuttlebut.

Chief Lawyer for Plaintiff

Leo Kayser

Chief Defense Lawyer

Leslie Mullady

Judge

Peter K. Leisure

Place

New York, New York

Date of Decision

29 October 1991

Decision

The court ruled in favor of CompuServe finding that the Internet service provider was not liable for the statements printed in the newsletter transmitted through its system.

Related Cases

• Smith v. California, 361 U.S. 147 (1959).
• Cianci v. New Times Publishing Co., 639 F 2d 54 (1980).
• Lerman v. Chuckleberry Publishing, Inc., 521 F.Supp. 228 S.D.N.Y. (1981).
• Statton Oakmont, Inc. v. Prodigy Services, Co., WL 323710 N.Y.S.C. (1995).
• Zeran v. America Online, Inc., 129 F.3d 327 (1997).

Sources

Marshall, Joshua M. "Will Free Speech Get Tangled in the Net?" The American Prospect, January-February 1998.

Further Readings

• Cameron, Donald M., and Smith Lyons, editors. Defamation on the Internet. Website, http://www.jurisdiction.com.
• Godwin, Mike. Cyber Rights: Defending Free Speech in the Digital Age. New York: Times Books, 1998.
• Rose, Lance. NetLaw: Your Rights in the Online World. Berkeley, CA: Osborne McGraw-Hill, 1995.
• Stuckey, Kent D. Internet and Online Law. New York: Law Journal Seminars Press, 1996.