Jackson Walker wins summary judgment for media outlet

A Houston newspaper has prevailed in case involving its reporting of the background of an individual running charities. 

Judge Ken Wise of the 334^th Judicial District Court for Harris County granted  a motion for summary judgment last week for Manzoor Memon, publisher of a Houston newspaper, against local restaurateur Ghulam Bombaywala, who sued claiming that Memon and his wife had published defamatory statements about him concerning his financial frauds and fitness to run charities. 

Memon filed summary judgment concerning the plaintiff’s lack of evidence of falsity or actual malice. 

Bombaywala claimed that he was not a public figure, that the statements were defamatory per se, and that he had sufficient evidence of fault to get to a jury. 

The court rejected the Bombaywala’s argument and dismissed all claims.

“We were very pleased that the judge closely reviewed and followed the law,” said Crystal Parker, a partner at Jackson Walker LLP who briefed and argued the case for the defendants.  

“This was an important victory for free speech as the subject matter concerned statements about the fitness of a person intimately involved in charitable organizations to serve in that capacity.”

Questions?  Contact TAB's Michael Schneider or call 512-322-9944.