The California Anti-SLAPP Project (CASP) is a public interest law firm and policy organization dedicated to fighting Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) in California. Often these suits are filed in the form of claims of defamation, libel, slander, abuse of process, and malicious prosecution, among others. Our practice is devoted to defending our clients’ First Amendment rights to participate in government and civic affairs, and protecting the right to speak freely about public issues and matters of public interest.
Also active in legislative advocacy, CASP led a statewide coalition to secure enactment of the California anti-SLAPP law in 1991 and 1992, as well as strengthening amendments in 1997 and 1999. CASP was also a co-sponsor of SB 789 (Kuehl) in 2002, which was intended to prevent corporate abuse of the anti-SLAPP law. The legislation was signed into law in 2003, creating new section 425.17 of the Code of Civil Procedure. CASP was also the sponsor of AB 1158 (Lieber) in 2005, which amended the anti-SLAPP law and created new section 425.18 of the Code of Civil Procedure, dealing with SLAPPbacks. CASP also co-sponsored AB 2433 (Krekorian) in 2008, which amended Code of Civil Procedure sections 1987.1 and 1987.2 to allow anonymous Internet speakers whose identity is sought by a subpoena in California, based on a lawsuit in another state, to challenge the subpoena and recover attorneys fees if they are successful.
Specialties
CASP provides representation to clients fighting SLAPPs in California, collaborates as special counsel in SLAPP cases, provides counsel with expertise in the collection and enforcement of fee awards, and also provides expert witness testimony.
