FI FTH DI VI SI ON

REESE, P. J.

, M A RKLE and COLVI N, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

June 23, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 2 51. A M E R I C A

N C IVIL LIBERTIES UNION, L L C v

. ZEH.

R E E S E

, Pres i di n g J u d g e.

A f t e r B. Rei d Zeh su ed Am eri can Ci vi l Li b ert i es Un io n

, In c., (t h e “ AC L U ” )

fo r d efam at i o n

, th e ACLU fi led a m o t i on t o d i s m is s t h e co m pl ai n t u n d er Geo rg i a’ s

an t i -St rat eg i c Laws u i t s A g a i ns t Pu b l i c Part i ci p at i o n (“ An t i -SLAPP”) St at ut e. 1 Th e

Su p eri o r Co u rt o f Gl y n n Co u n t y d en i ed t h e m o t i o n, an d t he A CLU ap peal ed

. Fo r t h e

reas on s s et fo rt h i nfra, we affi rm

.

Vi ewed i n t he l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e to Zeh

, 2 Zeh ’ s co m p l a i n t al l eg ed t h e

fo l l o w i n g fact s

. In 2 0 1 5, Zeh was t h e p art -t i m e m i s dem ean o r p u bl i c d efen d er i n s t at e

1 OCGA § 9 -1 1 -1 1

. 1

.

2 See RCO Leg al

, P. S

. v. Jo h n so n

, 3 47 Ga. Ap p

. 6 6 1

, 6 6 1 -6 6 2 (8 20 SE2 d 4 9 1 )

(2 0 1 8).co u rt i n Gl y n n Co u nt y

, b u t h e al s o had a p ri v at e p ract i ce w h ere h e rep res en ted cl i en t s

i n a v ari et y o f m at t ers i ncl u d i n g fel on y cas es i n su p eri o r c ou rt

. On t h e m o rn i n g o f

Ap ri l 1

, 2 0 1 5

, Ro b ert Co x was arrai g n ed in s t at e co u rt fo r m i s d em ean o r s ho p l i ft i n g.

Co x at t em

p t ed t o p l ead g u i lt y t o t h e m i sd em ean or, bu t t h e p ro s ecu t o r an no u n ced h i s

i n t en t i o n t o t ran s fer th e cas e t o s u p eri o r co u rt an d ch arg e Co x wi t h a fel o n y p u rs u an t

t o OCGA § 1 6 -8 -1 4 (c). Th e ju d g e ad v is ed Co x t o co ns u l t wi t h an at to rn ey

.

Lat er t h at day

, C ox w e nt t o Z e h’ s p r iv at e p ract i ce o ffi ce, seek i n g rep res en t at i o n

o n t h e f e l o n y ch arg e. Zeh ’ s s ecret ary co n t act ed t h e o ffi ce o f t h e s o li ci t o r, wh o

co n fi rm ed t h at Co x ’ s ch arg e w o u l d b e i n creas ed t o a fel o n y an d t ran s ferred to

s u p eri o r co u rt

. Co x ag reed t o co m p en s at e Zeh $2 ,5 0 0 fo r hi s pro fes s i o n al s erv i ces

reg ard i n g t h e fel on y ch arg e, an d Co x ’ s m o t h er, Barb ara Ham i l t o n

, m ai l ed a ch eck to

Zeh th a t d ay

. T h e cas e was t ran s ferred t o s u p eri o r co u rt fi v e d ay s lat er, an d Zeh

u l t i m at el y

s ecu red a d i s m i s sal o f t h e fel o n y ch arg e ag ai n s t Co x

.

Th ree y ears l at er, t h e ACLU p u b l i s h ed a bl o g p o s t t it l ed

, “ G l yn n Co u n t y

,

Geo rg i a’ s Cro o k ed Pu b l i c Defen d er[.] ” Th e b l og p o s t b eg an :

As t h e pu b l i c d efen der fo r Gl y nn Co un t y

, Geo rg i a, Rei d Zeh i s en t ru s ted

wi t h ad v o cat i n g fo r t h e m o s t v u l n erab l e m em b ers o f h i s c o m m

u n i t y

wh en t h ey

co m e u p ag ai n s t t h e cri m i n al ju s t i ce s y s t em

. Rat h er t h an d o

h i s jo b, h o wev er, Z eh ro u t i n el y ig n o res h is c l i e n t s o r wo rs e

— ex t o rt s

2t h em t o en ri ch h im s el f. Th at ’ s wh at h ap p en ed wh en Ro b ert Co x an d h i s

7 5 -y ear-o l d m ot h er, Barb ara Ham il t on

, cam e to Zeh fo r leg al as si st an ce

aft er Co x was ch arg ed wi t h a m i s d em ean o r. In s tead o f l o o ki n g o u t fo r

h i s cl i en t ’ s i n teres t s

, Zeh t o o k ad v an t ag e o f t h e fam i l y b y ch arg i n g th em

$ 2 ,5 0 0 fo r s erv ices t h at s h o u l d h av e b een free-o f-ch arg e.

Th e b l o g p o s t wen t o n to s t at e t hat Zeh ’ s b eh av i or, w h i c h i n cl u d ed i g n o ri n g

Co x o ver t h e n ex t t wo y ears

, was co n s i s t en t w i t h t h e ex p eri en ces o f t h e A C L U ’ s

o ri g i nal t wo cl i en t s i n t h e A C LU’ s p en d i n g l aws u it ag ai ns t Zeh an d o th ers

. Th e

ACLU co n t i n u ed : “ Th at ’ s wh y t h i s week we’ re s eek i n g p erm i ss i o n fro m t h e [fed eral

d i s t r i c t ] c o u rt t o ad d Co x an d Ham i l t o n t o ou r l aws u i t ag ai n s t Zeh fo r h i s ro le in

p erp et u at i n g Gl y n n Co un ty ’ s weal t h -b as ed i n carce r at i o n s y s t em an d fo r fai l i n g to

p ro v id e l eg al as s i s t an ce t o h is cl i en t s wh o can n o t affo rd a p ri v at e at t orn ey .” 3

Th e ACLU al s o l i n k ed to t he art i cl e i n a p ai d ad v ert i s em en t o n F a c e b o o k,

wh i ch i n cl u d e d a p i c t u re o f Zeh wi t h t h e h ead li n e: “ Rat h er t h an t ry i n g t o g et h i s

cl i en ts o u t o f jai l , t h i s p u b l i c d efen d er ex t o rt s m on ey fro m t h em .”

In Au gu s t 2 01 8

, Zeh su ed b o t h th e ACLU an d Bru n s wi ck N ews Pu b l i s h i n g Co

.

(“ News p ap er”), wh i ch h ad ru n a n ews art icl e wi t h t h e h ead l in e, “ ACLU a l l eg es

3 Acco rd i n g t o t h e ACLU, t h e b l o g p os t i n cl ud ed a h y p erl in k

, co nn ect ed t o t h e

p h ras e “ s eek i n g p erm i s s i o n ” in t h e su m m ary p arag rap h

, to t h e rel ev an t cas e fi l i n g s

.

3l awy er ‘ ex to rt ed ’ arres t ee’ s m o t h er fo r s o n ’ s defen s e[.] ” Aft er heari ng o ral arg u m en t

,

t h e t ri al c o u rt g ran ted News p ap er’ s m o t i o n to d is m i ss an d den i ed th e ACLU’ s

m o ti o n

. Th e ACLU fi l ed t h i s ap p eal

.

“ W e rev i ew d e n o vo t he t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f [a d efen d an t ’ s ] m o t i o n to

d i s m i s s

. In rev i ewi n g t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er, we co n s t ru e t h e p lead i n g s in t h e l i g ht

m o st fav o rab l e t o th e p l ai n t i ff wi t h an y d o u b t s res o lv ed i n th e p l ai n t i ff’ s fav or.” 4

W i th t h es e g u id in g p ri n ci p l es i n m i n d , we t u rn n ow t o t h e ACLU’ s cl ai m o f erro r.

Th e ACLU arg u es th at th e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i n g i t s m o t i o n t o d i s m i ss

b ecau s e i t s s tat em en t s w ere p ro t ect ed u n d er t h e an t i-SLAPP st at ut e an d Z eh was n ot

l i kel y t o s u cceed o n h i s d efam at i o n cl ai m

.

Th e s t at ed p u rp o s e o f Geo rg i a’ s an t i -SLAPP s t at u t e i s “ t o en co u rag e

p art i ci p at i o n b y

t h e ci t i zen s o f Geo rg i a in m at t ers o f p u b l i c s i g n ifi can ce an d p u b l i c

i n t eres t t hro u g h t h e ex erci s e o f t h ei r co n s t i t u ti o n al ri g ht s of p et i t i o n an d freed o m o f

s p eech

. ” 5 Th e G en eral As s em b l y fo u n d an d d ecl ared fu rt h er t h at “ th e v al i d ex erci s e

o f t h e co n s t i t u ti on al ri g ht s of pet i t i o n an d freed o m o f s p eech s h ou l d n o t b e c h i l l ed

4 RCO Leg a l

, P. S.

, 3 4 7 Ga. A p p

. a t 6 6 1 -6 6 2 (ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

5 OCGA § 9 -1 1 -1 1

. 1 (a).

4t h ro u g h ab u s e o f t h e ju d i ci al pro ces s

. To acco m p l i s h t h e d ecl arat i o n s p ro v i d ed fo r

u n d er t h i s s u b s ect i on , t h i s Co de s ect i o n s h al l b e co n s t ru ed b ro ad l y .” 6

Twen t y y ears aft er en act i n g G eo rg i a’ s an t i -SLAPP s tat u t e, t h e Gen eral

As s em b l y s u b s t an t i al l y ch an ged i t i n 2 01 6

, “ fu n d am en tal l y al t er[i n g ] t h e m ech an i cs

o f t h e an t i -SLAPP p ro ced ure.” 7 Un d er t h e n ew p ro ced u re,

t h e an al y si s o f an an t i -SLAPP m o t i o n i n vo l ves t wo s t ep s

. Fi rs t

, t h e co u rt

m u s t d eci d e wh et her t he p art y fi l i n g t h e an t i -SLAPP m o t i o n (u s u al l y

,

t h e d efen d an t) h as m ad e a t h res h ol d s h o wi n g t h at t he ch al l en g ed cl ai m

i s o n e “ ari si n g fro m ” p ro t ect ed act i v i ty

. It i s n o t en o ug h t o s h o w t h at th e

cl ai m was fi l ed aft er pro tect ed act i v i t y t o o k p lace o r arg u ab l y m ay h av e

b een “ t ri g g ered ” b y p ro t ect ed act i v i t y

. Th e cri t i cal co n s id erat i o n i s

wh et h er t h e cau se o f act i o n i s bas ed o n t h e defen d an t ’ s p ro tect ed free

s p eech o r p et i t i o n in g act i vi t y

. A d efen d an t m eet s i t s b u rd en b y

d em o ns trat in g th at th e act u n d er l yi n g t h e ch al l en g ed cl ai m co u l d

reas o n ab l y b e co n s t ru ed as fi t t i n g wi t h i n o n e o f t h e c a t eg ori es s p el led

o u t i n OCGA § 9 -1 1 -1 1 .1 ( c )

. I f a co u rt co n cl u d es t h at t h i s t h res h o l d

s h o wi n g h as been m ad e, i t m us t p ro ceed t o t h e seco n d s t e p o f th e

an al y s i s an d d eci de wh et h er t h e p lai n t i ff h as es t ab l is h ed t h at t h ere i s a

p ro b ab i l i t y t hat t h e p l ai n t i ff wi l l p rev ai l o n t h e cl ai m

. To m ee t t h i s

b u rd en

, t h e p l ai n t iff m

u s t d em o n s t rat e t h at t h e co m p l ai n t i s b o th l eg al l y

6 Id

.

7 W i lkes & McHu g h

, P. A. v. LTC Co n s u l ti n g

, L. P.

, 3 06 Ga. 2 5 2, 2 5 7 -2 5 8 (2 )

(8 3 0 SE2 d 1 1 9 ) (2 0 1 9 ).

5s u ffi ci en t an d su p po rt ed b y a s u ffi ci en t p ri m a faci e s h o wi n g o f fact s t o

s u s t ai n a fav o rab l e ju d g m en t i f t h e ev i d en ce s ub m i t t ed b y t h e p l ai n ti ff

i s cred i t ed

. 8

Al t h ou g h Zeh arg u es th at h e was n o t a p ub l i c o f f i c i a l

, he d o es n o t ap p ear to

d i s p u t e th at t h e ACLU m et i t s t h res h o l d s h o wi n g t h at t he cl ai m was o ne “ ari s i n g

fro m ” p ro t ect ed act i v i t y

. 9 Th u s

, we t u rn t o t h e s eco n d qu es t i o n: wh et h e r Z e h h as

es t ab l i s h ed t h at t h ere i s a p ro b ab i l i t y t h at h e wi l l p rev ai l o n h i s cl ai m

.

“ A d efam at i o n cl ai m req ui res p ro o f o f fo u r el em en t s: (1 ) a fal se an d d efam at o ry

s t at em en t co n cern i n g t h e p l ai n t i ff; (2 ) an u n p ri v i leg ed co m m u n i cat i o n t o a t h i rd

p art y ; (3 ) fau l t by t h e d efen dan t am o u n t i n g at l eas t to n eg l i g en c e ; a n d ( 4 ) s p eci al

h arm o r t h e act i o n ab i l i t y

o f t h e s t at em en t i rres p ect iv e o f s p eci al h arm .” 1 0

8 Id . at 2 6 1 -2 6 2 (2 ) (b ) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t ted ).

9 See OCGA § 9 -1 1 -1 1

. 1 (c) (3 -4 ) (“ As u s ed i n t hi s Co d e s ect i on

, t h e term ‘ act

i n fu rt heran ce o f t h e p ers o n’ s o r en t i t y ’ s ri g ht o f p et i t i o n o r free s p eech u n d er t h e

Co n s t i t u t i o n o f t he U n i t ed St at es o r th e Co n st i tu t i o n o f t h e St at e o f Geo rg i a in

co n nect io n wi th an i s s u e of p u b l i c in t eres t o r co n cern ’ sh al l i n cl u d e: [a] n y wri t t en o r

o ral s t at em en t o r w ri t in g o r p et i t i o n m a d e i n a p l ace o p en t o t h e p u b li c or a p u b l i c

fo ru m in co n n ect i o n w i t h a n i s s u e o f p u b l i c i n t eres t o r co ncern ; o r [a] n y o t h er

co n du ct i n f

u r t h e r a n c e o f t he ex erci s e of t h e co n s t i t u t io n al ri g ht o f p et it io n o r free

s p eech i n co n n ect i o n wi t h a p u b l ic i s s u e or an i s s ue o f pu b li c co n cern .”); s ee

g en eral l y OCGA § 1 7-1 2-1 et s eq . (t h e Geo rg i a In d i g en t Defen s e Act o f 2 0 0 3 ).

1 0 Nef f v. McGee

, 34 6 G a

. A p p

. 5 2 2

, 5 2 5 (1 ), n

. 3 (8 1 6 SE2 d 48 6 ) (2 0 1 8 )

(ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at io n o m i t ted ).

6I. A Fa l s e a n d Def

a ma t o r y S t a temen t Co n cer ni n g Zeh

Acco rd i ng to t h e co m

p l ai n t

, t h e A CLU fal sel y s tat ed t h at

, i n h i s ro le as a p u b l i c

d efen d er

, Z eh “ ex to rt ed ” h i s cl i en t s b y “ ch arg i n g t h em $ 2 ,5 00 fo r s erv i ces th at s h o u ld

h av e b een free-o f-ch arg e.” A l t ho u g h t h e ACLU arg u es t hat i t was m erel y s t at i n g an

o p i n i o n

, i t s ex pres si o n im p li es an as s ert i o n o f o b

ject i v e fact

. 1 1 As n o t ed ab o v e, Zeh

al l eg ed t h at he m ai n t ai n ed a pri v at e p ra c t i c e i n o rd er t o han d l e fel o n ies

. Accep t i n g

Zeh ’ s ev i d en ce as t ru e, h e has m ad e a su ffi ci en t p ri m a faci e sh o w i n g t o es t ab l i s h t h at

t h e o b j ect i v e fact s were fal se an d d efam at ory

. 1 2

II. An Un p r i vi l eg ed

Co mmu n i ca t io n t o a Th i r d Pa r t y

Al t h ou g h “ ch arg es

, al l eg at i on s

, an d av erm en t s co n t ai n ed i n [co u rt ] p lead i n g s ”

g en eral l y en

jo y an ab so l u t e p ri v i l eg e, t h e co m m u n i cat io n s at i s s u e h ere are t h o s e t h at

ap p eared i n t h e ACLU’ s b l o g p o s t an d Faceb o o k ad v ert i s em en t an d a r e t h u s n ot

ab s o lu t el y p ri v i leg ed u n d er OCGA § 5 1-5 -8

. 1 3 Ce r t a i n o t her co m m u n i cat i o n s are

1 1 See Ei d s o n v. Ber r

y , 2 0 2 Ga. Ap p . 5 8 7 (4 1 5 SE2 d 1 6 ) (1 9 9 2 ).

1 2 See W i l kes & McHu gh , 3 0 6 Ga. at 2 6 4 (4 ).

1 3 OCGA § 5 1 -5 -8 p ro vi d es :

Al l ch arg es , al l eg at i o n s , an d av erm en t s co n t ai ned i n reg u l ar p l ead i n g s

f i l e d i n a co u rt o f co m

p et en t j u ri s d i ct i o n

, wh i ch are p ert i n en t an d

m at eri al t o t h e rel i ef s o u g h t

, wh et h er leg al l y s u ffi ci en t to o bt ai n i t o r

7co n di t i o n al l y pri v i l eg ed wh ere t h ey are m ad e i n g o o d f a i t h

. 1 4 Ho wev er, Zeh h as

es t ab l i s h ed a p ri m a faci e cas e t h at t h e ACLU d i d n o t m ak e i ts s tat em en t s i n g o o d

fai t h

, an d t h at t h e s t at em en t s are t h u s n o t p ri v i leg ed u n der OCGA § 5 1-5 -7

. 1 5

“ St at em en t s are d eem ed t o h av e n o t b een m ad e i n g o o d fai t h, b u t rat h er wi th

m a l i c e

, i f t h e ev i d en ce s h o ws in a cl ear an d co n v i n ci n g m an n er t h at a d efen d an t i n

n o t

, are p ri v i l e g ed

. Ho wev er fal se an d m al i ci o u s s u ch ch arg es

, al l eg at i o n s, an d av erm en t s m ay b e, t h ey s h al l n o t b e d eem ed l i b el o u s

.

1 4 OCGA § 5 1 -5 -7 p ro vi d es :

Th e fo l l owi n g co m

m u ni cat io n s are d eem ed p ri v il eg ed : (1 ) St at em en t s

m ad e i n g o o d fai t h i n t h e p erfo rm an ce o f a p ub l i c d u t y ; (2 ) St at em en t s

m ad e i n g oo d fai t h i n t h e p erfo rm an ce o f a l eg al o r m o ral p ri v at e d ut y ;

(3 ) St at em en t s m ad e wi t h a g o o d fai t h i n t en t o n t he p art o f t h e sp eak er

t o p ro t ect h i s o r h e r i nt eres t i n a m at t er in wh i ch i t i s co n cern ed ; (4 )

St at em en t s m ad e i n g o od fai t h as p art o f an act in fu rt heran ce o f th e

p ers on ’ s o r en t it y ’ s ri g h t o f pet i t i o n or f r e e s p eech u n der th e

C o n s t it u t i o n o f t h e Un i t ed St at es o r t h e Co ns t i t u t i o n o f t h e S t a t e o f

Geo rg i a i n co nn ect i o n wi t h an i ss u e o f p ub l i c i n t eres t o r co n cern

, as

d efi n ed i n s u b s ect io n (c) o f Co d e Sect i o n 9-1 1 -1 1 .1 ; (5 ) Fai r an d ho n es t

rep o rt s o f t h e p ro ceed i n gs o f l eg i s l at i v e o r ju d i ci al b o d i es ; (6 ) Fai r an d

h o n e s t r ep o rt s o f co u rt p ro ceed i n g s ; (7 ) Co m m en t s o f co u ns el

, fai rl y

m ad e, o n th e ci rcu m s tan ces o f a cas e i n wh i ch h e o r s h e i s i n v o lv ed an d

o n t h e co n d uct o f t h e p a r t i es i n co nn ect i o n t h erewi t h ; (8 ) Tru th fu l

rep o r t s o f in fo rm at i on recei v ed fro m an y arres ti n g o ffi cer o r p o l i ce

au t h ori t i es ; an d (9 ) Co m m en t s u p o n t h e act s o f p u b l i c m en o r pu b l i c

wo m en i n t hei r p u b li c cap aci t y an d wi t h referen ce t heret o

.

1 5 See S m i t h v. Di

Fr an ces co

, 3 4 1 Ga. Ap p

. 7 8 6

, 7 9 0-7 9 1 (2 ) (8 02 SE2 d 6 9 )

(2 0 1 7) (rev ers in g s u m

m ary ju d g m en t).

8fact en t ert ai ned s eri o u s d ou b t s as t o th e t ru t h o f h i s s t at em e n t s.” 1 6 Co n st ru ed i n t h e

l i gh t m o s t fav o rab l e to Zeh

, Zeh d i d n o t rep res en t Co x u n t i l aft er th e p ro s ecu t o r h ad

ex p res s ed h i s in ten t i n o p en co urt t o t ran s fer t h e s h o p li ft i n g ch arg e t o s u p eri o r co u rt

an d ch arg e Co x wi t h a fel o n y

. Su c h t ran s fer hap p en ed a few d ay s l at er, m o re t h an

t h ree y ears b efo re t he ACLU m ad e t h e s t at em en t s at i s s u e.

III. Fa u lt b y ACLU Amo u n t i n g a t

Lea s t t o Neg l i g en ce

Zeh h as m ad e a p ri m a faci e s h o wi n g t h at , as a p art -t i m e m i s d em ean o r p u b l i c

d efen d er, h e i s n o t a p u b l ic o ffi ci al 1 7 u n d er t h e s tan d ard o f New Y o r k Ti m es Co

. v.

S u l l i v a n

. 1 8 He h as al s o m ad e a p ri m a faci e sh o w in g t h at t h e ACLU s ho u l d h av e

d et erm i n ed fro m p ub li c co urt reco rd s w h et h er t h ere was an y t r u t h t o Co x ’ s

co n ten t i o n s

. 1 9

1 6 Nef f , 3 4 6 Ga. Ap p. at 5 2 7 (1 ) (a) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

1 7 See El l er b ee v. Mi ll

s , 2 6 2 Ga. 5 1 6, 5 1 6 -5 1 7 (1 ) (4 2 2 SE2 d 5 3 9 ) (1 9 9 2 ).

1 8 3 7 6 U

. S. 2 5 4

, 2 7 9 -2 8 0 (II) (8 4 SCt 7 10

, 1 1 LE2 d 68 6 ) (1 96 4 ) (req u i ri n g a

p u b l i c o ffi ci al t o s h o w act ual m al i ce i n an act i o n ag ai ns t cri t i cs o f h i s o ffi ci al

co n du ct ); s ee al s o i d . at 2 8 3 (III), n . 2 3 (d ecl i ni n g “ t o d et erm i n e h o w far d o wn i n to

t h e l o wer ran ks o f g ov ern m en t em p l o y ees th e ‘ p u bl i c o ffi ci al ’ d es ig n at i o n wo u l d

ex t en d fo r p u rp o s es o f t h i s ru l e[ ] ”).

1 9 In Co x ’ s J u ne 1 5 , 2 01 8 d ecl arat i o n , at t ach ed t o t h e m o t i o n fo r l eav e t o fi l e

an am en ded co m

pl ai n t i n t h e fed eral act i o n

, C o x st at ed t h at h e s t ru g g l ed wi t h an

al co h o l ab u s e di s o rd er an d t h at h e h ad b een ch arg ed wi t h m i s dem ean o rs i n Gl y n n

9IV. S p eci al Ha r m o r

Act i o n a b i l i t

y Ir r es p ect ive o f S p eci a l Ha r m

Zeh al leg ed sp eci al dam ag es b y av erri n g

, i n t er al i a, t h at h i s f i r m ’ s m o n t h l y

i n co m e d ro p p ed s ig n i fi can t ly as a res u l t o f t h e ACLU’ s st at em en t s an d t h e res u l t i n g

d a m ag e t o Zeh ’ s rep u tat i o n

. Fu rt h er, d am ag e i s i nferred b ecau s e Zeh es t ab l i s h ed a

p ri m a cas e t hat t h e s tat em en ts co n s t i t u t ed d efam at i o n p er s e. 2 0

Acco rd i ng l y

, we co n cl u d e t h a t t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n ot err i n d en y i n g t h e

ACLU’ s m o t io n t o di s m is s becau s e Zeh es tab l i s h ed t h at t h ere was a p ro b ab i l i t y t h at

h e wi ll p rev ai l o n h i s d efam at i o n cl ai m

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ma r

kl e a n d Co l vi n , JJ., co ncu r

.

Co u n t y m o re t i m es t han he co u l d rem em b er. Ac co rd in g t o Co x

, h i s at t o rn ey s h ad

“ refres h ed [h i s ] m em o ry b y sh ari ng a h an d fu l o f [h i s ] co u rt reco rd s

. ” C o x s t at ed :

“ Bas ed o n rev i ewi n g th os e reco rd s

, I can de s c r i b e a f ew o f m y cas es o v er t h e las t

s ev eral m o n t hs .” “ In o n e cas e aft er ap p ro x im at el y s ev en arres t s ,” Co x wen t t o h i s

co u rt d at e, wh ere t h e ju d g e “ d irect ed [h i m ] t o s ee t h e pu b l i c d efen der, M r. Zeh

. [Co x ]

wen t t o M r. Zeh ’ s offi ce ri g h t aft er co u rt

. Mr. Zeh i n d i ca t ed th at he wo u l d ch arg e

[Co x] an ad d i t io n al $ 2 ,5 0 0 t o rep res en t m e as m y p u bl i c d efen d er.”

2 0 See Co tt r el l v. S

mi t h , 2 9 9 Ga. 5 1 7 , 5 2 4 -5 2 5 (II) (7 8 8 SE2 d 7 7 2 ) (2 0 1 6 ).

10