Leita Walker

District Court decisions

• Talbot v. Ainuu et al., 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 36367 (D. Mont. March 1, 2024) (granting motion to dismiss to retailer and its social media influencer based on opinion doctrine and other defenses)
• Hovde et al. v. WinSenate PAC et al., No. 24CV1144 (Brown County, Wis., Circuit Court, February 27, 2025) (granting motion to dismiss to seven news organizations that aired political ad based on opinion doctrine)
• Colborn v. Netflix, No. 19-cv-0484-bhl, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40415 (E.D. Wis. March 10, 2023) (granting summary judgment in defamation lawsuit based on substantial truth, lack of actual malice, and other defenses)
• Clobes v. NBCUniversal Media, LLC, No. 21-CV-2117, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31617 (D. Minn. Feb. 27, 2023) (granting motion to dismiss defamation lawsuit based on statute of limitations and interpreting pandemic emergency provisions that suspended same)
• Cunningham v. Berlitz Languages, Inc. et al., No. 2020 CA 003260 B (D.C. Sup. Ct. ) (granting Anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss defamation lawsuit based on common interest privilege)
• Blessing et al. v. Cable News Network, Inc. et al., No. 2:20-cv-00015 (E.D. Ky) (granting motion to dismiss defamation and related claims for failure to state a claim, including because plaintiffs failed to plead statements were of and concerning them)
• State v. v. Chauvin et al., No. 27-CR-20-12646 (Henn. County Minn) (successfully opposing gag order, successfully moving for right of press and public to copy and distribute body camera footage filed with court in prosecution of officer charged with aiding and abetting murder of George Floyd, and successfully opposing motion by State to restrict audio-visual coverage of trial)
• Gray Media Group v. City of Watertown, New York, No. EF2020-862 (Jefferson County N.Y.) (granting petition to obtain report of employee investigation, even though allegations of wrongdoing found to be unsubstantiated and awarding attorneys’ fees)
• State v. Noor, No. 27-CR-18-6859 (Henn. County Minn.) (granting objections to closure of criminal trial and to restrictions placed on activities of sketch artist (March 20, 2018); granting motion to unseal names of jurors (July 10, 2020).
• Luna v. Univision Communications, Inc., No. 2019-016891-CA-01 (Fla. Cir. Ct., 11th Judicial Circuit, Nov. 2, 2019) (granting anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss for failure to plead actual malice).
• Restis v. American Interest, LLC, No. 2019 CA 004681B (D.C. Sup. Ct., Oct. 18, 2019) (granting anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss for failure to plead actual malice).
• U.S. v. Kealoha, No. 1:17-CR-00582 (D. Haw., May 15, 2019) (granting motion to strike journalist from trial witness list).
• U.S. v. McKinny, No. 1:18 CR 78 (W.D.N.C., Mar. 26, 2019) (quashing pre-trial subpoena served upon documentary production company).
• In re Ellison, slip op., No. 27-FA-11-7451 (Henn. County Minn. Oct. 12, 2018) (granting motion on behalf of Star Tribune Media Company LLC to intervene and unseal documents in Keith Ellison's divorce file; Court of Appeals denied subsequent petition for writ of prohibition).
• Smith v. Strong, slip op., No. CVCV039797 (Iowa Dist. Ct., Carroll County, May 21, 2018) (granting summary judgment to reporter and newspaper in libel and false light case brought by police officer; concluding that statements at issue were true, that plaintiff was a public figure and had failed to prove actual malice, and that statement that plaintiff was a "pedophile" was nonactionable opinion)
• In re Application of Petitioner Mahtani to Enforce a Subpoena, slip op., No. 27-cv-17-11589 (Henn. County Minn. Sept. 25, 2017) (denying motion to enforce a subpoena requesting unpublished information, including names of authors of news reports, pursuant to Minnesota's statutory reporters' privilege)
• In re Testolini and Bremer Trust N.A, slip op., No. 27-FA-06-3597 (Henn. County Minn. Dec. 21, 2016) (granting motion on behalf of Star Tribune Media Company LLC to intervene and unseal documents in Prince's divorce file; denial of motion to stay brought by ex-wife)