Brecht v. Hague

VERDICT

Trial
08/17/09 – 08/28/09

Summary

Defamation jury trial in King County, Washington. The case involved a political mailer distributed in October, 2007, during a King County Council campaign between Richard Pope and Jane Hague.

Paul Brecht had endorsed Pope. The plaintiff claimed that in response to Pope's mailer featuring Brecht's endorsement, Hague sent a mailer to approximately 24,000 households in the Bellevue area stating "Paul Brecht tops Pope's endorsement list. Brecht also tops law enforcement's list with multiple domestic violence arrests and at least one assault conviction." Plaintiff Brecht asserted that this statement was false.

Hague, who won the election, claimed that the arrests and conviction statement was based on, and supported by, publicly available records.

The jury found that the defendants did publish a defamatory statement about the plaintiff, but did not do so with knowledge of its falsity or reckless disregard with respect to its falsity.


Outcome

The jury found that the defendants had published defamatory statements but hadn't done so with knowledge or reckless disregard to its falsity.

Case Information
Attorneys
Witnesses
Plaintiff
Defense
Judge
John Erlick
Jurisdiction
Washington State Superior Court, King County
Court
King County Superior Court
Case Number
07-2-34389-0
Industry
Government
Practice Area
Defamation, Tort Law, Election Law
Plaintiff
Brecht, Paul
Defense
Hague, Jane
Expert Witnesses
    Lay Witnesses

    Sessions

    PM Session
    Other
    3 Chapters
    AUG
    17
    AUG
    18
    AUG
    19
    AUG
    20
    AUG
    24
    AUG
    25
    AM Session
    Other
    3 Chapters
    AUG
    26
    AUG
    28

    Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

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