Top court refuses to hear appeal of hate speech defamation award
OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear an appeal by self-styled free-speech crusader Paul Fromm against a $30,000 defamation penalty.
Fromm was seeking to overturn lower court rulings that found he maliciously defamed a former investigator for the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
Fromm's web postings were directed at Richard Warman, a lawyer who has made a career of going after hate speech on the Internet.
Fromm didn't dispute that he'd labelled Warman a "high priest of censorship" - among other things - but argued it was fair comment and without malice.
Last December, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a trial award of $30,000 against Fromm, and added $10,000 in legal costs.
The Supreme Court refused to hear Fromm's appeal and, as is usual with leaves to appeal, provided no reasons.
Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
UPDATE: Fromm's appeal has been dismissed. With costs.
Paul Fromm et al. v. Richard Warman (Ont.) (Civil) (By Leave) (32990)
Coram: Binnie / Fish / Abella
Another Ha ha!
OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear an appeal by self-styled free-speech crusader Paul Fromm against a $30,000 defamation penalty.
Fromm was seeking to overturn lower court rulings that found he maliciously defamed a former investigator for the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
Fromm's web postings were directed at Richard Warman, a lawyer who has made a career of going after hate speech on the Internet.
Fromm didn't dispute that he'd labelled Warman a "high priest of censorship" - among other things - but argued it was fair comment and without malice.
Last December, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a trial award of $30,000 against Fromm, and added $10,000 in legal costs.
The Supreme Court refused to hear Fromm's appeal and, as is usual with leaves to appeal, provided no reasons.
Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
UPDATE: Fromm's appeal has been dismissed. With costs.
Paul Fromm et al. v. Richard Warman (Ont.) (Civil) (By Leave) (32990)
Coram: Binnie / Fish / Abella
Another Ha ha!
Is this the big case where Fromm is trying to have the courts adjudicate on the constitutionality of the HRCS?
ReplyDeleteOr is that another thing altogether.
Hard to keep track of all the LOLawering being done.
Naw! That's Marc Lemire. This was just Fromm appealing a libel ruling against him. Still it's more grist for the mill.
ReplyDelete