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The Climate Litigation Database
Litigation

Koch Industries, Inc. v. John Does 1-25

Date
2010
Geography
Utah
Part of
Koch Industries, Inc. v. John Does 1-25

About this case

Filing year
2010
Status
Memorandum decision and order issued granting defendants' motion to quash subpoenas, issue protective order, and dismiss complaint.
Geography
Docket number
2:10-cv-1275-DAK
Court/admin entity
United States → Federal Courts → D. Utah
Case category
Climate Change Protesters and Scientists → Protesters
Principal law
Lanham ActUnited States → Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection ActUnited States → Computer Fraud and Abuse ActUnited States → Contract LawUnited States → State Law—Common LawUnited States → State Law—Trademark InfringementUnited States → State Law—Unfair Competition
At issue
Company lawsuit against anonymous bloggers for posting fake press release concerning climate change.

Documents

Filing Date
Type
Action Taken
Document
Summary
05/09/2011
Decision
Memorandum decision and order issued granting defendants' motion to quash subpoenas, issue protective order, and dismiss complaint.
View
A federal court in Utah dismissed the lawsuit. In its decision, the court held that the company could not disclose the identities of any of the members of the organization, Youth for Climate Truth, that had put out the fake news release. In addition, the court held that the company’s trademarks had not been violated because there was no commercial competition between it and Youth for Climate Truth. It also dismissed the company’s claim that the copying of its website violated anti-computer hacking laws and the terms of use it posted.
12/28/2010
Complaint
Complaint filed.
View
Koch Industries filed a lawsuit seeking to punish anonymous pranksters who claimed in a fake press release posted on the internet that it was discontinuing funding to climate denial groups. The lawsuit alleged that defendants issued the fake press release and set up a fake website with the intent to deceive and confuse the public and to disrupt and harm Koch Industries’ business and reputation, and that as a result the company’s business and reputation were harmed.   

Summary

Company lawsuit against anonymous bloggers for posting fake press release concerning climate change.