Consumers Union SLAPPed by Consumers Union

In 2004, Sharper Image sued Consumers Union for its poor review of a Sharper Image air cleaning system in Consumer Reports. CU successfully invoked the California anti-SLAPP law to dismiss the case.

In dismissing the Sharper Image lawsuit, the court concluded that Sharper Image “ha[d] not shown that the test protocol used by Consumers Union was scientifically, or otherwise, invalid,” and had not “demonstrated a reasonable probability that any of the challenged statements were false.” The dismissal entitled CU to reimbursement for legal fees and costs, for which it collected $525,000 early in 2005.

See Sharper Image Corp. v. Consumers Union, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23204.