Los Angeles Court Dismisses Libel Claim Over Landlord-Tenant Media Coverage

In a case stemming from a highly publicized landlord-tenant conflict, plaintiff Jane Doe sued Aleksandar Jovanovic and Nexstar Media Group, alleging they fabricated accusations and posted her image online, leading to threats against her as a sexual-assault survivor. The dispute was featured repeatedly on the Banfield show, hosted by Ashleigh Banfield, where the defendants were portrayed as central figures. On July 27, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gary Roberts applied California’s anti-SLAPP law, determining that the defendants’ statements were made in connection with a judicial proceeding and thus entitled to immunity.

The ruling also invoked the fair-and-true-report privilege, concluding that the broadcasts merely reported on the underlying litigation. Because the plaintiff could not demonstrate a legally sufficient claim, the court dismissed the libel action. The decision underscores the broad scope of anti-SLAPP protections for media reporting on public-interest matters.