LOKHOVA v. HALPER

Nos. 20-1368, 20-1437.

995 F.3d 134 (2021)

Svetlana LOKHOVA, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Stefan A. HALPER; Dow Jones & Company, Incorporated, d/b/a The Wall Street Journal; The New York Times Company; WP Company LLC, d/b/a The Washington Post; NBCUniversal Media, LLC, d/b/a MSNBC, Defendants-Appellees, 29 Media Organizations; Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Amici Supporting Appellee. Svetlana Lokhova, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Stefan A. Halper, Defendant-Appellant, and Dow Jones & Company, Incorporated, d/b/a The Wall Street Journal; The New York Times Company; WP Company LLC, d/b/a The Washington Post; NBCUniversal Media, LLC, d/b/a MSNBC, Defendants, 29 Media Organizations; Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Amici Supporting Appellee.

United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.

Decided: April 15, 2021.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

ARGUED: Steven Scott Biss , LAW OFFICE OF STEVEN S. BISS, Charlottesville, Virginia, for Appellant/Cross-Appellee. Seth Daniel Berlin , BALLARD SPAHR, LLP, Washington, D.C.; Laura Rose Handman , DAVIS WRIGHT TREMAINE, LLP, Washington, D.C.; Terrance Gilroy Reed , LANKFORD & REED, PLLC, Alexandria, Virginia, for Appellees/Cross-Appellants. ON BRIEF: Robert D. Luskin , PAUL HASTINGS LLP, Washington, D.C.; Robert K. Moir , LANKFORD & REED, PLLC, Alexandria, Virginia, for Appellee/Cross-Appellant Stefan A. Halper. Matthew E. Kelley , BALLARD SPAHR LLP, Washington, D.C., for Appellee/Cross-Appellant Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and The New York Times Company. Dana R. Green , Legal Department, THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY, New York, New York, for Appellee/Cross-Appellant The New York Times Company. Eric J. Feder , Patrick J. Curran Jr., DAVIS WRIGHT TREMAINE LLP, Washington, D.C., for Appellees/Cross-Appellants WP Company, LLC and NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Bruce D. Brown , Katie Townsend , Caitlin Vogus , Lyndsey Wajert , REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, Washington, D.C., for Amici Curiae.

Affirmed by published opinion. Judge Thacker wrote the opinion, in which Judge Wynn joined. Judged Quattlebaum wrote an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part.


Svetlana Lokhova ("Appellant") sued Stefan Halper ("Appellee Halper") and various news organizations ("Media Appellees"), alleging defamation, civil conspiracy, and tortious interference with contract. The district court dismissed all of Appellant's claims, holding the majority of Appellant's defamation claims were barred...

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