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October 12, 2006
Google Wins Lawsuit Over Search Results--Maughan v. Google
By Eric Goldman
Maughan v. Google Technology, Inc., 2006 WL 2874791 (Cal. App. Ct. Oct 11, 2006)
In 2004, Mark Maughan sued Google over the way that Google crafts the site description part of its search results. As the minority opinion in this case describes it:
Mark G. Maughan and Brown & Maughan (the firm is included in my references to Maughan) filed this class action against Google Inc., seeking damages and injunctive relief for libel, products liability, and unfair business practices on the ground that a Google search for "Mark Maughan Accountancy" (or a variation on that theme) generates a list of websites "suggesting" he was disciplined by the California Board of Accountancy for "gross negligence" and accepting a contingent fee for the preparation of tax returns, which he says are "veritable scarlet letters in the accounting world." Maughan concedes he has been disciplined for other wrongful conduct, and that the allegedly libelous search results showed his name and, separated by ellipses, statements describing misconduct by other accountants in a listing of disciplinary actions created by the Board of Accountancy.
Not surprisingly, Google adopted its typically aggressive litigation strategy and went on the counteroffensive by filing an anti-SLAPP motion to strike. In an unreported Feb. 2005 decision, the trial court granted that motion. Not only did Google squelch the lawsuit, but it became eligible for attorneys' fees and costs. Google requested $112k but the trial court cut that to $23k.
In this decision, the appeals court upholds both the anti-SLAPP motion to strike and the award of $23k. Thus, this lame lawsuit has been quickly crushed (not surprising given its total lack of merit) and the plaintiff got stuck with an extra $23k expense for its efforts (and was lucky not to have to pay the full $112k--the trial court's haircut was pretty arbitrary). Plaintiffs beware--ill-conceived lawsuits against search engines can be expensive!
Posted by Eric at October 12, 2006 09:56 AM | Search Engines
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Comments
See:
http://login.findlaw.com/scripts/callaw?dest=ca/caapp4th/slip/2006/b183969.html
Posted by: Anonymous at October 13, 2006 11:50 AM
Hi Erik
Wow I can't beleive this guy even tried that on! 23k! Why didn't he just go do something else.
I mean, I've been to that page and from what I read this guy really has done something wrong in his industry and as a result he's been struck off for a year, and got fined $1,500 and costs, well now he's got another 23k to add to that, what an unusual story!
Best regard
Roger
Posted by: Roger Davies at October 21, 2006 01:27 AM