Jankovic v. Int'l. Crisis Grp., No. 09-7044

In a defamation action regarding defendant's statement that plaintiff was involved in "crony companies" associated with former Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic, dismissal of the complaint is affirmed in part where plaintiff's claim of intentional interference with a business expectancy failed because he did not identify a specific potential transaction that he lost because of defendant's statements.  However, the order is reversed in part where: 1) defendant's statements were not fair or accurate reports of a government document; and 2) a conclusion based on a misstatement of fact was not protected by the fair comment privilege.

Read Jankovic v. Int'l. Crisis Grp., No. 09-7044

Appellate Information

Argued November 16, 2009

Decided January 29, 2010

Judges

Opinion by Judge Williams

Counsel

For Appellant:

William T. O'Brien, Lisa M. Norrett and John W. Lomas Jr., McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, Washington, DC

For Appellee:

Amy L. Neuhardt and Jonathan L. Greenblatt, Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, Washington, DC