May 03, 2017

Venable Achieves Favorable Jury Verdict on behalf of Univision in Social Media Defamation Suit

2 min

Los Angeles, CA (May 3, 2017) – After a nearly two-week trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, Venable achieved a favorable result on behalf of its client, Univision Communications Inc., in a defamation case involving social media.

In Sintia Marroquin v. Univision Communications Inc., plaintiff claimed that Univision portrayed her in a false light by using her photo without her consent in a post on the Facebook fan page for a local radio show.‎

At the conclusion of the trial, plaintiff asked the jury to award compensatory damages of over $7 million in addition to punitive damages, for a total award as high as $77 million. In closing arguments, Univision's lead trial counsel, Jessica Grant, emphasized that the evidence did not support plaintiff's damages claims, much less an award of punitive damages. After deliberating for four hours, the jury returned a verdict of $72,025‎ in compensatory damages, and found that the company was not liable for punitive damages‎.

The trial team consisted of Venable partners Jessica Grant and Celeste Brecht and associate Brian Featherstun. Plaintiff was represented by The Cochran Firm.

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Venable LLP is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC that serves as primary counsel to a worldwide clientele of large and mid-sized organizations, nonprofits, and high-net-worth entrepreneurs and individuals. With over 600 attorneys across the country, including California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC, the firm strategically advances its clients’ business objectives in the U.S. and around the globe. Venable advises clients on a broad range of business and regulatory law, legislative affairs, complex litigation, and the full range of intellectual property disciplines.