Defamation suit dismissed under fair report privilege

A Pittsburgh attorney’s defamation lawsuit against a newspaper publishing company has been dismissed by U.S. District Judge Sean J. McLaughlin, who ruled that the content in question was permissible under the fair report privilege.

Joseph Hudak claimed that the Times Publishing Company, through the Erie Times-News, libeled him when  covering his 2005 arrest on five counts of stealing money from clients.  The reporter who covered the stories about Hudak, along with the managing editor of the Erie Times-News, were named as defendants in the case.