From yesterday’s decision by Judge Patti Saris (D. Mass.) in Steiner v. eBay, Inc. (see this post for more on the criminal prosecution):
The court dismissed some of the claims, but allowed the intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress claims to go forward. It also allowed the negligent supervision and retention claims to go forward:
And it allowed a claim to go forward under the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act:
Plaintiffs’ defamation claim could go forward as well:
Plaintiffs’ trespass claim (based on “Gilbert [allegedly having] entered the Steiners’ property and wrote ‘Fidomaster’ in graffiti on their fence, thus defacing and vandalizing the Steiners’ property” and “Baugh, Harville, and Zea [allegedly having] approached the Steiners’ home and attempted to install a GPS on the Steiners’ vehicle”) survived as well. And “Plaintiffs have stated a plausible claim for false imprisonment because the Steiners were confined to their home out of fear for their lives based on Defendants’ death threats.”
Plaintiffs are represented by Jillise M. McDonough and Rosemary C. Scapicchio, both of the Law Office of Rosemary C. Scapicchio.