Safieddine

Filed 6/26/24; Certified for Publication 7/24/24 CA2/5 (order attached)

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION FIVE

ACHRAF SAFIEDDINE, B320642

Plaintiff and Appellant, (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. 21STCV04636) v.

MBC FZ, LLC, et al.,

Defendants and Respondents.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Monica Bachner, Judge. Affirmed. Dudorff Law and Janet Gusdorff for Plaintiff and Appellant. Ballard Spahr, Chad R. Bowman, Matthew S.L. Cate and Elizabeth L. Schilken for Defendants and Respondents.

___________________________ Plaintiff and appellant Achraf Safieddine brought suit against defendants and respondents MBC FZ, LLC, Al Arabiya Network FZ-LLC, and Middle East News FZ-LLC, seeking damages for an allegedly defamatory news story that ran on the Arabic language Al Arabiya news channel, which was rebroadcast in the U.S. via DISH network, and was also republished on Al Arabiya’s website and YouTube channel. Defendants collectively moved to quash on the basis of lack of personal jurisdiction. The trial court concluded there were…