Pierce

BACKGROUND

1. The original judgment In June 2017, plaintiff filed a complaint in propria persona against defendant and her then-husband, Jeff Heiple, alleging they had fabricated documents and taken other improper actions in an attempt to impose a lien on settlement proceeds plaintiff obtained in a separate lawsuit in San Bernardino.1 Defendant and Jeff Heiple did not respond to the complaint and the trial court entered defaults against them. Defendant later appeared and successfully moved to vacate the entry of default, contending plaintiff had not served her with the summons or complaint. The trial court vacated the entry of default over plaintiff’s opposition. Defendant then filed an anti-SLAPP special motion to strike all causes of action asserted against her. The trial court granted the motion, finding the causes of action arose from defendant’s filings in court actions and were shielded by the litigation privilege. Plaintiff did not appeal from the grant of the anti-SLAPP motion.

1 The complaint also listed two entity defendants, Heiple Family Trust and Heiple Homes doing business as Ten Mile Lake Properties LLC, but asserted no causes of action against them.

2 After…