KREEGER

Defendants, Donald M. Wanland and Law Offices of Wanland & Bernstein (Wanland & Bernstein), appeal from an order of the trial court denying their special motion to strike under the anti-SLAPP (anti-strategic lawsuit against public participation) statute (Code Civ. Proc., § 425.16 (hereafter section 425.16)). They contend plaintiffs, Christopher L. Kreeger and Mastagni, Holstedt & Amick, PC., the successor to Mastagni, Holstedt, & Chiurazzi, P.C. (Mastagni), failed to satisfy their burden of demonstrating a probability of prevailing on the merits. We disagree and affirm the order.

FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

This is the third in a series of lawsuits stemming from a minor automobile accident in 1999. We take judicial notice of our decision from an earlier appeal in one of these actions (Wanland v. Law Offices of Mastagni, Holstedt & Chiurazzi (Mar. 30, 2004, C042918) [nonpub. opn.] (hereafter C042918)). (Evid. Code, § 452, subd. (c).)

On August 3, 1999, Shannon Mello and Georgia Wanland were involved in an automobile accident. At the time of the accident, Mello was a clerical employee of Mastagni. She reported the accident to Michael Kelly, a Mastagni attorney. Georgia Wanland…