Tichinin

Tichinin v. City of Morgan Hill

Good Law

177 Cal. App. 4th 1049·2009 Cal. App. LEXIS 1557·99 Cal. Rptr. 3d 661

Court of Appeal of CaliforniaSeptember 21, 2009H031019California15,843 words

Opinion

Rushing, J.

I. Statement of the Case

In 2004, the Morgan Hill City Council adopted a resolution that condemned Bruce Tichinin, a local attorney, for hiring a private investigator to conduct surveillance of the city manager and then denying that he had done so. Thereafter, Tichinin filed an action against the city under 42 United States Code section 1983 (hereafter 1983 action) alleging that the city unlawfully retaliated against him for exercising his constitutional rights. The city answered and then filed an anti-SLAPP motion under Code of Civil Procedure section 425.16 to strike the action. (Bradbury v. Superior Court (1996) 49 Cal.App.4th 1108, 1117-1118 [ 57 Cal.Rptr.2d 207 ] [§425.16 applies to federal claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 ]; accord, Vergos v. McNeal (2007) 146 Cal.App.4th 1387, 1392, fn. 4 [ 53 Cal.Rptr.3d 647 ].) After a hearing, the trial court granted the anti-SLAPP motion, struck the amended complaint, awarded the city attorney fees, and entered judgment.

On appeal, Tichinin claims the court erred in granting the motion.

We agree and reverse the judgment.

II. Background

In 2002, a rumor circulated in the City of Morgan Hill (City) that J. Edward Tewes (Tewes),…

Sign in to read the full opinion

Create a free account to read the complete opinion text, citation history, and good-law status for this case.

Parties

BRUCE TICHININ
Plaintiff
CITY OF MORGAN HILL
Defendant

Judges

Rushing

Cites (120)

57 Cal. Rptr. 2d 207
146 Cal. App. 4th 1387
37 Cal. 4th 1048
140 Cal. App. 4th 515
29 Cal. 4th 53
31 Cal. 4th 728
29 Cal. 4th 82
148 Cal. App. 4th 71
120 Cal. App. 4th 90
39 Cal. 4th 260
28 Cal. 4th 811
121 Cal. App. 4th 883
451 U.S. 527
474 U.S. 327
526 U.S. 40
554 F.3d 216
480 F.3d 259
202 F.3d 676
290 F.3d 252
156 F.3d 673
557 F.3d 541
262 F.3d 847
192 F.3d 1283
258 F.3d 1167
423 F.3d 1247
487 U.S. 42
313 U.S. 299
457 U.S. 922
168 Cal. App. 4th 165
437 F.3d 923
158 Cal. App. 4th 950
37 Cal. App. 4th 8
188 F.3d 788
410 F.3d 1180
944 F.2d 1525
418 U.S. 323
508 U.S. 49
424 U.S. 1
391 U.S. 367
389 U.S. 217
377 U.S. 1
694 F.2d 1358
174 F.3d 1337
769 F.2d 842
271 F.3d 955
547 U.S. 250
404 F. Supp. 2d 1214
12 F.3d 155
466 U.S. 668
14 Cal. 4th 325
942 F.2d 236
46 Cal. App. 3d 675
47 Cal. 3d 863
49 Cal. App. 3d 917
892 F.2d 686
17 F. Supp. 2d 394
51 Cal. App. 4th 584
86 Cal. App. 4th 280
472 U.S. 479
323 U.S. 516
470 U.S. 598
308 U.S. 147
448 U.S. 555
408 U.S. 665
695 F.2d 807
486 U.S. 750
695 F.2d 1278
723 F. Supp. 128
765 F. Supp. 1066
378 F. Supp. 2d 534
438 F. Supp. 2d 504
384 U.S. 214
354 U.S. 476
427 F.3d 197
177 Cal. App. 3d 509
110 Cal. App. 4th 156
924 F. Supp. 1413
487 F.2d 986
309 F.3d 144
538 U.S. 343
393 U.S. 503
418 U.S. 405
385 F.3d 274
483 U.S. 378
439 U.S. 410
994 F.2d 905
47 Cal. App.4th <em> 777 </em>
42 Cal. App. 4th 1170
477 U.S. 299
107 F.3d 380
677 F.2d 622
219 F.3d 1197
130 F.3d 246
79 F.3d 318
475 U.S. 469
445 U.S. 622
453 U.S. 247
922 F.2d 618
748 F.2d 1142
227 F.3d 1090
401 U.S. 37
390 U.S. 611
511 U.S. 661
173 Cal. App. 4th 1325
130 Cal. App. 4th 1563
92 Cal. App. 4th 1068
139 Cal. App. 4th 659
365 U.S. 127
381 U.S. 657
22 Cal. 4th 316
40 Cal. 4th 33
159 Cal. App. 4th 381
536 U.S. 516
208 F.3d 885
182 F.3d 1132
42 Cal. 4th 1077
169 Cal. App. 4th 533
138 Cal. App. 4th 1342
429 U.S. 274
67 Cal. App. 4th 779