Lawsuit by game developer against negative posters on Steam

[JasonPratt]

Aside from just being insane (a real possibility; I have a friend currently being hounded by a serial litigator who shows many signs of clinical insanity), my guess is that this lawsuit is meant to provide some kind of preparatory ground for something else. Like, if he can get any traction on it, he can parlay that into a lawsuit against Steam somehow by extrapolation since they didn't police the harassing comments sufficiently. Just a guess as to the strategy the guy might have in mind, if he even has one (regardless if the strategy is valid).

It may also be a cover to serve as a delaying tactic or enabler on another legal problem, like debtors trying to collect on him: look, I'm suing to get money to pay you back, so legally you can't touch me until the suit is resolved (or something like that, again regardless if the strategy is even valid). I've seen someone try this in real life at least once.

[Steelgrave]

Or if you apply Occam's Razor to the question, the developer could simply be a douche  O0

[dinsdale]

Is there any way that losers of a lawsuit can be made to pay for costs of the defense? Any way to get an early dismissal from a lawsuit that is clearly frivolous?

No, I'm not one of the defendants, but this is so clearly an unwinnable case it should be considered a tort to bring it. The entire review industry would cease should this case win Along with the entire editorial industry across every medium, in fact no one would ever be able to offer an opinion again without potentially being liable for damages. The insanity is that this can continue and cost the defendants money and/or time to defend themselves.

[Nefaro]

Is there any way that losers of a lawsuit can be made to pay for costs of the defense? Any way to get an early dismissal from a lawsuit that is clearly frivolous?

No, I'm not one of the defendants, but this is so clearly an unwinnable case it should be considered a tort to bring it. The entire review industry would cease should this case win Along with the entire editorial industry across every medium, in fact no one would ever be able to offer an opinion again without potentially being liable for damages. The insanity is that this can continue and cost the defendants money and/or time to defend themselves.

(my bold)


Yep.  This thing should be tossed out of court ASAP.  Ridiculous.

No wonder he can't find a lawyer to push it for him.  Or hasn't tried, since he sounds delusional anyway.

[glen55]

Is there any way that losers of a lawsuit can be made to pay for costs of the defense? Any way to get an early dismissal from a lawsuit that is clearly frivolous?

No, I'm not one of the defendants, but this is so clearly an unwinnable case it should be considered a tort to bring it. The entire review industry would cease should this case win Along with the entire editorial industry across every medium, in fact no one would ever be able to offer an opinion again without potentially being liable for damages. The insanity is that this can continue and cost the defendants money and/or time to defend themselves.

There is. It's not very easy to do, though. For starters, for purposes of a motion to dismiss a suit out of hand or a motion to sanction someone for filing, you have to assume that all allegations of fact in the complaint are true.

It's pretty easy to file and maintain a lawsuit, especially if your attorney has any kind of imagination and ingenuity.