Update on the Chesapeake Church/ Robert Hahn Lawsuit

If you want to follow what’s going on in the lawsuit, you can visit the Calvert County Clerks website. Click on “case records.” The case number is: C04CV22000142

All three defendants have filed anti-SLAPP motions to dismiss the lawsuit. 

What’s a SLAPP? SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Information. 

“Short for strategic lawsuits against public participation, SLAPPs have become an all-too-common tool for intimidating and silencing criticism through expensive, baseless legal proceedings.” (From the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.)

Unfortunately, Maryland has one of the weaker anti-SLAPP laws. My attorney has submitted a motion to dismiss or, in the alternative, a hearing for summary judgment. A summary judgment is a “judgment entered by a court for one party and against another party without a full trial based on a determination that no issues of fact exist with regard to essential aspects of the dispute and a judge can reach a determination as a matter of law with regard to legal issues.” The plaintiffs’ attorneys have filed oppositions to all three motions to dismiss, as was to be expected. 

Over the weekend, Hahn’s attorneys submitted his amended motions, which means that our attorneys need to rewrite their responses, which of course entails more money spent on this lawsuit.

However, if the judge decides not to grant (or only partially grant) our motions, I am more than ready to defend every single statement of fact I made.

I don’t get the sense that the other defendants plan to give up either.

So far, only Mary’s motion to dismiss hearing has been scheduled. The hearing is scheduled for 8/26/2022 at 9:00 am.

I would expect that the other subsequent hearings will be scheduled in the early fall. We will keep you apprised as this develops. All the documents that have been filed are public, and I encourage you to request them at the clerk’s office to read for yourself.

Thanks for your continued prayers!