Judge SLAPPs City of Santa Barbara over lawsuit against organizer of ballot initiative
The Santa Barbara Independent reports:
Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Thomas Anderle on Tuesday threw out a lawsuit by the City of Santa Barbara against a woman who organized a ballot initiative in that would give marijuana offenses by adults the lowest law enforcement priority. Heather Poet, the woman named in the lawsuit, filed a motion to strike the suit based on the state’s anti-SLAPP statute, which prevents strategic lawsuits that would limit public participation in the political process. The ACLU Drug Law Reform Project attorney who represented Poet praised the decision, calling it a \”resounding affirmation of voters’ right to de-prioritize marijuana enforcement.\”