Explore 26 first amendment free speech court cases in Ohio. AI-powered summaries, key holdings, and legal analysis.
Defamation suit affirmed; plaintiff failed to prove actual malice.
Evans v. Myers, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on March 26, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Evans, sued the defendant, Myers, for defamation after Myers posted allegedly fa...
Court Affirms Summary Judgment in Defamation Case
Jackson v. Kinkaid, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on March 25, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Jackson, sued the defendant, Kinkaid, for defamation, alleging that Kinkaid ...
Court finds some online statements may be defamatory, remands case
Morgan v. Keenan, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on March 25, 2026, resulted in a remanded outcome. The plaintiff, Morgan, sued the defendant, Keenan, for defamation after Keenan posted allegedly fa...
Ohio Court Affirms Dismissal of Defamation Claim Due to Lack of Damages
Whitney v. Baker, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on March 25, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Whitney, sued the defendant, Baker, for defamation after Baker posted allegedl...
Statements of opinion and substantially true statements are not defamatory.
Peters v. Lawson, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on March 17, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Peters, sued the defendant, Lawson, for defamation after Lawson posted alleged...
Appellate court allows defamation claim to proceed over online statements
Mesenbrick v. Hartley, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on March 13, 2026, resulted in a mixed outcome. The plaintiff, Mesenbrick, sued the defendant, Hartley, for defamation after Hartley posted alle...
Ohio Court Affirms City Zoning Ordinance Against "Adult" Entertainment Sales
State ex rel. Zoldan v. Giulitto, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on March 9, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The core dispute involved whether the City of Cleveland's zoning ordinance, wh...
Statements of Opinion Protected from Defamation Claims
Cole v. Schoenberger, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on March 3, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Cole, sued the defendant, Schoenberger, for defamation after Schoenberger p...
Statements Found to be Opinion or Substantially True, Defamation Claim Fails
Evans v. Gardner, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on March 2, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Evans, sued the defendant, Gardner, for defamation after Gardner posted alleged...
Court Rules Online Statements Were Opinion, Not Defamation
Morgensen v. Pullin, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on March 2, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Morgensen, sued the defendant, Pullin, for defamation after Pullin posted al...
Court Affirms Summary Judgment in Defamation Case Due to Lack of Actual Malice
McManus v. Foster, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on February 27, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, McManus, sued the defendant, Foster, for defamation, alleging that Foster ...
Online reviews found to be protected opinion, not defamation
Culgan v. Hanlin, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on February 18, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Culgan, sued the defendant, Hanlin, for defamation after Hanlin posted nega...
Statements alleging child molestation and rape are factual assertions, not protected opinion.
Flippin v. Gray, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on February 17, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The plaintiff, Flippin, sued the defendant, Gray, for defamation after Gray published state...
Court Affirms Summary Judgment in Defamation Case Due to Lack of Actual Malice
Sutherly v. Theaker, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on February 11, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Sutherly, sued the defendant, Theaker, for defamation after Theaker made...
Court finds no defamation due to lack of actual malice
Arthur v. Weir, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on February 9, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Arthur, sued the defendant, Weir, for defamation after Weir posted allegedly f...
Court finds no defamation due to lack of actual malice
Arthur v. Weir, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on February 9, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Arthur, sued the defendant, Weir, for defamation after Weir posted allegedly f...
Court strikes down zoning ordinance as unconstitutionally vague and overbroad
One Energy v. Allen Twp. Bd. of Trustees, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on February 9, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The core dispute centered on whether a zoning ordinance prohibiting...
Ohio Court Affirms Defamation Judgment for False Online Statements
Maki v. Scherzer, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on February 6, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The plaintiff, Maki, sued the defendant, Scherzer, for defamation after Scherzer posted all...
Court Affirms Summary Judgment in Defamation Case Over Actual Malice
Bright v. Mao, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on January 30, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Bright, sued the defendant, Mao, for defamation after Mao posted allegedly fals...
Online reviews protected as opinion, not defamation
Pizzuli v. Yurko, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on January 29, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Pizzuli, sued the defendant, Yurko, for defamation after Yurko posted negati...
Public figure defamation claim fails due to lack of actual malice
Campolo v. Przytulski, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on December 30, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Campolo, sued the defendant, Przytulski, for defamation after Przytuls...
Ohio Court Affirms Eviction for Tenant's Alleged Drug Nuisance
Lakewood v. M.T.S., decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on December 18, 2025, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The core dispute in Lakewood v. M.T.S. concerned whether a landlord could evict a tenant...
Zoning ordinance prohibiting livestock constitutional as applied to miniature horse
Kanode v. Columbus, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on December 11, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Kanode, sued the defendant, Columbus, alleging that the city's zoning ord...
Zoning resolution prohibiting sex business near church upheld
State ex rel. Kirkpatrick v. Madison Twp., decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on December 8, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Ohio Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's decision, hol...
Statements of Opinion Protected from Defamation Claims
O'Neill v. Jones, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on December 1, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, O'Neill, sued the defendant, Jones, for defamation after Jones published sta...
Ohio Court Affirms Dismissal of Defamation Claim Based on Opinion
Martin v. James, decided by Ohio Court of Appeals on November 26, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Martin, sued the defendant, James, for defamation after James posted alleged...
CaseLawBrief currently tracks 26 first amendment free speech cases from courts in Ohio. New cases are added as opinions are published.
Courts deciding first amendment free speech cases in Ohio include: ohioctapp (26 cases).
Outcome breakdown: Defendant Win: 20, Remanded: 1, Mixed: 1, Plaintiff Win: 4.