Jan 24, 2008 1:52 pm US/Central
Blogger Perez Hilton Gets $85,000 In Lawsuit
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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The judge removed Perez Hilton from the lawsuit last November after the blogger's attorneys argued he was protected by free speech rights
Carlo Allegri/Getty Images
Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton will receive nearly $85,000 to pay his
legal costs in a defamation lawsuit brought by a friend of actress
Lindsay Lohan, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, also can receive an
additional $2,000 if he requests it, Superior Court Judge Elihu M.
Berle said.
"Perez Hilton will take steps to make sure every dime is
collected," said his lawyer, Bryan J. Freedman. "This should make one
careful before filing a lawsuit against him."
Samantha Ronson, who sued Hilton last year, was a passenger in
Lohan's car when it crashed into a tree in Beverly Hills last May.
She sued Hilton for repeating on his Web site a report from
CelebrityBabylon.com that stated she planted cocaine that was found in
Lohan's car.
The judge removed Hilton from the lawsuit last November after the
blogger's attorneys argued he was protected by free speech rights.
Her attorney, David M. Bass, unsuccessfully argued that Hilton's
lawyers' fees were excessive and he should get no more than $13,400 to
recover his legal costs.
Bass also said Ronson's previous lawyer abandoned his
representation of her before taking Hilton's deposition, which Bass
said was important to the defamation suit.
Bass said Wednesday he was considering whether to take further legal action.
"We would like an opportunity for the court to consider all the facts," he said.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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