Moratorium NOW! Coalition is a grassroots activist organization in Detroit that focuses on economic justice issues such as foreclosures, evictions, and utility shutoffs. In 2022 the organization began to call public attention to what it perceived to be extremely poor conditions in low-income housing owned by local landlord Gaston Munoz, whose company has been cited for city violations. Munoz responded by suing Moratorium NOW! and its members, accusing them of defamation and interfering with his business interests. This is a classic case of what’s known as a “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation,” or SLAPP suit, where a lawsuit is used to retaliate against people who speak out on issues of public concern and deter others from joining them for fear of also being sued. In March 2023 the ACLU of Michigan stepped up to represent Moratorium NOW! and its members to fight back against this abuse of the legal system. In June 2023 Judge Dana Hathaway denied our motion to dismiss, so the case is proceeding to discovery. (Munoz Realty v. Flores; ACLU Attorneys Syeda Davidson, Mark P. Fancher, and Dan Korobkin; co-counsel Julie Hurwitz, Bill Goodman, and Holland Locklear; defense attorney Allison Kriger.)
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