By: James B. Sherman, Esq. 

Jury Socks Blogger with $60,000 in Damages for

"Tortious Interference" with U of M Employee's Job

When an individual was hired by the University of Minnesota to study mortgage foreclosures as part of its Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center, the decision apparently did not sit well with a Minneapolis blogger who went by the moniker, "Johnny Northside." His blog accused the U's new employee of being involved in a "high profile fraudulent mortgage" that resulted in a prison sentence for a former real estate agent, although the employee was never charged. One day after the scathing blog was posted the U of M fired the man and Mr. Northside would later take partial credit for this on his blog.

The discharged employee sued Northside, claiming defamation and "tortious interference" with his employment. The defense claimed the statement posted in the blog was true. The plaintiff alleged the blog created a "defamation zone" where others posted false statements. A Minneapolis jury sided with the plaintiff, concluding that the blog unlawfully interfered with his employment. An appeal is likely. This case will be closely watched in employment law circles. After all, co-workers have forever questioned their employers' hiring and promotion decisions when they know something about a person's past; if they blog/tweet/post their displeasure, similar claims are sure to follow.