Fidelis Agbapuruonwu v. NBC Subsidiary (WRC-TV), LLC, dba NBC4 Washington, et al.
ERISA FirstAmendment Jurisdiction JusticiabilityDoctri
1. Whether Twombly and Iqbal require heightened factual pleading of allegations of malice in a common law defamation complaint brought by a private individual against a media defendant, beyond the requirement of F.R.Civ.P. 9(b) that "[m]alice . . . may be alleged generally"?
2. Whether a private individual bringing a common-law defamation claim in federal court based on diversity jurisdiction is entitled to discovery to adduce evidence of malice for the purpose of overcoming a qualified privilege?
Whether Twombly and Iqbal require heightened factual pleading of allegations of malice in a common law defamation complaint brought by a private individual against a media defendant, beyond the requirement of F.R.Civ.P. 9(b) that '[m]alice . .. may be alleged generally?