The contractor who filed a lawsuit against a customer who wrote a highly negative review on Yelp and Angie's List said today he will have his long-awaited second chance in court Monday, Jan. 27.
Christopher Dietz, owner of Dietz Development in Washington, sued Fairfax County, Va. resident Jane Perez for $750,000 in a 2012 lawsuit claiming she was responsible for lost business due to jewelry theft allegations Perez made in two posts on Yelp and Angie's List. The case has since attracted plenty of attention and raised questions about the legal nature of online reviews.
In December 2012, the Fairfax County Circuit Court ruled that Perez must remove her online posting, but the Virginia Supreme Court reversed that decision and sent the case back to the circuit court for further deliberation.
Dietz's case hinges on whether or not a jury finds Perez's allegations defamatory. If so, Perez could pay some or all of the $750,000 and be forced to remove her negative reviews. Dietz told REMODELING he expects a verdict by the end of next week.
