Church seeks reversal in court's free-speech ruling

<snip> Quintero and other former or current tenants of Thomas' East Bay rental properties, organized through the Campaign for Renters Rights, picketed the church in April 2003 and handed out leaflets blasting Thomas' policies on evictions, security deposits and repairs.

Thomas got a temporary restraining order keeping Quintero away from his family and fellow church members, and barring him from "distributing false and misleading handbills on private property without permit and in violation of local ordinances."

After distributing more leaflets, Quintero filed an anti-SLAPP motion seeking dismissal of Thomas' case. SLAPP means "strategic lawsuit against public participation," a civil lawsuit or counterclaim in which the alleged injury was the result of free-speech activities and filed without merit in order to chill that speech.

An Alameda County Superior Court judge in July 2003 found Thomas didn't deserve a permanent injunction against the protesters but denied Quintero's anti-SLAPP motion. The state Court of Appeal last month overruled that denial, finding Quintero had adequate legal standing and grounds for a successful anti-SLAPP motion. <snip>

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