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FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE |
Linda Wagner (914) 378-2433 |
Los Angeles, May 4, 2000 - Following an April 6 jury verdict
announced here in Isuzu vs. Consumers Union (CU), Federal Judge
Richard Paez entered the court's formal judgment in favor of CU and
against Isuzu on May 1. Isuzu had sued CU, the publisher of Consumer
Reports, for disparagement to their 1995 and 1996 Trooper
sport-utility vehicle (SUV) resulting from the 1996 publication of
CU's test findings of those vehicles, asking for $242 million in
damages. Isuzu was denied damages on all counts.
Judge Paez's judgment will require Isuzu to pay CU's "reasonable
costs" of defending itself against the suit. (As defined by statute,
these costs do not include attorney's fees.) CU has presented the
court with documentation for recovering more than $330,000 in
litigation expenses, as covered by Judge Paez's order.
CU's lead trial counsel, Joseph W. Cotchett, said, "This is a
great legal victory for Consumers Union, for consumers, and for the
First Amendment."
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Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, is an independent, nonprofit testing and information-gathering organization, serving only the consumer. We are a comprehensive source of unbiased advice about products and services, personal finance, health, nutrition, and other consumer concerns. Since 1936, our mission has been to test products, inform the public, and protect consumers.
