Pryor v. Brignole

Summary

The court held that denial of a colorable special motion to dismiss under Connecticut's anti-SLAPP statute is an appealable final judgment because the statute protects a defendant's substantive right to avoid litigation on the merits. It further held that the defendants asserted a colorable claim because the alleged letters to news outlets concerned an attorney's arrest and prosecution, matters potentially involving communication in a public forum on a matter of public concern. The court reversed the Appellate Court's dismissals and remanded for further proceedings. D’Auria, J., dissenting, joined by Ecker, J., would have held that the denials were not appealable and that defendants who deny making the alleged statements should not receive the statute's expedited appellate protections.