In a dramatic legal battle, a plaintiff has filed a lawsuit against three individuals, alleging defamation and emotional distress. The complaint was lodged by Lynley Kerr Hogan in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, on January 9, 2025. The defendants named in the case are Rob Moore, Maria Ristow, and Lee Fagot.
The lawsuit stems from events that began in April 2023 when Hogan started attending Los Gatos Democracy Tent meetings to engage in civic discussions about the town of Los Gatos. The complaint alleges that defamatory statements were made by the defendants which led to Hogan being banned from these public meetings. Specifically, it is claimed that Moore and Ristow falsely accused Hogan of threatening violence at a Town Council meeting—a statement that was allegedly repeated by Fagot to other members of the community.
Hogan asserts that these accusations were not only false but maliciously intended to damage her reputation and cause emotional distress. In one instance, it is alleged that Moore posted an outdated and misleading article on nextdoor.com, implying criminal behavior on Hogan's part. This post reportedly incited negative reactions from community members and further damaged Hogan's standing.
The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages exceeding $35,000 for defamation per se by libel and slander, as well as intentional infliction of emotional distress. Additionally, she requests punitive damages to deter such conduct in the future and injunctive relief to prevent further defamation.
Representing herself pro se, Lynley Kerr Hogan demands a jury trial to resolve these issues. The case is presided over under Case No: 95 CV456254 with no specific attorneys or judges named within the document.